THE GLORY OF JESUS CHRIST
1 Then I saw in the right hand of him who sat on the throne a scroll with writing on both sides and sealed with seven seals.
Greek: The word for right hand is "dexian," from which we have our English "dextrous." For most people the right hand is the capable hand. David wrote in the Psalms 137:5..."If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning."
Greek: Incidentally, the Greek word for "throne" is "thronou," and our English word is simply the Greek word pronounced a little differently.
Greek: The word for "scroll" is in Greek "biblion," from which we have our English words: bibliography, or Bible.
Greek: The word for "seven" is the Greek "hepta." Those of you who studied chemistry in high school or college will be familiar with "heptane," which is a straight chain of seven carbon atoms, and which is found in gasoline, and you want higher octane, and lower heptane, because heptane will make your engine ping!
In the Middle Eastern world, even today, it is very important to welcome guests, or do important things with your right hand. To offer or use the left hand is considered insulting or vulgar. So, the Heavenly Father offers the scroll to His only begotten Son with His right hand.
As we discussed last week, the One who sits on the throne, in this case, is our Heavenly Father. We know that it is not Jesus on the throne, because it is Jesus who approaches the throne, and takes the scroll from the Father's right hand. (Revelation 5:7)
Why a "scroll" and not a book?
Papyrus, a thick paper-like material made by weaving the stems of the papyrus plant, then pounding the woven sheet with a hammer-like tool, was used for writing in Ancient Egypt, perhaps as early as the First Dynasty, although the first evidence is from the account books of King Neferirkare Kakai of the Fifth Dynasty (about 2400 BC). Papyrus sheets were glued together to form a scroll. Tree bark such as lime (Latin liber, from there also library) and other materials were also used.
According to Herodotus (History 5:58), the Phoenicians brought writing and papyrus to Greece around the tenth or ninth century BC. The Greek word for papyrus as writing material (biblion) and book (biblos) come from the Phoenician port town Byblos, through which papyrus was exported to Greece. From Greeks we have also the word tome,which originally meant a slice or piece, and from there it became to denote "a roll of papyrus". Tomus was used by the Latins with exactly the same meaning as volumen (see also below the explanation by Isidore of Seville).
Whether made from papyrus, parchment, or paper in East Asia, scrolls were the dominant form of book in the Hellenistic, Roman, Chinese and Hebrew cultures. The more modern codex book format form took over the Roman world by late antiquity, but the scroll format persisted much longer in Asia.
Papyrus scrolls were still dominant in the first century AD, as witnessed by the findings in Pompeii. The first written mention of the codex as a form of book is from Martial, in his Apophoreta CLXXXIV at the end of the century, where he praises its compactness. However the codex never gained much popularity in the pagan Hellenistic world, and only within the Christian community did it gain widespread use. This change happened gradually during the third and fourth centuries, and the reasons for adopting the codex form of the book are several: the format is more economical, as both sides of the writing material can be used; and it is portable, searchable, and easy to conceal. The Christian authors may also have wanted to distinguish their writings from the pagan texts written on scrolls.
So, in the days of John the Apostle, and the date of writing the Book of Revelation, scrolls were much more ordinary and common than books, which were just beginning to be written.
Note: It was not out of the ordinary to write on both sides of the parchment or papyrus. Also, it was not uncommon to seal a scroll with hot wax, to keep the contents private.
At this point in history, only God knows the contents of the scroll. God is the author of the scroll. God knows the future. However, the scroll is now about to be opened, and the future to be revealed to God's people. Revelation 4:1 "Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this."
2 And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming in a loud voice, "Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?"
3 But no-one in heaven or on earth or under the earth could open the scroll or even look inside it.
4 I wept and wept because no-one was found who was worthy to open the scroll or look inside.
Who is worthy to break the seals and open the book? This is a pertinent question, because it is obvious that it must be a person of great authority, power and privilege.
The Greek word translated worthy is "axios," and can be translated as worth, deserving, fitting or good enough.
Who is good enough to open the scroll? Only Jesus. Who is deserving of opening the scroll? Only Jesus! Of whom would we say, it is completely fitting that HE be the one to open the scroll? Only Jesus.
When John the Apostle realized that no one was worthy to open the scroll, he wept and wept. The Greek word for weep that is used here is klaio, and it means to weep OUTLOUD, or to WAIL! (There is a different Greek word that means to weep quietly.) So, John was more than a little upset. He really wanted VERY much to know the contents of the scroll.
I believe it was not so much that he wanted to know the future, but that John thirsted for the Word of God. Consider how you would feel if you learned that there was a new book of inspired scripture, number 67 to be added to the 66 we already have. And you are 100% sure that it really IS from God. How much would you want to read it? I hope VERY much.
Consider David's attitude toward the Word of God in Psalm 119...
5 Then one of the elders said to me, "Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals."
Here we once again expand our knowledge and reverence for our Lord Jesus Christ.
a. He is the Lion of the tribe of Judah.
His genealogy places Him in the tribe of Judah (Luke 3:31-34)
Why a lion? Because a lion is strong, a lion is ferocious, a lion is a symbol of kingly power, and because of Jacob's prophecy in Genesis 49....
Jesus is the "root of David." (David was the son of Jesse. Jesus is David's physical descendent.) This harks back to Isaiah 11, which cannot be about King David, for David lived around 1000 BC, and Isaiah wrote 300 years later....
Why SEVEN seals? Seven is God's number. Seven is the number of completion. There are seven days in a week. Jesus commanded to forgive 70 x 7, the fullness of the Holy Spirit is called by the number seven. So seven seals means the fullness of God's revelation about future events. This is it. No more revelation will be given after the Book of Revelation is finished. The Bible must not be added to: Revelation 22:18-19
6 Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing in the centre of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. He had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth.
More information about Jesus...
You cannot OVER EMPHASIZE the glory of Jesus the Son of God. The Heavenly Father delights to lift Him up.
Acts 2:32-36
Philippians 2:8-11
7 He came and took the scroll from the right hand of him who sat on the throne.
He did what no one else could do. He went where no one else could go. He IS what no one else can be! Amen, and glory to Jesus! He is MY King!