The Seven Seals of Revelation - Verse-by-verse summary

Introduction

Purpose of this article

This article explains the second main vision of Revelation, namely the seven seals of Revelation 4:1-8:1.

According to this vision, there was a book in heaven which no one was able to open but, through His death, Jesus became “worthy” to open it. The book was sealed with seven seals. Jesus breaks the seals one by one, causing catastrophes on earth. 

Many other interpretations focus on the events when the seals are broken and leave the interpretation of the sealed book fairly vague. In the current commentary, the identification of the book is foundational. The catastrophes caused by breaking the seals of the book can only be properly understood if we know what this book is.

Several detailed articles, that analyze this vision, have been posted on this website (See, List of articles). The current article summarizes these articles; mostly verse-by-verse. Since it is only a summary, it does not provide complete explanations but it does provide links to the articles with detailed discussions.

Unless otherwise indicated, all quotes are from the NASB and from the Book of Revelation.

Overview of the text

Revelation 4 and 5

Revelation 4 is a timeless description of worship in God’s throne room. Revelation 5:5 describes a specific event as a specific point in history, namely Christ’s death:

Before that point in time, there was a crisis in heaven, symbolized as a book that nobody is able to read because it is sealed up with seven seals (Rev 5:1-3). This symbolizes that there were things that the heavenly beings did not understand. John’s tears (Rev 5:4) symbolize the sorrow in heaven because these things are not understood. Apparently, this knowledge is of vital importance for the happiness of the universe.

Verse 5 turns that sorrow into joy, for it announces that Jesus has overcome to break the seals. Then Jesus appears as a slain lamb (Rev 5:6). Rev 5:5-6, therefore, describes the Cross. He takes the book (Rev 5:7) and the beings in God’s throne room declare Him worthy to break the seven seals and to open the book (Rev 5:9-10) but He does not do it immediately.

Revelation 6

In this chapter, He breaks the first six seals one-by-one. The first four – the famous horsemen of the apocalypse – bring victory but also cause bloodshed, famine, and death (Rev 6:1-8).

The fifth seal shows the souls of God’s people who have been slain for their testimony. They are under the altar, symbolizing that they have been sacrificed on the altar DURING the first four seals. But this is not the end yet, for they are told to wait, for more must die for their faith (Rev 6:9-11).

The sixth seal (Rev 6:12-17) includes the signs in the heavens and on earth that are associated with the return of Christ. A great earthquake shifts mountains out of their places but the people of the world hide in the mountains because they are even more scared of “the wrath of the Lamb.“

Given the signs of Christ’s return and the people hiding in the mountains from “the wrath of the Lamb,” the sixth seal must be very close to the return of Christ. But it is not yet His return, for, at His return, the hiding multitude will all be killed (Rev 19:21).

Revelation 7

This chapter, at first, jumps back in time to describe the sealing of God’s people, which must be complete before the end-time cataclysms of the sixth seal. The four winds of destruction are held back until all God’s people are sealed (Rev 7:1-3). 144000 are sealed; 12000 from each of the tribes of Israel (Rev 7:4-8).

The second part of Revelation 7 describes a multitude “standing before the throne” of God; clothed in the white robes of salvation (Rev 7:9-17). At the end of Revelation 6, the multitude hiding in the mountains asks: “The great day of their wrath has come, and who is able to stand?” Since the multitude in Revelation 7 is “standing before the throne,” they are the answer to that question.

Revelation 8

When Jesus breaks the final seal and opens the book, there in silence in heaven for half an hour (Rev 8:1).

Questions

This vision raises many questions, for example:

Time before Christ

• • • How could there be things in heaven that nobody understands?
      –
    • What do they not understand and why is this information so important?
      –
    • The seven seals represent things that prevent the heavenly beings from understanding. What are the seals?

Christ

• • Why was not even the Son of God not able to open the book before His death (Rev 5:3) and how did His death make Him “worthy” to break the seals (Rev 5:9)?
    –
  • The sixth seal has the signs of the return of Christ. The seals, therefore, are broken in the time between the Cross and His return. Why did Jesus not open the book (explain the contents) immediately after His death made Him worthy to do so (Rev 5:9)?

Breaking the seals

• • By breaking the seals, Jesus causes bloodshed, famine, and death. In other words, He explains the contents of the book through events on earth. Why are bloodshed, famine, and death required to make the heavenly beings understand?
    –
  • When the seventh seal is broken and the contents of the book is fully understood, there is only silence in heaven (Rev 8:1). Why are the heavenly beings not happy, now that they understand everything?

