5 1Then I saw a scrolla in the right hand of the one sitting on the throne. The scroll had writing on both sides and was kept closed with seven sealsb. 2And I saw a powerful angel, who called in a loud voice, "Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?" 3But there was no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth who could open the scroll or look inside it. 4I cried and cried because there was no one who was worthy to open the scroll or look inside. 5But one of the eldersc said to me, "Don't cry! The Liond from the tribe of Judah has won the victory. He is David'se descendant. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals."6Then I saw a Lambf standing in the center near the throne with the four living beings around it. The elders were also around the Lamb. The Lamb looked as if it had been killed. It had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God that were sent into all the world. 7The Lamb came and took the scroll from the right hand of the one sitting on the throne. 8After the Lamb took the scroll, the four living beings and the 24 elders bowed down before the Lamb. Each one of them had a harp. Also, they were holding golden bowls full of incenseg, which are the prayers of God's holy peopleh. 9And they all sang a new song to the Lamb:
ascroll A long roll of paper or leather used for writing on. bseal A small stone or ring with a picture carved in it that was pressed into wet clay or hot wax to hold down the loose end of a scroll. It left a special mark, also called a seal, that was like a signature to keep anyone from opening the scroll except the right person. celders (in Revelation) The 24 elders in Revelation could be the great leaders of God’s people under both the Old Testament and New Testament periods, combining the leaders of the twelve tribes of Israel and Jesus’ twelve apostles. Or they could be angels as leaders of heavenly worship, corresponding to the 24 groups of priests in charge of worship in the Old Testament. d5:5 Lion Used here to refer to Jesus. eDavid Israel’s greatest king, who ruled about 1000 years before Christ. Besides being a great military and political leader, he was a deeply spiritual man and a gifted musician, who wrote many of the Psalms. He made plans and arrangements for the building of the first Temple in Jerusalem (“the city of David”), which was actually completed by his son Solomon. The Scriptures said that a descendant of David would be God’s chosen messiah (king), who would establish an eternal kingdom. For that reason, Jesus is sometimes called “the Son of David.” fLamb A symbolic name for Jesus Christ. It means that he was an offering for sin like the lambs that were offered as a sacrifice to God in the Old Testament. gincense Special dried tree sap that was burned to make a sweet-smelling smoke and offered as a gift to God. hholy people Literally, “saints” or “holy ones,” a term used in the New Testament to describe followers of Jesus Christ as God’s special people. They are holy because they have been made pure through Christ and belong only to God. See “holy.” iglory A word that refers to the special qualities of God. Often it means brightness, referring to the way he appears to people. Sometimes it means majesty or power, referring to a kind of greatness that cannot be compared to anything in human experience. It can also include the ideas of wealth, honor, fame, or respect, especially in expressions of praise. jAmen A Hebrew word meaning “That’s right,” “True,” or “Yes.” It is used to express strong agreement with what has been said. |