Painting #5 Book Sealed w/Seven Seals - Revelation 5:1,2

The Book of Destiny

     The fifth chapter of Revelation is certainly one of the most glorious chapters ever penned. The grandeur of the setting is incomparable and the theme is nothing less than the very destiny of the world. Its Creator is seated on the glorious throne established high in earth’s atmosphere, encircled by the emerald rainbow and surrounded by the elders of redeemed humanity.

     But the earth itself, depleted of its “salt” by the resurrection and rapture of all the saints, is more corrupt than ever, rapidly degenerating into a morass of wickedness and violence. The price for earth’s redemption was paid long ago on Calvary’s cross, but it is still bound tight in the power of the wicked one (1 John 5:19), so that its actual redemption must still be accomplished. It is as though a man had purchased a tract of land, and had clear title to it legally but was barred from occupying it by unlawful usurpers who had settled on it.

     Just so, earth’s final redemption is yet to come. “And when these things begin to come to pass,” Jesus said, “then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh” (Luke 21:28). “Ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory” (Ephesians 1:13, 14). In this glorious fifth chapter of Revelation, earth’s great Redeemer is preparing to finish the task of purging the purchased world.

Revelation 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.

     The majestic presence of God on the throne was hidden in the rainbow-hued light, but now it seemed as though a man’s right hand were there, clasping a most remarkable scroll. The scroll had writings on it, on both front and back. Then it was rolled tight and sealed with seven strong seals. 

     But what is this remarkable scroll? It is nothing less than the title deed to the earth itself. This is not explained in the immediate context, but it is clearly the antitype of all the rich typological teaching associated with the divinely specified procedures for land redemption in the Old Testament.

     In the first place, the earth is permanently God’s possession by right of creation, and nothing can eve alter that fact. “The earth is the Lord’s, and the fullness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein. For he hath founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the floods” (Psalm 24:1, 2). In the type, this was signified by God’s permanent gift of a portion of His land to each family among His chosen people. “The land whall not be sold for ever: for the land is mine; for ye are strangers and sojourners with me. And in all the land of your possession ye shall grant a redemption for the land. If thy brother be waxen poor, and hath sold away some of his possession, and if any of his kin come to redeem it, then shall he redeem that which his brother sold” (Leviticus 25:23-25).

     Just as an Israelite could sell or lose his land for a time, so apparently Adam lost his God-given dominion over the earth. Satan became the “god of this world” (2 Corinthians 4:4). But this situation could only be superficial and temporary, for “the earth hath he given to the children of men” (Psalm 115:16).

     A lost estate in Israel could be redeemed by any kinsman with the purchase price. The only one able to redeem the earth, however, is the Creator Himself, and to be a kinsman of Adam, He must first become a man, the second Adam. The redemption price, furthermore, cannot be mere money. “Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you” (1 Peter 1:18-20).

     The sinless Lamb of God must take away the sin of the world (John 1:29). But even after the price was paid, the great usurper must still be expelled from the redeemed estate before the redemption of the purchased possession would be complete. For a long time, however, the Lamb of God, the rightful owner, has been away in heaven, preparing a great city as a home for his redeemed ones, to bring back with Him when He returns to take possession of the earth.

     This aspect is also pictured typologically in the Old Testament, this time in terms of the long absence of the whole nation of Judah from its land during the Babylonian captivity. In token of his faith that God would eventually restore the land to them, the prophet Jeremiah purchased a tract of land which he had the right as a kinsmen-redeemer to buy, even though he knew the Babylonian invaders would usurp the land for seventy long years (Jeremiah 25:11).

     The evidence of the transaction was to be buried until such time as the invaders were expelled and the rightful heirs could return to claim it. “And I subscribed the evidence, and sealed it, and took witnesses, and weighed him the money in the balances. So I took the evidence of the purchase, both that which was sealed according to the law and custom, and that which was open: And I gave the evidence of the purchase unto Baruch the son of Neriah, the son of Maaseiah, in the sight of Hanameel mine uncle’s son, and in the presence of the witnesses that subscribed the book of the purchase, before all the Jews that sat in the court of the prison. And I charged Baruch before them, saying, Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; Take these evidences, this evidence of the purchase, both which is sealed, and this evidence which is open; and put them in an earthen vessel, that they may continue many days. For thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; Houses and fields and vineyards shall be possessed again in this land” (Jeremiah 32:10-15).

     The deed of sale was written and sealed. A duplicate was also made, the latter remaining open so as to bear testimony to what was in the sealed copy, and to be available for records and reference. The sealed copy, however, could only be opened by the rightful owner (as identified on the open copy), and the transaction was not fully consummated until he came forward to break the seals and exhibit the official title deed and right of ownership. In Jeremiah’s case, both copies were buried together, since there was no safe place for records to be kept, and Jeremiah knew that God would somehow direct his heirs back to claim their inheritance.  

Whose World Is This?

