Revelation 5:1-5 - Who is worthy to break the seals?

5:1-4

The Greek actually means the scroll was on the right hand, rather than in the right hand. The scroll presumably represents the destiny of the world (Morris), the outcome of all things. It represents God’s plans and purposes for the world. John desperately wanted these plans to be revealed. Every true Christian wants God’s plans to come to fruition in the world, to release us and the world as a whole from the effects of sin, and the influence of evil and the evil one on the world.

The mighty angel was no “ordinary” angel, but an extremely powerful one. “Who is worthy ...” The scroll was sealed, God’s plans were sealed, and the seals needed to be broken in order for the scroll to be opened. The opening of the scroll would represent the manifestation of God’s plans.

However, there was an enormous problem. There was no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth who was worthy to open the scroll. I.e. there was no one who was worthy to release God’s plans and purposes into action. Indeed, no one could even look inside the scroll. When it says there was no one, it really means that there seemed to be no one, for in verse 5 we will see that there was in fact someone who was worthy. The “in heaven etc” means in the whole of creation.

It seemed as though God’s purposes could not be realised upon the earth, so evil would triumph. So John “wept and wept”. He was deeply distraught at this state of affairs.

5:5

We now get the answer to John’s tragedy. One of the elders tells him not to weep. The Lion of Judah has triumphed! Revelation is the only place where the term “lion of Judah is used, though lion is used in some places. “Root of David” is also unique to Revelation, though, of course, “son of David” is used elsewhere. Anyway, the key point is that the Lion of Judah has triumphed, and so able to open the scroll and its seven seals. The fact that the scroll has seven seals is significant. It is completely sealed, there was no easy way to open it. But Jesus has provided the complete and perfect solution. And so through Him God’s plans can be realised.