Eschatology :The Lion of the Tribe of Judah and the Seven- sealed Book.

1. The Circumstances surrounding the revelation of the Seven-sealed Book.

Rev 5:1  And I saw lying in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne a book written on both sides and closely sealed with seven seals.

Rev 5:2  And I saw a mighty angel who was exclaiming in a loud voice, "Who is worthy to open the book and break its seals?" WNT

The  Apostle John has been caught up to heaven. Rev 4:1  After all this I looked and saw a door in Heaven standing open, and the voice that I had previously heard, which resembled the blast of a trumpet, again spoke to me and said, "Come up here, and I will show you things which are to happen in the future."

He saw and heard marvellous things:

The Seven-Sealed Book of the lamb Rev 5:1

1. He saw the glory of the Father upon the throne.

Rev 4:2  Immediately I found myself in the Spirit, and saw a throne in Heaven, and some One sitting on the throne.

Rev 4:3  The appearance of Him who sat there was like jasper or sard; and encircling the throne was a rainbow, in appearance like an emerald.

2. He saw the beautiful rainbow encircling the Throne of God,
3. He saw the twenty-four elders with golden crowns

Rev 4:4  And around the throne I saw twenty-four thrones. And on the thrones I saw twenty-four elders sitting, clothed in white clothing. And they had crowns of gold on their heads.

[ These twenty-four elders are a representative body of Old and New Testament saints. The Greek tells us they are wearing stephanos crowns, or martyr’s crowns rather than diadem or monarch’s crowns.

The twenty-four Elders seated around the Throne of God.

Stephanos Thayer Definition:

1) a crown

1a) a mark of royal or (in general) exalted rank

1a1) the wreath or garland which was given as a prize to victors in public games

1b) metaphorically the eternal blessedness which will be given as aprize to the genuine servants of God and Christ: the crown (wreath) which is the reward of the righteousness

1c) that which is an ornament and honour to one

4. He sees lightnings and hears thunderings which could the the awful tribulation has been unleashed upon the inhabitants of the earth.

Rev 4:5  Out from the throne there came flashes of lightning, and voices, and peals of thunder, while in front of the throne seven blazing lamps were burning, which are the seven Spirits of God.

5. He sees a crystal sea of glass. Rev 4:6  And in front of the throne there seemed to be a sea of glass, resembling crystal.
6. He sees and hears the testimony of the Four Special Angelic Creatures.

Rev 4:6  And in front of the throne there seemed to be a sea of glass, resembling crystal. And midway between the throne and the Elders, and surrounding the throne, were four living creatures, full of eyes in front and behind.

Rev 4:7  The first living creature resembled a lion, the second an ox, the third had a face like that of a man, and the fourth resembled an eagle flying.

Rev 4:8  And each of the four living creatures had six wings, and in every direction, and within, are full of eyes; and day after day, and night after night, they never cease saying, "Holy, holy, holy, Lord God, the Ruler of all, who wast and art and evermore shalt be."

The first is that of a lion. The lion is the monarch of the woods, the king of beasts, and he becomes thus the emblem of dominion, of authority, of government in general. Compare Gen_49:9; Amo_3:8; Joe_3:16; Dan_7:4. As emblematic of the divine administration, this would signify that He who sits on the throne is the ruler over all, and that his dominion is absolute and entire. Barnes

And the second beast like a calf - Or, more properly, a young bullock, for so the word - μόσχος  moschos - means. The term is given by Herodotus (ii. 41; iii. 28) to the Egyptian god Apis, that is, a young bullock. Such an emblem, standing under a throne as one of its supports, would symbolize firmness, endurance, strength (compare Pro_14:4); and, as used to represent qualities pertaining to him who sat on the throne, would denote stability, firmness, perseverance: qualities that are found abundantly in the divine administration.

the third a face as of a man (prosōpon hōs anthrōpou). Shows that the likeness in each instance extended only to the face.