The seal of the Living God

• • In a play on words, while the book is unsealed, “the bond-servants of our God” are sealed with the seal of the living God (Rev 7:3). Why are only 144000 and only Jews sealed?
    –
  • The purpose of the seal of the living God is to protect God’s people when the winds of destruction are released (Rev 7:1-3). This means that this seal is only available in the end time. What are these “winds” and how will the seal protect God’s end-time people?

Christ’s Ascension

Revelation 5 is Christ’s ascension.

As discussed in the article on Revelation 4, that chapter does not describe a point in time but provides a timeless description of heavenly worship. Revelation 5, on the other hand, describes a specific meeting of all the billions of angels to see the Son receive the book that is sealed with seven seals. In Revelation 6, He breaks the seals one by one, causing catastrophes on earth. Therefore, to determine when the Lamb takes the book and to date the catastrophes caused by breaking the seals, we have to date the meeting of Revelation 5. Since this is critical for the interpretation of this entire vision, it is discussed first.

Many put this meeting in the end-time; shortly before Christ’s return. However, for the following reasons, it is proposed here that Revelation 5 describes Jesus’ enthronement immediately after his ascension to heaven. This is justified as follows:

(A) Fits the New Testament.

What we see in Revelation 5 fits exactly with the New Testament’s description of His ascension. According to the New Testament:

After Jesus was slain, raised to life, and caught up to heaven, He was enthroned at the Father’s right hand (e.g., Eph 1:20-22).

Fifty days after His crucifixion on the feast of the Passover and ten days after His ascension, the Holy Spirit was poured out on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:33).

This is also what we see in Revelation 5:

In verse 5, one of the elders says that the Son has “overcome so as to open the book and its seven seals.” Then Jesus appears as “a Lamb … as if slain” (Rev 5:6). These verses point to His death. In the next verse, Jesus takes the book (Rev 5:7). Since He receives the book because He overcame, it implies that He receives the book immediately after His death.

The book is in or on the right hand of God (Rev 5:1). The New Testament frequently states that Jesus sat down “at the right hand of God” (e.g. Mark 16:19). Presumably, when He took the book, He also sat down at God’s right hand.

In Revelation 4, “the seven Spirits of God” are “before the throne” (Rev 4:5) but, after the Son appears as a slain lamb, the Spirit is said to be “sent out into all the earth” (Rev 5:6). This corresponds with the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost.

(B) Revelation 3:21

Revelation 3:21 refers to Revelation 5 as something that happened in the prophet’s past. In other words, the meeting of Revelation 5 occurred before the year AD100. To explain:

Revelation 3:21 is one of the verses in Revelation that are found in the climax of one part of the book that serves as an introduction to the next. Rev 3:21 is the climax of the seven letters. At the same time, it outlines the next main section in Revelation 4 to 7. It reads:

“He who overcomes,
I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne,
as I also overcame
and sat down with My Father on His throne.“

Based on the verb tense, this verse may be divided into the past, present, and future:

Past Tense

The two past tense verbs describe events in John’s past. Both these verbs correspond to Revelation 5:

• • • • “I also overcame” is equivalent to Jesus “has overcome so as to open the book” (Rev 5:5).
      • “Sat down with My Father on His throne” aligns to verse 7, where He ascends to His Father’s throne.

Since the past tense verbs align with Revelation 5, and since the past tense indicates that these things happened in John’s past, Revelation 5 describes events in John’s past.

Future Tense

The future tense “I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne” is fulfilled in Revelation 7, where John saw “a great multitude” (Rev 7:9) enjoying the glories of eternal life (Rev 7:15-17).

Present Tense

Since the past tense refers to Rev 5 and the future tense to Rev 7, the present tense “He who overcomes” aligns with Rev 6. The breaking of the seals in Rev 6, therefore, describes events in the prophet’s time and in our time; the time between His death and His return.

Since the events of Rev 5 precede the events of Rev 6, this again confirms that Rev 5 describes events right at the beginning of the church age.

(C) The Synoptic Apocalypse

The synoptic apocalypse aligns the four horsemen with the church age.

The conclusion above is also supported by the Synoptic Apocalypse (Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21). In it, Jesus divided history into three great parts. Revelation 6 follows this pattern:

Synoptic Apocalypse
Revelation 6

General realities of the Christian age (gospel, wars, famines, pestilence);
The first four seals

Great persecution toward the end of that era;
Fifth seal

Signs associated with His return;
Sixth seal.

These parallels indicate that the first four seals describe the church age. Since chapter five precedes the first four seals, Revelation 5 must be an event right at the beginning of the Christian era.

Conclusion

Revelation 5 is the enthronement of the Son after His ascension. For that reason, and because Revelation 6 ends with the signs of Christ’s return (Rev 6:12-17), the seals in Revelation 6 describe the church age; the present-tense overcoming of God’s people.

