The enthronement of Jesus.
John begins the report from heaven by describing the events associated with the Scroll. The Scroll symbolically portrays events related to the history of the conflict between good and evil. “And I saw on the right-hand side of the one sitting on the throne a book, written within and on the back and sealed with seven seals.” Revelation 5:1, (My translation). Most translations of the Bible read “in the right hand.” However, the Greek word means “on, at, by.” Therefore, the more accurate translation is that the scroll was on the right side of one seated on the throne. But the book, or scroll, was on the throne next to one sitting on the throne. This indicates that no one was holding the scroll yet. The rightful owner has not been identified yet in the vision. Therefore, John does not yet know the identity of the worthy owner.
John heard a mighty angel asking, “Who is worthy to open the book and break its seals?” In the Roman Empire, a scroll sealed with seven seals was the deed to a property. Only the legal owner of the property had the right to break the seals and open the deed. The deed on the right side of him, who sits on the throne, is a special and unique deed to the property. Therefore, John observed. “But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or look into it.” Revelation 5:3, NET. No created being is worthy to open the scroll. No created being could be the Sovereign owner of the property. So John began to weep because no one was worthy to open the scroll. To him and the believers in the first century, a legal owner of the earth and its inhabitants needed to exist.
One of the elders told John there was a worthy one. He needed to look at the assembly of the elders and the four creatures. “Then I saw standing in the middle the throne and four living creatures, and in the middle of the elders, a Lamb that appeared to have been killed.” Revelation 5:6, NET. John must have been surprised when he saw the Lamb. None of the mighty angels was worthy and able except the Lamb that was slain. However, the Lamb that looked like it was slain has redeemed Earth for God. Because it was slain, the Lamb saved the earth’s inhabitants from guilt and punishment for sin. Therefore, the Lamb is the legal owner of the property. The Lamb defeated God’s enemy and rescued the property.
What was written on the scroll? Read the next blog.
