Revelation 5:1-5
When Hell Sings
Maybe you have heard someone flippantly say, "When hell freezes
over…." As far as we know, hell will never freeze over so that
has become an expression to indicate that something will never
happen. However, this chapter does tell us of a time when hell will
sing.
In Revelation 4:1, John stepped off the earth into heaven, out of the
flesh into the spirit. Now in heaven, John represents the church. I
believe that in most cases: what he sees, we will see. Where he is,
we will be. What he does, we will do.
John arrived in what appears to be the Throne Room of God. He spent
chapter four telling us what he saw. First and foremost, the One
sitting upon the throne. Then he proceeded to describe the wonderful
and glorious things and beings he saw. Most of them so spectacular
that your attention would be immediately drawn to them.
But in chapter 5, John’s attention is drawn to something that was not
so spectacular. Something that John would have seen many times on
earth, a book or a scroll. Maybe it is the commonness of the book in
that spectacular place that caught his attention in the first place.
Let’s consider the book and its place with four thoughts:
I. \\#Rev 5:1\\ The Book
Rev 5:1 And I saw in the right hand of him that
sat on the throne a book written within and on
the backside, sealed with seven seals.
A. Description
1. It is a scroll not a book.
2. It is written on both sides.
3. It is sealed with seven ribbons or seals, meaning it is
official.
a. In Rome, official documents would be sealed with a
ribbon and then sealed with a wax seal which then
had the official’s emblem pressed into the wax.
b. The emblems showed who had sealed the document and
that it arrived to its recipient unhampered.
c. In some cases, tor anyone to open such a document
meant death.
4. The fact that this scroll had SEVEN seals meant it was
sealed from God.
a. A single seal would have been sufficient for any
earthly scroll.
b. Seven is the number of completion or perfection in
the Bible.
c. God made the world in six days and rested on the
seventh.
d. The Law commanded mankind to rest and worship God on
the seventh day.
B. Origins - This book is in the hand of the One who sits upon
the Throne.
1. That is God the Father.
a. God’s NATURE - He is one God but manifested in three
distinct Persons.
(1) I mentioned that we worship one God, but He is
manifested in three distinct and unique Persons.
(2) I would like to tell you that I understand that,
but I cannot.
(3) God is an infinite Being that a finite mind
cannot comprehend, but I believe it none the
less.
b. All three members of the Trinity are seen in heaven.
(1) \\#Rev 4:2\\ God the Father sits upon the throne.
(2) \\#Rev 4:5\\ God the Holy Spirit is represented
by the seven Lamps which the Bible says are the
seven Spirits of God.
(3) \\#Rev 5:6\\ God the Son is represented by the
Lamb.
c. ROLES
(1) The Father is the Planner and Architect.
(2) The Son is Intermediate between God and man, (the
One who stands for us and with us to help us.)
(3) The Holy Spirit (at least during this
dispensation) is the Link between God and man.
2. The book mentioned here begins in the hand of the Father
because it is part of the Father’s plan.
C. Contents
1. We will see the contents of this book in the remainder of
the book of Revelation.
2. Spoiler Alert
a. Every time a seal is opened, judgment falls on the
earth, so this book is a book of judgment against
sinners and a sinful planet.
b. You do not want to be on this planet when any of those
seals are opened.
c. Some are stockpiling for the future. I’m good with
that.
d. The only way to be ready for this event is to not be
here.
II. \\#Rev 5:2-4\\ The Search
Rev 5:2 And I saw a strong angel proclaiming
with a loud voice…
A. \\#2\\ A strong (mighty, powerful) angel asks "Who is worthy
to open this book?"
B. \\#Rev 5:3-4\\ Search is made in heaven, in earth, and under
the earth (hell).
1. These three directions represent all of creation.
2. No one is found who is worthy.
3. John weeps much. Why?
a. Was John anxious for judgment? No.
b. But he was anxious for the plan of God to go forward.
III. \\#Rev 5:5-7\\ The Lamb
A. But then one of the elders speaks out:
Rev 5:5 And one of the elders saith unto me,
Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda,
the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the
book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.
1. We have speculated that these elders represent the two
kingdoms of God (the Old Testament and the New
Testament) coming together.
2. These elders seem to have two main functions:
a. They will worship of the Lord.
b. On two occasion, one of them will speak directly to
John guiding his attention to some detail:
(1) \\#Rev 7:13\\ The elder directed John’s
attention to the white robes the saints wore.