It also means that Revelation 5 is not an end-time judgment event, as some suppose. This is confirmed by the absence of books being opened, as one finds in other judgment scenes (Dan 7; Rev 20), and the absence of typical judgment language. 

If Revelation 5 is also not the anti-type of the great Old Testament day of judgment. This is confirmed by the absence of the ark of the covenant, judgment language, the Most Holy Place, and by the mention of a male goat.

Remember, this article is only a summary and does not provide complete explanations. Please follow the links provided in the section headings to the detailed discussions. For the detailed discussion of the current section, see Revelation 5.

Revelation 4:1-8

Revelation 4:1

After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven

After the letters from Jesus to the seven churches in Revelation chapters 1 to 3.

and the first voice which I had heard, like the sound of a trumpet speaking with me, said

Jesus’ voice (Rev 1:10, 13)

“Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after these things. 

In Revelation 1, Jesus was standing between “seven golden lampstands,” symbolizing “the seven churches” (Rev 1:12, 20). There, He was on earth. Now, Jesus calls John up into heaven. Chapter 4, therefore, shifts the focus from earth to heaven.

In the view of many people, Rev 4:1 is the rapture of the church. But since Revelation 5 describes Jesus’ enthronement after His ascension, it cannot be the rapture. This is confirmed in Revelation 10, where John personally symbolizes the church, and he is still on earth. It is more likely that Rev 11:12, where the two witnesses are also called to “Come up here,” represents the rapture of the church.

Revelation 4:2

Immediately I was in the Spirit

John did not literally enter heaven and he does not see a real place; he only sees a symbolic representation of the invisible reality in a vision of his mind.

and behold, a throne

The first thing that John sees, is God’s throne. “Throne” is the main word in chapter 4. Everything in this chapter happens in and around the throne. Revelation 4 is a vision of the governing center of the universe, and the throne symbolizes God’s authority.

was standing in heaven

The throne “was standing” before John saw it. This implies that John is now not viewing one specific event but a timeless description of God’s throne room. Further indications of this are:

• • • • The four living creatures praise God “day and night” (Rev 4:8).
      • Whenever the four living creatures praise God, the 24 elders join them in worship (Rev 4:9).

and One sitting on the throne

This Person is not named but Rev 5:13 and Rev 6:16 distinguish between “Him who sits on the throne” and Jesus Christ. The “One sitting on the throne,” therefore, is God. (Revelation uses the title “God” only for the Father.) Since He sits on the throne, He has the ultimate authority over the universe.

Revelation 4:3

And He who was sitting was like a jasper stone and a sardius in appearance; and there was a rainbow around the throne, like an emerald in appearance.

There is a vagueness in God’s description. Other throne visions describe Him in human terms. For example, in Ezekiel 1:26-27, the one sitting on the throne, from the waist up, looks like glowing metal and from the waist down like fire.

God’s appearance is vague because He cannot be seen (John 1:18). He “dwells in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see” (1Tim 6:16). He has created all things that can be seen. He exists outside space, time, and matter. Therefore, the substance of His Being can never be defined in terms of physical things.

Revelation 4:4

Around the throne were twenty-four thrones;
and upon the thrones I saw twenty-four elders sitting,
clothed in white garments,
and golden crowns on their heads.

Based on the following, the 24 elders are human representatives of God’s people; not angels:

• • “Elder” is a familiar Biblical title for human beings but not for angels.
  • Angels never sit on thrones and never wear crowns of any kind but humans do (Rev 2:10; 3:11; 3:21; 20:4).
  • The number 24 is a doubling of 12 and Revelation associates the number 12 with the people of God (Rev 12:1; 21:9-10).

The 12+12=24 elders symbolize God’s people from both the time of the Old Testament and from the church because Revelation merges the church into Israel. For example:

• • Revelation uses Israel’s capital (Jerusalem) as a symbol for the bride of Christ (Rev 21:2; cf. 19:7; 21:27) and, on it, the names of both the 12 “tribes” and the 12 “apostles” are written (Rev 21:12, 14). 
    –
  • The woman of Revelation 12 first symbolizes the Old Testament people of God but, after Christ ascended to heaven (Rev 12:5), she symbolizes the church (e.g., Rev 12:6).

Jesus, similarly, said to His disciples:

“In the new world … you … will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel” (Matt 19:28).

In other words, Jesus said that the twelve disciples have become the leaders of the twelve tribes of Israel.

Revelation 4:5

Out from the throne come flashes of lightning and sounds and peals of thunder.

Since these are things that happen in the air in a thunderstorm, and since they here come out of the throne, they represent God’s decisions. The “earthquake” and “great hail,” that are later added to this trio (Rev 8:5; 16:18; 11:19), represent the earthly consequences of God’s decisions.

