Revelation 5:6 - Meaning and Application

Here John sees this book taken into the hands of the Lord Jesus Christ so that he can open its seals. Christ is described first by his place and position: he is in the middle of the throne, and of the four living creatures, and of the elders. He sits on the same throne with the Father, and he is closer to him than the elders or the ministers of the churches. As man and Mediator, Christ is under God the Father, but he is nearer to him than any creature, for the fullness of God lives in him bodily. Ministers stand between God and the people, but Christ stands between God and both ministers and people.

He is also described by the form in which he appears. Earlier he is called a lion, but here he appears as a slain lamb. He is a lion to defeat Satan, and a lamb to satisfy God’s justice. He still shows the marks of his suffering, to show that he pleads in heaven on the basis of his sacrifice. He appears as a lamb with seven horns and seven eyes, which means complete power to carry out all God’s will, and complete wisdom to understand it and do it in the best way. He has the seven Spirits of God, meaning he has received the Holy Spirit without measure, in full light, life, and power, so he can teach and rule every part of the earth.

John also describes what Christ does. He came and took the book from the right hand of the one who sat on the throne (Revelation 5:7). He did not do this by force or trickery, but by prevailing, as he had already conquered (Revelation 5:5). He did it by his worthiness and merit, and by the Father’s appointment. God very willingly and justly placed the book of his eternal plans into Christ’s hand, and Christ gladly took it, because he delights to reveal and carry out his Father’s will.

John then notices the joy and thanksgiving that filled heaven and earth after this. As soon as Christ received the book from the Father, he received praise and worship from angels and people, indeed from every creature. It is right for all the world to rejoice, because God does not deal with people only by strict justice, but by grace and mercy through the Redeemer. He rules the world not merely as Creator and Lawgiver, but as our God and Savior.

The song of praise offered to the Lamb has three parts. One part is sung by the church, another by the church together with the angels, and the third by every creature. The church begins the praise, since it is most directly involved in it (Revelation 5:8). The four living creatures and the twenty-four elders, that is, Christian people led by their ministers, begin the chorus. They worship the Lamb, the Lord Jesus Christ, and God has made it clear that all should honor the Son as they honor the Father, because he has the same nature.

Their posture shows deep reverence. They fall down before him and offer the highest worship, not a lesser kind. The harps and bowls full of incense point to praise and prayer. The bowls of incense mean the prayers of the saints, and prayer and praise should always go together. Their song fits the new state of the church under the gospel, which the Son of God has brought in.

In this new song, they first acknowledge Christ’s perfect fitness and worthiness for this great work of opening and carrying out God’s plans (Revelation 5:9). He is worthy to take the book and open its seals, because he is fully able for the work and fully deserving of the honor. They also explain why he is worthy. They do not leave out the greatness of his divine person, without which he would not have been enough for this task, but they especially speak of the merit of his suffering, which touched their hearts with thanksgiving and joy. They say, “You were slain,” meaning slain as a sacrifice, with his blood shed.

They then speak of the fruit of his suffering. First, he redeemed his people to God. He delivered them from the slavery of sin, guilt, and Satan, and set them free to serve and enjoy God. Second, he gave them high honor: “You have made us to our God kings and priests, and we shall reign on the earth” (Revelation 5:10). Every rescued slave is not at once raised to honor, and it would already be a great kindness to gain freedom. But when God’s chosen people had been made slaves by sin and Satan in every nation, Christ not only bought their freedom, he also gave them the highest honor. He made them kings, able to rule their own spirits and overcome the world and the evil one. He made them priests, giving them access to God and freedom to offer spiritual sacrifices. And they shall reign on the earth, and with Christ they shall judge the world on the great day.

Then the angels carry the praise forward (Revelation 5:11). They are said to be countless, and they attend God’s throne and guard the church. They did not need a Savior for themselves, yet they rejoice in the redemption and salvation of sinners. They agree with the church that the Lord Jesus has infinite worth as one who died for sinners. He is worthy to receive power, riches, wisdom, strength, honor, glory, and blessing. He is worthy of the office and authority that require the greatest power and wisdom, the fullest resources, and every excellence. He is also worthy of all honor, glory, and blessing, because he is fit for the office and faithful in it.

This praise, begun by the church and continued by the angels, is then echoed by the whole creation (Revelation 5:13). Heaven and earth ring with the Redeemer’s praise. The whole creation benefits from Christ, for by him all things hold together. If creatures had speech and understanding, they would worship that great Redeemer who frees creation from the bondage under which it groans, caused by human sin and by the just curse God spoke after the fall. The words spoken for the whole creation are a song of blessing, honor, glory, and power to him who sits on the throne, that is, God the Father as God and as the first person in the Trinity and in the work of our salvation, and to the Lamb, as the second person in the Godhead and the Mediator of the new covenant.

The worship given to the Lamb is not a different or lesser kind of worship. The same honor and glory are given, in the same words, to the Lamb and to the one seated on the throne, because their divine being is the same. Yet because their roles in our salvation are different, they are honored in different ways.

We worship and praise the same God for both our creation and our redemption. Here we see the church that began the heavenly song, and now, as heaven and earth join in that praise, it ends with their Amen. They finish as they began, bowed low before the eternal and everlasting God.

So we have seen this sealed book pass with great solemnity from the hand of the Creator into the hand of the Redeemer.