(2) \\#Rev 5:5\\ The elder told John that he was
looking in the wrong direction.
B. So John looked in a different direction:
Rev 5:6 And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of
the throne… stood a Lamb.
1. The search has been going on in the wrong direction, i.e.
in CREATION.
2. The One who is worthy was not CREATED.
3. To find the worthy One, John must look back to God’s
throne for out of the throne comes a LAMB.
4. The Lamb is not created. He is divine. He is God!
a. You will not find the worthy One by looking the
inhabitants of heaven.
b. You will not find the worthy One by looking through
the residents of earth.
c. You certainly will not find the worthy One by looking
through the caverns of hell.
d. If you want to find the worthy One, look to the
throne, look to the throne, look to the throne!
C. The Lamb described:
1. \\#Rev 5:6\\ Two facts identify the Lamb:
a. Where He Comes From - He comes from the throne
meaning He is God.
b. What He Looks Like - He looks like a Lamb that was
slain.
(1) He looks like He was slain because He was slain.
(2) There is only One who has been slain and still
lives.
(3) And there is only One who is worthy to open that
book!
(a) He is worthy because of WHO He is.
(b) He is worthy because of WHAT He has done.
c. These two facts identify the Lamb as Jesus.
2. \\#Rev 5:5\\ He is called the Lion of the tribe of Judah.
a. Judah is the ruling tribe.
b. The Lion is the king of all.
c. This is another way of saying He is the King of kings.
3. \\#Rev 5:5\\ He is the Root of David.
a. The root is where a tree originates. It is where the
tree grows or comes from.
b. Jesus is a descendent of David and therefore, in the
analogy of a tree, should be and actually is referred
to as the "branch" of David.
c. However, because Jesus is the Beginning and Creator of
all things, the order here is reversed.
d. Jesus did not just "come" from David but David came
from Jesus.
e. Jesus is the only One who can be called both the Root
and the Branch.
(1) The "root" representing Jesus’ deity.
(2) The "branch" representing Jesus’ humanity.
4. \\#Rev 5:6\\ He has "seven horns and seven eyes."
a. The "seven eyes" means He has perfect vision, that He
sees and knows all things. That is another way of
saying the Lamb is omniscient, an attribute that
only God possess.
b. The "seven horns" means He has perfect power. That
is another way of saying the Lamb is omnipotent,
another attribute that only God possess.
5. These are said to be the "seven Spirits of God."
a. That phrase is a reference to the Holy Ghost.
b. Jesus, the eternal God, gave up His spirit form to
become flesh and die for mankind.
c. He will never be spirit again. Today, He lives in a
glorified body.
d. He and the Holy Ghost now share some unique
relationship.
e. I don’t understand it, but this verses seems to put
the Two together.
D. \\#Rev 5:7\\ The Lamb takes the book from the Father.
IV. \\#Rev 5:8-14\\ The Response
A. Three crescendi of praise break out:
1. \\#Rev 5:8-10\\ It looks like the four beasts and the
24 elders lead the worship.
a. I am sure the four beasts sing as it is the song of
the redeemed and they are not—as far as we know—
part of the redeemed.
b. But the text indicates they do.
c. They bow, play harps, and sing.
Rev 5:9 And they sung a new song, saying, Thou
art worthy to take the book, and to open the
seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast
redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every
kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;
10 And hast made us unto our God kings and
priests: and we shall reign on the earth.
a. The words of this song declare these 24 to be
saved souls.
b. It is implied that they were sinners.
c. It says they have been redeemed.
d. It says they are now kings and priests to God.
d. It says they will reign on the earth.
2. \\#Rev 5:11-12\\ The angels join in the reframe. The
angels do not speak of redemption but of the worthiness
of the Lamb.
Rev 5:12 Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the
Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches,
and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory,
and blessing.
3. \\#Rev 5:13\\ Every creature who lives or has lived joins,
including those in hell.
Rev 5:13 And every creature which is in heaven,
and on the earth, and under the earth, and such
as are in the sea, and all that are in them,
heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory,
and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the
throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.
B. I do not know that all three parts will be sung right then,
especially the last part.
1. As far as a I know, everyone on the earth and in hell
does not start singing this song soon after the rapture.
2. I suspect the choir gets larger as time progresses and
that what John was seeing was the completed choir which
probably will not sing until AFTER man’s history is
completed.
C. Oh, but what a sound that will be!
Better practice! He is worthy and this is prophesy. Even hell will suddenly
erupt in praise to God.
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