And there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne,
which are the seven Spirits of God

God does not literally have seven Spirits. The number seven is a symbol that is derived from the seven days of the week. As such, the number seven is different from the other numbers in Revelation in the sense that the seven stand in a chronological sequence—the second follows after the first—the third after the second, and so on, with the seventh as the last. The number seven, therefore, should be understood as ‘always’. Consequently, the seven Spirits of God may be interpreted to mean that God’s Spirit is ALWAYS present.

Revelation 4:6-8

6 and before the throne there was something like a sea of glass, like crystal;

Not a real sea of glass – John is doing his best to describe his vision.

and in the center and around the throne, four living creatures

They represent the angelic portion of God’s kingdom. They are always in close proximity to the throne (Rev 4:6; 5:6; 7:11; 14:3). They seem to be intermediaries between God and the human race, represented by the 24 elders. They are the primary connection between God and creation.

full of eyes in front and behind.
7 The first creature was like a lion,
and the second creature like a calf,
and the third creature had a face like that of a man,
and the fourth creature was like a flying eagle.

The throne vision of Ezekiel 1 also has four living creatures with faces like a lion, ox, man, and eagle/vulture that are full of eyes (Ezek 1:5, 10, 18). Also in that vision, the four living creatures are especially close to God.

8 And the four living creatures, each one of them having six wings

The seraphim of Isaiah 6 each has six wings (Isa 6:2) and, just like the four living creatures of Revelation 4, they constantly say, “holy, holy, holy” (Isa 6:3; Rev 4:8).

are full of eyes around and within

This is not to be taken literally. Their eyes probably represent omniscience, for God knows everything. Since the number four represents ‘the whole earth’, the four living creatures symbolize knowledge of everything on earth.

Revelation 4:8-11

Revelation 4:8 continued

and day and night they do not cease to say,
“HOLY, HOLY, HOLY is THE LORD GOD,

The first half of Revelation 4 described God’s throne room visually. From this phrase onwards, it describes the sounds of worship in God’s presence.

God is holy because He is the Uncreated Source of all things. All else exists because He exists.

While the four living creatures praise God “day and night,” Satan accuses God’s people “day and night” before God (Rev 12:9); effectively accusing God of unfair judgment. Christ’s victorious death (Rev 12:5; cf. 5:5) made an end to Satan’s accusations (Rev 12:8) but Revelation 4 describes the time before He died. Consequently, the four living creatures, by praising God “day and night,” oppose Satan’s “day and night” accusations.

THE ALMIGHTY

This phrase appears 9 times in Revelation and only once in the New Testament outside Revelation. The Bible never refers to Jesus as “the Almighty” but distinguishes Him from “the Almighty“ (Rev 21:22; cf. 19:15). For a discussion, see The Almighty. 

WHO WAS AND WHO IS AND IS TO COME

This may be related to the “I AM“-title in Exodus 3:14 and another way of saying that God is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Heb 13:8). In Revelation, only the Father:

• • • • Is called God (e.g., Rev 1:2);
      • Is the Almighty,
      • Sits on the throne,
      • Lives forever (Rev 5:9),
      • Willed all things to exist (Rev 4:11) and
      • Was and is and is to come (e.g., Rev 1:4-5).

The controversy in the church over the nature of Christ raged at least since the fourth century. Very few people seem to know this, but the decisions to adopt the Trinity doctrine, which means that the Son is equally also the Almighty Uncaused Cause of all things, were not taken by Church Councils, but by the Roman Emperors. Constantine, Theodosius, and Justinian were key role-players. As attested by the series of articles on the historical development of the Trinity doctrine, this was the greatest controversy in the church of all time and will continue to rage until Christ returns and may even play a key role in end-time events.

This website proposes that the Son has created all things – even time – and, therefore, always existed. However, God exists outside the time, space, and matter of our universe. In that incomprehensible infinity, God has “begotten” His Son as the beginning of the universe. Only God, therefore, is the Almighty uncaused Cause of all things.  

Revelation 4:9

And when the living creatures give
glory and honor and thanks

The word “when” implies repetitive action and can also be translated as “whenever.” It confirms that this fourth chapter does not describe one specific event, but the general condition in God’s presence.

to Him who sits on the throne

This is the “One sitting on the throne” in verse 2, namely God.

to Him who lives forever and ever

Jesus is “alive forevermore” (Rev 1:18), but only the Father is “Him who lives forever” (Rev 4:9, 10; 15:7). The Father “alone possesses immortality” (1 Tim 6:16). As the only begotten Son of God, Jesus derived His eternal nature from the Father. The Father is the Unbegotten Source of all things. For a discussion see, God is the Head of Christ.

