The Revelation · New Testament

Revelation 5

Revelation 5: the sealed book and the Lamb that was slain

General context

John sees a book in the right hand of the one on the throne, written within and on the backside and sealed with seven seals. A strong angel asks who is worthy to open it, and no one in heaven, on earth or under the earth can open it or look on it. John weeps much. One of the elders tells him to stop weeping, saying that "the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book". John then looks and sees a Lamb standing as though it had been slain, with seven horns and seven eyes. The Lamb takes the book out of the right hand of the one on the throne. The four beasts and the twenty-four elders fall down with harps and golden vials, and sing a new song naming the reason: the Lamb was slain and redeemed people out of every kindred, tongue, people and nation. Many thousands of angels take up a sevenfold acclamation, and then every creature in heaven, earth, under the earth and in the sea joins in. The beasts say Amen and the elders worship.

Cited passages: Revelation 5:1, Revelation 5:2, Revelation 5:3, Revelation 5:4, Revelation 5:5, Revelation 5:6, Revelation 5:7, Revelation 5:8, Revelation 5:9, Revelation 5:10, Revelation 5:11, Revelation 5:12, Revelation 5:13, Revelation 5:14

Revelation 5 (KJV)

¹And 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.

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

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

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

⁵And 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.

⁶And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.

⁷And he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne.

⁸And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints.

⁹And 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;

¹⁰And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.

¹¹And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands;

¹²Saying 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.

¹³And 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.

¹⁴And the four beasts said, Amen. And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever.

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Historical context

The chapter explains two of its images and leaves the rest. The seven eyes are said to be "the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth", and the golden vials full of odours are said to be "the prayers of saints". The seven horns are not explained. The contents of the book are not stated, and the text does not say what its being "written within and on the backside" signifies. An elder announces "the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David", and what John then records seeing is "a Lamb as it had been slain", which then takes the book. The announcement is speech by an elder and the Lamb is what John beheld; the text sets the two one after the other and does not state in so many words that they are one figure. The song's claim about the past is stated by the singers, not the narrator: "thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood". No place, ruler or date is supplied.

Cited passages: Revelation 5:1, Revelation 5:5, Revelation 5:6, Revelation 5:8, Revelation 5:9, Revelation 5:10

Literary context

The chapter turns on the distance between what is announced and what is seen. An elder points John toward a Lion, and what John records is a Lamb, described in the same breath as standing and "as it had been slain". Praise expands in three widening circles: the four beasts and the elders, then "the voice of many angels" numbered at ten thousand times ten thousand, then "every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea". The refusal at the start, where "no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able", is answered by that same threefold sweep at the end. John's weeping is the one human reaction recorded, and it is stopped by an elder before the vision resumes. The angels' acclamation runs to seven terms, matching the seven seals, seven horns and seven eyes already in view.

Cited passages: Revelation 5:2, Revelation 5:3, Revelation 5:4, Revelation 5:5, Revelation 5:6, Revelation 5:8, Revelation 5:11, Revelation 5:12, Revelation 5:13

Key moments

A book with seven seals (Revelation 5:1). John sees a sealed book in the right hand of the one on the throne.
No one able to open it (Revelation 5:3). No one in heaven, earth or under the earth can open the book or look on it.
The Lion announced (Revelation 5:5). An elder tells John the Lion of the tribe of Juda has prevailed to open the book.
A Lamb as it had been slain (Revelation 5:6). What John sees is a Lamb with seven horns and seven eyes.
The book taken (Revelation 5:7). The Lamb takes the book from the right hand of the one on the throne.
A new song (Revelation 5:9). The beasts and elders sing that the Lamb was slain and redeemed people from every nation.
Every creature joins (Revelation 5:13). All creation is heard giving blessing to the one on the throne and to the Lamb.

For reflection

John weeps because no one is found worthy, and an elder answers him before anything changes in the scene. What weight does the text give to that moment of weeping by leaving it in rather than moving straight to the Lamb?