Morning Bible Study: Revelation 5:1-5

The Unopened Book and the Lamb

5 1  Then I saw a scroll in the right hand of the one who was sitting on the throne. There was writing on the inside and the outside of the scroll, and it was sealed with seven seals. 

2  And I saw a strong angel, who shouted with a loud voice: "Who is worthy to break the seals on this scroll and open it?" 

3  But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll and read it. 

4  Then I began to weep bitterly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll and read it. 

5  But one of the twenty-four elders said to me, "Stop weeping! Look, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the heir to David's throne [the Root of David- NIV], has won the victory. He is worthy to open the scroll and its seven seals."  NLT

(the following is from www.easyenglish.bible)

"Verse 1 On the right hand of God was a scroll. The Lord had written on both sides of the scroll. On it, there were 7 seals. Each of these seals locked a part of the scroll. To read the scroll someone had to break all 7 seals in order.

The contents of the scroll were secret. God’s plans for the end of the world were in it. After each seal, the scroll showed the events that would happen.

History and the end of the world are in God’s plan. All will happen as he has decided. Nobody can know what is in God’s plan. When someone opens the scroll God will show us the future.

Verses 2-3 John saw a strong angel. This angel called out in a loud voice. He asked, ‘Who can open the scroll? Who can break the seals?’

The sound of his voice went to the ends of space, heaven and the earth.

In all that God had created, nobody could open the scroll. There was no angel who was good enough. No man or woman had earned the right to open it. So, nobody could read what was in the scroll.

Verse 4 It was very important to know what was in the scroll. A person had to be perfect in order to open the scroll. There was nobody good enough. This made John so sad that he wept.

Verse 5 One of the elders spoke to John. He told John not to weep. There is someone who can open the scroll. He will break the 7 seals. He has won the right to do it. He has overcome sin and death. He is perfect and he is able to break those seals.

This person is Jesus Christ. The elder used two special names to describe Jesus. Jesus is the Lion of the tribe of Judah. And Jesus is the Root of David.

Judah was called a young lion (Genesis 49:9-10). The great king would come from the tribe of Judah. The Jews understood this king to be their Messiah. So, the Messiah is the same person as the Lion who will rule the earth. He is the Christ. He came from the tribe of Judah.

The Root of David shows that Jesus belonged to the family of David. The Old Testament speaks about the king who would come. That king would be from the family of King David. That king would be even greater than David was. The Lord Jesus is that king."