Revelation 4:10

the twenty-four elders will fall down
before Him who sits on the throne,
and will worship Him who lives forever and ever,

This verse translates the two key words for worship in Revelation as “fall down” and “worship.” Both words mean to prostrate oneself in obeisance toward a god or an exalted person like a king; similar to how Muslims worship. The modern word “worship” has a different meaning and is usually presented as people standing with hands in the air.

and will cast their crowns before the throne, saying

The twenty-four elders acknowledge that they owe their victory completely to Him.

Revelation 4:11

“Worthy are You, our Lord

Lord (Greek: kurios) means owner, master, or husband. It is an expression of respect, similar to “sir” in English. The New Testament uses it for God (e.g., Matt 5:33), for Jesus Christ (e.g., Matt 20:31), and for the Roman emperor (Acts 25:26).

and our God

The word “God” translates the Greek word theos. This is the word which the Greeks used for the many gods of their pantheon. The New Testament uses theos for:

• • • • The God of Israel (Gal 4:8),
      • The Father who sent Jesus (John 17:3),
      • Jesus (John 1:1),
      • Satan (2 Cor 4:4) and
      • The gods of the nations (1 Cor 8:5).

The ancients did not distinguish between lower- and upper-case characters. The word “God,” with a capital G, is a more modern invention that functions as a proper name for one specific Being, namely the Almighty. The title theos, therefore, may also be translated as “god.” To retain the original meaning of the current verse, it might have been more appropriate to translate it as “our lord and our god.”

to receive glory and honor and power;
For You created all things

For this reason, God is worthy to receive our “glory and honor and power.”

and because of Your will they existed,
and were created.”

Behind the act of creation lies His “will.” Were it not for the will of God, the universe would not exist.

What is the Sealed Book?

John saw a book in God’s right hand which is sealed up with seven seals (Rev 5:1). A sealed book symbolizes concealed knowledge. In Rev 6:1 to 8:1, Jesus breaks the seven seals one by one, causing catastrophes on earth. We cannot understand what these events are unless we understand what this book represents.

At first, no one in heaven is found “worthy” to open the book (Rev 5:3). In other words, nobody in heaven is able to explain the things written in the book. John weeps greatly (Rev 5:4). John is now in heaven (Rev 4:1). His great weeping symbolizes the great sorrow among the beings in heaven caused by this inability to understand. Apparently, this knowledge is of vital importance for the happiness of the universe.

But then, Christ’s victory on earth solves this crisis and turns the sorrow into joy: He “has overcome so as to open the book and its seven seals” (Rev 5:5).

The book of life is mentioned 6 times in Revelation. As its name also indicates, it contains the names of those who will inherit eternal life. “Only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life” shall enter the New Jerusalem (Rev 21:2, 27). “If anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.” “This is the second death” (Rev 20:14-15).

The Book of Life

The sealed book is the book of life. This is indicated by the following:

Both books are written by God: Since God decides who His elect are, He writes the book of life. The sealed book, similarly, is in God’s hand (Rev 5:1), implying that He wrote it.

Both books belong to the slain Lamb: The book of life, for example, is called “the book of life of the Lamb who has been slain” (Rev 13:8; 21:27). The sealed book, similarly, is received by Jesus after He appeared as “a Lamb … as if slain” (Rev 5:6-7).

Both books are required for redemption: The book of life is opened in the last judgment (Rev 20:12, 15). And Jesus is worthy to open the sealed book because He died to “purchase” people for God (Rev 5:9). This implies that opening this book is also required for the redemption of God’s people.

Both books are opened after Christ’s return: As stated, the book of life will be opened in the final great judgment. When Jesus breaks the seals one by one, the sixth seal contains the signs of His return (Rev 16:12-14; cf. Matt 24:29-30) and the seventh seal is His return.

Both books divide the people of the world permanently between those who will die and those who will live eternally: The last two seals divide people between God’s people, standing before His throne (Rev 7:9), and the people hiding in the mountains (Rev 6:17), to be killed when Christ returns (Rev 19:21).

These parallels between the two books indicate that the sealed book is the book of life. Below, this article argues that Revelation 12 confirms that the sealed book is the book of life. To prepare for that argument, the following is a very brief overview of key aspects from Rev 12:

Overview of Revelation 12

Rev 12:5 describes Christ’s life, death, resurrection, and ascension in a single verse. Rev 12:7-12 describes the war between the angels in heaven. Satan and his angels were driven out of heaven (Rev 12:8-9), making an end to that war. Rev 12:13 explains the time sequence. It indicates that Satan was expelled from heaven immediately after Christ’s death. The following confirms this:

• • • Satan’s expulsion (Rev 12:8-9) is mentioned after Christ ascension (Rev 12:5).
    • Michael’s angels overcame Satan “because of the blood of the Lamb” (Rev 12:11).

