Revelation 5

The scroll at the right hand of God was sealed seven times over. The number seven is the divine symbol for wholeness and completeness. The scroll, then, perfectly sealed the knowledge God intended to reveal. It would take a perfect being, equal to God, to open the seals. From among the gathered multitude before the throne, an angel loudly asked, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and to break its seals?”

The question caused John to cry. He understood that no one in the universe was worthy. That included those in the heavenly assemblage before God’s throne. Like him, they were all created beings. But then, one of the elders pointed to the presence of a being who materialized in the middle of the throne room. It was the presence of a lamb standing as having been slain. It represented Christ. The Lamb was declared to be worthy on the basis of its victorious death on the cross.

That unique qualification was added to by the seven horns on the Lamb’s head. In the Old Testament, horns represent strength and power (e.g., Deuteronomy 33: 17; 1 Samuel 2: 10; 1 Kings 22: 11). The seven horns symbolize Christ’s full, complete, omnipotent power, showing that He has the ability to open the seven seals. The seven eyes of the Lamb symbolize the complete perfection of Christ’s omniscience. They signify His ability to read, judge, and instruct from the scroll through the fullness (seven spirits) of the Holy Spirit sent into all the earth.

The Lamb approached and took the scroll from the right hand of the One sitting on the throne. It was at that moment that all of the heavenly host – the four living beings; the twenty-four elders; the thousands upon thousands of angels – fell down, sang, worshiped, and praised both the Lamb and the One sitting on the throne.

Jesus was now ready to reveal the world and church’s future, starting from the time of John and the seven churches.