     This is the background of the marvelous drama that now unfolds in Revelation. The Lamb has paid the price to reclaim the lost world and has delivered over the title deed, as it were, for safekeeping to its Creator God until He could return to cast out the invader and consummate the full redemption of His dearly purchased possession.

     The heavenly title scroll is one rather than two, but the import is the same. Its contents are evidently brief, recording only the fact that the price for the whole world has been paid and the Lamb has right to the inheritance, but it is sealed tight with seven seals. However, the same brief information appears openly to all, written on the backside, or outside, so there is no need for two scrolls. The word has been published to the whole creation if men would only believe it, that the Lamb is the Redeemer and some day will return to claim his possession and to be acknowledged universally as King of kings.

Revelation 5:2.     And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof?

     First, however, it must be established in sight of all the heavenly host, as well as all the redeemed, that there was no one else qualified to claim the inheritance. An angel – no ordinary angel, but one of the highest in the heavenly host, perhaps Gabriel himself, a “strong” angel – proclaims with a thunderous voice, audible throughout the mighty company, that the time is at hand. The world has been plundered long enough by the great Adversary and he must be defeated and banished with all his followers, both human and demon, forever. But who and where is one who is both Kinsman and Redeemer, one who has both the right and the ability to take over “the uttermost parts of the earth [for His] possession” (Psalm 2:8)?

Revelation 5:3.     And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon. 

     The identity of the rightful heir must be determined, and the description is very specific, perhaps spelled out clearly on the open side of the seven-sealed scroll. For one thing it must be a man, rather than an angel, for it was man’s lost estate that must be reclaimed. None of the angelic hosts in heaven, and certainly not the demonic hordes of Satan, can qualify.

     But there are billions of men, including many of the saved, now in heaven around the throne. None of these, however, could qualify as the Redeemer because their very souls are included in the estate to be redeemed. Since man’s sin was the cause for which the world was lost, no man who is or was a sinner can buy it back. The price is a life of perfect holiness, with that life being offered through the shedding of its blood in substitutionary suffering and death for the world of sinners, “In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace” (Ephesians 1:7).

     In all the world’s history, there has been “none righteous, no, not one” (Romans 3:10). And if there are none in heaven who are qualified, still less qualified are the unredeemed still on the earth or under the earth in Hades. They are still in their sins. “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).

     None of the saints around the throne could even bring himself to dare look at the book, just to see whether he would qualify. They had all experienced the purifying fire of Christ’s presence and had been made like Him (Romans 8:29). But this was by His grace only – not any merit of their own. The one who could open the scroll must do so by right of His own demonstrated – not imputed – merit.

Revelation 5:4.     And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon.

     John, as one of the raptured saints, views the scene in awe – but also in increasing concern. All had seemed in readiness to proceed with the expurgation of the great invader and his hosts of demonic and human followers on earth, but the rightful claimant to earth’s title had not been found. The scroll remained sealed, and the judgments could not proceed until it was opened. John, in great emotion, and somehow still not of sufficient confident faith, despite all he had heard and seen, began to wonder whether the work of redemption might even yet fail of completion, and finally to weep and sob in near despair.

Revelation 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.

     It is significant that it was not the angel, but an elder, who came to meet John’s need at this point. The elder was a redeemed and raptured saint, like John, and understood the intensity of his concern better than any angel could but he, unlike John, had long been in heaven with the Savior, having been among those rescued by Him from Hades at the time of Christ’s resurrection. As an “elder,” he had presumably lived his pilgrimage on earth before John was born, with the unique perspective such long experience had acquired for him.

     It may be he is one of the ancient patriarchs – possibly even Judah himself! Who would know better the implication of Jacob’s dying prophecy concerning the coming Savior? “Judah is a lion’s whelp. . . The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be” (Genesis 49:9, 10).

     By John’s time, the Romans had destroyed Jerusalem and the Jews were in dispersion: the scepter had indeed departed from Judah. Therefore, Shiloh had already come, the promised King, the Lion of Judah’s tribe. But perhaps it had not been fully understood in those ancient times what “the gathering of the peoples” might mean.

     Now all understood. All the redeemed peoples of all the nations of all the ages had been gathered together unto Him and were intensely awaiting His appearance as the great conquering Lion.

     In the tribe of Judah, the chosen family was Jesse and the anointed king was David. He who had created David – “the root of David” was also the “offspring of David” (Revelation 22:16). He had “come whose right it is” (Ezekiel 21:27). 

     That it was His right had been proved because He had prevailed to open the book. This is the same word used for “overcome” in the letters to the churches, and also for “triumphed” in Colossians 2:14, 15: “Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; and having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.” Not only was He the Son of man, He was the Lion of Judah and the Root of David; He had put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself on the cross and had prevailed over the powers of the wicked one who had usurped His Father’s creation. John’s tears ceased, as he turned to see the great prevailing Lion prepare to burst the seals.