The nature of the “war in heaven” is implied by the identification of Satan in the context as “the accuser of our brethren” (Rev 12:10). He specifically accuses only God’s elect, giving reasons why they should not be saved. Satan effectively accuses God of unfair judgment. Satan shows that the elect are also sinners and, if he deserves to die, then the elect must also die.

Michael and his angels protect God’s people (Dan 12:1) and defend God’s judgments. The “war in heaven,” therefore, is a dispute between the angels of heaven over whether God’s judgments are always perfect.

This war raged in heaven ever since Adam sinned. Since Jesus had to die to make an end to this war, Michael and his angels were unable to show conclusively that God’s judgments are always perfect.

A single error in God’s judgments would reduce the perfect happiness of the whole universe for all eternity. Therefore, until all understand that His judgments are perfect, God delays Christ’s return and the implementation of His judgments.

Revelation 12 confirms

Revelation 12 confirms that the sealed book is the book of life.

For the following reasons, Revelation 5 and 12 describe the same crisis:

• • • The first four verses of both chapters describe the time before Christ and the fifth verse of both chapters refers to Christ’s death. The rest of both chapters describe the time after Christ.
      –
    • Both chapters describe a crisis in heaven that relates to an inability to understand:
      • In Rev 5, a book with seven seals that no one in heaven is able to open causes much sorrow.
      • In Rev 12, a war rages between the angels of heaven because Michael’s angels are unable to conclusively prove that God’s judgments are always perfect.
        –
    • In both chapters, Christ’s death solved the crisis:
      • In Rev 5, Jesus “has overcome” to break the seven seals, turning the sorrow into joy (Rev 5:5).
      • In Rev 12, after Christ’s death, Satan and his angels were driven out of heaven, bringing the war to an end.

The parallels above imply that the sealed book and the “war in heaven” describe the same crisis. Since the war raged in heaven in the time before Christ because nobody was able to refute Satan’s allegations that God judges unfairly, the book was sealed in the time before Christ because of the inability to fully explain God’s judgments. Since the book of life symbolizes God’s judgments, it is the book of life that is sealed.

Consequently:

1. 1. 1. The seven seals are Satan’s brilliantly presented accusations against the people whom God elected to eternal life.
         –
      2. John’s tears (Rev 5:4) represents the sorrow in heaven for, unless a solution is found, God will never be able to execute His judgments and Satan and evil will exist forever. Therefore, if Jesus did not “overcome” (Rev 5:5), evil would have to exist for all eternity.
         –
      3. To break the seals means to refute Satan’s accusations.
         –
      4. To open the book does not mean to learn WHO is listed in the book, but to understand WHY they and only they are saved.

Demonstrations

Christ resolves the crisis through demonstrations.

Deeds of people

Christ refutes Satan over the church age through the deeds of people.

To break the seals of the book means to remove the things that prevent understanding. This means to refute Satan’s allegations that God judges unfairly.

Christ’s death did not immediately end the dispute. He takes the book after His ascension (Rev 5:7) and He breaks the seals in the time between His death and His return. Sin still reigns on earth today because Satan’s charges of unfair judgments have not yet been completely refuted.

Each time that Jesus breaks a seal, things happen on earth. This symbolizes that He directs events on earth to refute Satan’s criticism of God’s judgments through events on earth, namely through the deeds of people (cf. Rev 20:12; Rom 2:6) “Deeds” include the entire being; his words, deeds, thoughts, desires, and faith.

Redemption has two parts.

Both Rev 5:9-10 and 12:11 explain that the crisis was resolved through a two-part process:

The first part of redemption is through Christ’s death:

• • • In Rev 5:9-10, He purchased people with His blood.
    • In Rev 12:11, they overcame the accuser because of the blood of the Lamb.

In the second part of redemption, Jesus will break the seals which mean to refute Satan by directing events on earth to reveal the “deeds” of people, which are “their testimony:”

• • • In Rev 5:9-10, because He purchased people with His blood, He is worthy to break the seals.
    • In Rev 12:11, they overcame the accuser also because of the word of our brethren’s testimony.

Therefore, both the death of Christ and the testimony of His people are required to defeat Satan. Christ has not yet returned because Satan has not yet been fully refuted by revealing the deeds of people. Jesus died to save people but saving people includes refuting Satan’s objections to the names in the book of life.

What made Him worthy?

What made Him worthy – Death or overcoming?

According to Rev 5:5, Christ is able to break the seals and to open the book because He “has overcome.” In contrast, according to Rev 5:9-10, He is worthy to break the seals because He was “slain” and purchased people with His “blood.” The purpose of this section is to show that these are different ways of saying the same thing because His “blood” refers to how He overcame:

“Overcome” means to “be faithful until death” (Rev 2:10) to the will of God.