Like an eagle flying (homoion aetōi petomenōi). Present middle participle of petomai, to fly, old verb, in N.T. only in Rev_4:7; Rev_8:13; Rev_12:14; Rev_14:6; Rev_19:17. The aetos in Mat_24:28; Luk_17:37 may be a form of vulture going after carrion, but not in Rev_8:13; Rev_12:14. RWP

All birds, indeed, fly; but the epithet flying is here employed to add intensity to the description. The eagle is distinguished, among the feathered race, for the rapidity, the power, and the elevation of its flight. No other bird is supposed to fly so high; none ascends with so much power; none is so majestic and grand in his ascent toward the sun. That which would be properly symbolized by this would be the rapidity with which the commands of God are executed; or this characteristic of the divine government, that the purposes of God are carried into prompt execution. There is, as it were, a vigorous, powerful, and rapid flight toward the accomplishment of the designs of God - as the eagle ascends unmolested toward the sun. Or, it may be that this symbolizes protecting care, or is an emblem of that protection which God, by his providence, extends over those who put their trust in him. Barnes

The Crisis of the Seven - sealed Scroll.

What is the Seven sealed scroll? Whatever it contains is very important for History informs us that under Roman Law all legal documents pertaining to life and death were to be sealed seven times, a number Theologians believe that this is the Legal Title Deed to Earth.

Thus the Angel’s Proclamation was in effect: “ Who is worthy to reclaim the Earth’s Title Deed? Who is able to pour out the Seven-sealed Judgments, to purify the Planet, and to usher in the long awaited Golden age of the Millenium. Willmington p.832

WHO INDEED WAS WORTHY?

2. The Investigation in Heaven.

Rev 5:1  And I saw lying in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne a book written on both sides and closely sealed with seven seals.

Rev 5:2  And I saw a mighty angel who was exclaiming in a loud voice, "Who is worthy to open the book and break its seals?"

Rev 5:3  But no one in Heaven, or on earth, or under the earth, was able to open the book or look into it.

1. The search for the One who is Worthy

And no man in heaven - No one - οὐδεὶς  oudeis. There is no limitation in the original to man. The idea is, that there was no one in heaven - evidently alluding to the created beings there - who could open the volume. Is it not taught here that angels cannot penetrate the future, and disclose what is to come? Are not their faculties limited in this respect like those of man?

Nor in earth - Among all classes of people - sages, divines, prophets, philosophers - who among those have ever been able to penetrate the future, and disclose what is to come?

Neither under the earth - These divisions compose, in common language, the universe: what is in heaven above; what is on the earth; and whatever there is under the earth - the abodes of the dead. May there not be an allusion here to the supposed science of necromancy, and an assertion that even the dead cannot penetrate the future, and disclose what is to come? Compare the notes on Isa_8:19. In all these great realms no one advanced who was qualified to undertake the office of making a disclosure of what the mysterious scroll might contain.

Was able to open the book - Had ability - ἠδύνατε  ēdunate - to do it. It was a task beyond their power. Even if anyone had been found who had a rank and a moral character which might have seemed to justify the effort, there was no one who had the power of reading what was recorded respecting coming events.

Neither to look thereon - That is, so to open the seals as to have a view of what was written therein. That it was not beyond their power merely to see the book is apparent from the fact that John himself saw it in the hand of him that sat on the throne; and it is evident also Rev_5:5 that in that sense the elders saw it. But no one could prevail to inspect the contents, or so have access to the interior of the volume as to be able to see what was written there. It could be seen, indeed Rev_5:1, that it was written on both sides of the parchment, but what the writing was no one could know. Barnes Notes

1. Adam originally had the Title Deed but forfeited it to the devil. Gen 1:28-29, Gen 3:1-19
2. Noah, the Hero of the Flood, subsequently became a drunkard of the Vineyard Gen 6-9
3. Abraham, the Father of Israel, backslid and went down temporarily to Egypt Gen 12
4. King David, the man after God’s own heart 1Sa 16:7  But Jehovah said to Samuel, Do not look on his face, nor on his height, because I have refused him. For He does not see as man sees. For man looks on the outward appearance, but Jehovah looks on the heart. He later broke God’s heart through lust and murder. 2 Samuel 11
5. John the baptist, the forerunner of Christ, even doubted that Jesus was the Christ the Messiah.Mat 11:2  But when John heard in the prison of the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples. Mat 11:3  And they said to Him, Are You he who should come, or do we look for another?
6. Peter the Rock, denied His Lord and Master in the Hour of trial.

Mat 26:69  And Peter sat outside in the court. And a girl came to him, saying, You also were with Jesus of Galilee.

Mat 26:70  But he denied all before them, saying, I do not know what you say.

Mat 26:71  And when he had gone out into the porch, another saw him and said to those there, This one was also with Jesus of Nazareth.

