For the best understanding
of this post you need to have read at least the previous three posts.
Revelation 5:1–3 “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. And I saw a strong angel proclaiming
with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals
thereof? And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able
to open the book, neither to look thereon.”
At this point
John’s focus turns to the fact that God the Father is holding a scroll (from
the Greek) written on both front and back and sealed with seven seals. A mighty angel then loudly speaks out asking,
“Who is worthy or deserving to break the seals and open the scroll?” John then reveals that no man in heaven,
earth, or under the earth was qualified to open the book and see its contents.
It is obvious that
the scroll is a legal document of some type.
Being able to break the seals would imply right of ownership. God the Father is the one with the authority
to determine who is qualified to take possession of the document.
I found two logical explanations regarding this
document; one by Jon Courson and the other by Warren Wiersbe.
Courson:
“Initially, a title deed would be written only on
the smooth side and sealed with a single seal (Jeremiah 32:6-29). But if
the owner became unable to meet his financial obligations, he would have to
relinquish his title deed – upon the backside of which would be written his
debts and upon which would be placed seven seals. If at any time during
the ensuing seven years he could pay off his debts, the seals would be broken,
and the title deed returned.
All of this explains what is in the hand of the
One Who sits on the throne here in Chapter 5: It’s the title deed to
Planet Earth. The title deed to this planet was originally given to Adam
in the Garden of Eden when God told him to subdue the earth (Genesis
1:28). Adam forfeited his right to ownership when he ate of the fruit of
the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. You see, although Satan
tricked Eve into eating the forbidden fruit, Adam’s was an overt, calculated
act of rebellion, which is why the Bible speaks of Adam’s sin as that which
transferred to Satan the title deed of planet earth (Romans 5:14, 1Timothy
2:14).”
Romans
5:14 “Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had
not sinned after the similitude of Adam’s transgression, who is the figure of
him that was to come.”
1Timothy
2:14 “And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the
transgression.”
Wiersbe:
“The Roman will was sealed with 7 seals. The
scroll gives Christ the right to claim creation by virtue of His death. A
will can only be opened by the heir. Christ is the ‘heir of all things.’”
Hebrews
1:1-2 “God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto
the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son,
whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds….” [end quote]
John was devastated when he realized that no one
had stepped forth as worthy to open the scroll.
Revelation 5:4 “And I wept much, because
no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon.”
I think he knew that the eternal
future of believers and the fulfillment of God’s covenants with Abraham and
David were at stake.
(to be continued…)
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