When the Bible says that people are saved by the blood of the Son, His blood serves as a symbol for His death.

His death was not limited to the moment of His last breath. His death refers to the last hours of His life.

Jesus remained “faithful until death.” His death, understood as His final hours when Satan inflicted the most severe temptations on Him, was His highest and final test but also His greatest victory. That victory reflects how He overcame throughout His entire life, for if He was unfaithful to God at any time during His life, His death would not have been of any value.

In conclusion, when the Bible refers to His blood or to His death, it really refers to the fact that He remained faithful until death. We are not saved by Christ’s literal blood or death, but because He remained “faithful until death.“

What changed at His death?

Before His death, nobody was able to break the seals (Rev 5:3) but, because of His death, Jesus Christ is declared “worthy” to do it (Rev 5:9). Since His death refers to His final hours in which He overcame Satan’s ultimate temptations, the question is: How did overcoming make Him “worthy” to break the seals (Rev 5:5)?

We should agree that the Son of God was not somehow improved. Neither did God change to become willing to forgive, as church tradition claims. Rather, God so loved the world that He gave His Only Son (John 3:16). Consider what we read in the text. As indicated by the following, His death demonstrated something about Him that was always true but not always known:

1. 1. He “has overcome” to break the seals (Rev 5:5). This implies that He came to earth to be tested. What changed is that He passed the test, demonstrating His worthiness.
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   2. Rev 12:10-11 identifies two weapons by which Satan is defeated, namely “the blood of the Lamb” and the “testimony” of God’s people. Since God’s people demonstrate their faith by “their testimony,” it implies that “the blood of the Lamb” demonstrates the Lamb’s faith.
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   3. It was not God who declared the Son “worthy,” but the heavenly beings (Rev 5:9-10), implying that His worthiness was something which they observed.
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   4. After Christ’s death, Satan was “thrown down” (Rev 12:8), symbolizing his loss of influence over the angels. In contrast, Jesus “was caught up to God” (Rev 12:5), implying that He was “caught up” also in terms of influence.
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   5. The rest of the New Testament supports the concept that Christ’s death was a demonstration (Rom 3:25, 26).

In conclusion, Satan claimed that the Son is unworthy but Christ’s willingness to be tested and the purity of His life demonstrated His eternal character. This confirmed Him to be “worthy” to reveal the contents of the book.

Satan is perhaps the most talented and most beautiful of all of God’s creatures (cf. Ezek 28:12, 17). But he used his talents to glorify himself. Perhaps Satan argued that the Son of God would also use His powers to benefit Himself, given the right circumstances. To be tested, the Son of God became a vulnerable human being. He had enormous powers. He could calm the winds and the waves (Matt 8:26), command “twelve legions of angels” (Matt 26:53), and raise people from death (e.g. John 11:43-44). But when sinful men nailed Him to a wooden pole, He did not use His powers to benefit Himself. In this, He demonstrated God’s character.

Not worthy before His death

Why was the Son not worthy before His death?

But the question remains, why was the Son of God not regarded “worthy” to refute Satan’s accusations before His death?

This can only be due to Satan’s accusations. While Satan accused God’s people, the Son of God defended God’s judgments. Just like Satan, with the enormous talents God gave him, was able to create doubt in the minds of the created universe about the veracity of God’s judgments of sinners, he was also able to create doubt about the truthfulness of the Son’s defense of God’s people.

To defend Himself against Satan’s charges, the only begotten Son of God was willing to subject Himself to a test by becoming a vulnerable human being. He was fully tested and won the victory by remaining “faithful until death.“

This refuted Satan’s accusations against Him. Now the universe is convinced that Jesus is “the faithful and true Witness” (Rev 3:14). They trust Him to reveal the truth about God’s judgments.

However, even after the Cross, the book remains sealed. Christ’s death did not immediately refute Satan’s objections to God’s elect. Just like Christ’s life was a demonstration of His eternal character, the lives of God’s people, particularly during the end-time crisis, will demonstrate that God’s people are worthy of salvation. When the seventh seal is broken and all Satan’s arguments have been fully refuted, Christ will return and the elect will be resurrected.

How God rules the universe

The previous discussion assumes that God allows His creatures to question His judgments. Many Christians think of God as a dictator, deciding unilaterally who will be saved and who will go to hell.

This website takes the opposite view, namely that the Almighty God populated the universe with creatures that are truly free, for true love is only possible in freedom. For love to be genuine, it must be freely given. God’s creatures are free to love, but also free to rebel against their Creator without even the fear of punishment. If we obey because we fear punishment, then we are not really free. (God will eventually destroy evil, but only after the created universe agrees that this is the only way of restoring happiness in the universe.) 