Mat 26:72  And again he denied with an oath, I do not know the man.

Mat 26:73  And after a little while those who stood by came and said to Peter, Surely you also are one of them, for your speech betrays you.

Mat 26:74  Then he began to curse and to swear, I do not know the man. And immediately the cock crowed.

7. Paul, the Apostle to the Gentiles. recognised that he had not attained nor was he worthy.

The Lamentation

Rev 5:4  And I wept very much, because no one was found worthy to open and to read the book, nor to look at it.

Why did John weep? No one was found worthy to open the Book and remove the Curse from the earth Romans 8:17-23.

The Revelation of the Lion of the Tribe of Judah

Rev 5:5  And one of the elders said to me, Do not weep. Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has prevailed to open the book and to loose the seven seals of it.

Rev 5:6  And I looked, and lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, amidst the elders, a Lamb stood, as if it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.

Rev 5:7  And He came and took the book out of the right hand of Him sitting on the throne.

Who is this heavenly Hero? He is our Lord Jesus Christ.

We need not speculate about His Identity

1. He has the Characteristics of a Lamb. This word for Jesus is especially used by the Apostle John. Joh 1:29  The next day John sees Jesus coming to him and says, Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!

lamb amnos Thayer Definition: 1) a lamb

But in Revelation 5:6  And I looked, and lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, amidst the elders, a Lamb stood, as if it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.

a lamb arnion Thayer Definition 1) a little lamb, a pet household  lamb

Note:  Compare 2Sa 12:1  And Jehovah sent Nathan to David. And he came to him and said to him, There were two men in one city, one rich and one poor.

2Sa 12:2  The rich one had exceeding many flocks and herds,

2Sa 12:3  but the poor one had nothing except one little ewe lamb which he had bought and nourished up. And it grew up together with him and with his sons. It ate of his own food and drank from his own cup, and lay in his bosom, and was to him like a daughter.

2Sa 12:4  And there came a traveler to the rich man, and he spared to take of his own flock and of his own herd to dress for the traveler that had come to him. But he took the poor man's lamb and dressed it for the man who had come to him.

2. It is as if It had been slain. A slain Lamb

The Greek word sphatto used here refers to a violent death of some sort. Cp. 1Jn 3:11  For this is the message that you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another;

1Jn 3:12  not as Cain who was of the evil one, and killed his brother. And for what did he kill him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother's things were righteous.

Of the seven times sphatto is used in the new testament four refer to the violent death of our Lord. (Rev 5:6,9,12; 13:8)

The Slain lamb

3. 
   It is an all powerful lamb. The lamb is pictured as having seven horns which in the Bible refers symbolically to perfection in power and authority.
4. It is an all knowing lamb. It is said to have seven eyes referring to its perfection in knowledge and wisdom. Notes from Willmington p.833

2. He has the Characteristics of a LION.

The Apostle John calls him “the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David”

 Note here the following verses:

1. Gen 49:8  Judah, may your brothers praise you. May your hand be in the neck of your enemies. May your father's sons bow before you.

Gen 49:9  Judah is a lion's whelp. My son, you have gone up from the prey. He stooped, he crouched like a lion; and like a lioness, who shall rouse him?

Gen 49:10  The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a Lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come. And the obedience of the peoples to him.

The Fourth Son of Jacob would be like a lion and that later Kings of Israel and finally Christ, Himself, would come from .Judah.

2. In 2 Samuel 7 God told King David who was from Judah that His Kingdom would be everlasting and that his household would rule forever. 2 Samuel 7:817
3. In Luke 1 the Angel gabriel explained to mary ( who was from Judah and the House od King David) that her virgin-born son would inherit all the Old Testament Promises as found in Genesis 49 and 2 Samuel 7

Luk 1:30  And the angel said to her, Do not fear, Mary, for you have found favor with God.

Luk 1:31  And behold! You shall conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call His name JESUS.

Luk 1:32  He shall be great and shall be called the Son of the Highest. And the Lord God shall give Him the throne of His father David.

Luk 1:33  And He shall reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there shall be no end.

John sees Christ as the lamb, since he came once and for all time to Redeem his people. This was His past Work.

John sees Him as a Lion, for He shall return as a lion to reign over His people. This is His present and future work.

The Source of His Claim to the Earth’s scepter, is related to His Characteristics as the Lamb of God. His strength of His Claim is due to His Mighty Lion Characteristics.

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