Lucifer (meaning light bearer) at first was without sin (Ezek 28:15) but became the proud devil and Satan: “Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty” (Ezek. 28:17). For that reason, “unrighteousness was found in you” (Ezek 28:5; cf, Isaiah 14).

When God condemned his behavior, Lucifer criticized God’s judgment. Because of the freedom His creatures have, God has allowed Satan complete freedom to defend himself.

To combat this rebellion with force, BEFORE the intelligent creatures are able to understand that Satan’s allegations are false, will only serve to confirm to them that Satan’s charges are true. Therefore, God provides evidence of the perfect accuracy of His judgments. This is what the seven seals of Revelation are all about.

Consistent with the principle of complete freedom, the One through whom God created all things (Col 1:16-17), works in the weakness of a slain lamb (Rev 5:6). This is how God rules the universe. He is infinitely powerful but exercises that power through self-sacrificial love. For a further discussion, see, Why Satan thought he could win.

Revelation 5

Revelation 5:1

I saw in the right hand
of Him who sat on the throne

This Greek phrase can mean either “in” the right hand or “at” the right hand (or side – of God). If we assume that Jesus, when He took the book (Rev 5:7), also sat down with His Father on His throne (Rev 3:21; 22:1), it is possible to understand the book to be AT the right side of God because the NT frequently states that Jesus sat down “at the right hand of God” (e.g., Rom 8:34).

a book written inside and on the back,
sealed up with seven seals.

Both Revelation 5 and 12 describe a crisis in heaven that relates to a lack of understanding and that was solved by Christ’s death, namely the sealed book in Revelation 5 and the war between the angels in Revelation 12 (Rev 12:7). For that reason, it was concluded that these two chapters describe the same crisis with different symbols.

On the basis of Revelation 12, the crisis in heaven has been identified as a dispute between the angels of heaven over the perfection of God’s judgments. Consequently, the sealed book has been interpreted as the book of God’s judgments (the book of life) and the seals as Satan’s informed accusations against God’s elect. Through these accusations, Satan effectively accuses God of unfair judgment.

God’s judgments are known. “Sealed up,” in this instance, means that, due to Satan’s accusations, even God’s loyal angels are unable to fully refute Satan’s allegations of unfair judgment.

Revelation 5:2

And I saw a strong angel
proclaiming with a loud voice,
“Who is worthy to open the book
and to break its seals?”

Since the book contains God’s judgments, to open the book is to explain God’s judgments; to show that His judgments are perfect. The book is opened by breaking the seals, which means to refute Satan’s accusations against God’s elect. How Christ does that is explained in Revelation 6.

Revelation 5:3

And no one in heaven or on the earth or under the earth
was able to open the book or to look into it.

The Son of God defended God’s people and God judgments. As part of Satan’s strategy to discredit God’s judgments, Satan was able to create doubt in the minds of the created universe of the truthfulness of the Son’s defense of God’s people and of God’s judgments. In that sense, before His death, not even the Son was not regarded as “worthy” to open the book. 

Revelation 5:4

Then I began to weep greatly
because no one was found worthy
to open the book or to look into it;

John’s weeping symbolizes the great sorrow in God’s creation caused by the inability to conclusively prove the perfection of God’s judgments. For as long as Satan’s objections to God’s judgments remain unrefuted – until all understand that His judgments are perfect, God delays Christ’s return and the implementation of His judgments; both the destruction of evil and the resurrection of God’s elect. For that reason, evil still rules on earth today; 2000 years after Christ died.

Revelation 5:5

and one of the elders said to me,
“Stop weeping;

Since joy now replaces the weeping of verse 4, verse 5 describes a specific point in time. In verse 6, Jesus will appear as a slain lamb. That explains HOW he overcame, namely at the cross as “the Lamb of God” (John 1:29). Revelation 5:5, therefore, can be dated to Christ’s death. Consequently, the remainder of Revelation 5 describes events in heaven immediately AFTER Christ’s ascension. For the same reason, Revelation 5:1-4 and John’s weeping describe the time BEFORE Christ’s death. 

behold, the Lion that is from the tribe of Judah,
the Root of David,
has overcome so as to open the book and its seven seals.”

The word “overcome” is used many times in Revelation (e.g., Rev 2:26). It means to be “faithful until death” (Rev 2:10); to maintain your testimony “even when faced with death” (Rev 12:11). People are not persecuted for their faith, but for their testimony.

Jesus overcame throughout His life. But His highest test and greatest victory were in the hours of His death, for He overcame by remaining “faithful until death” (Rev 2:10). For that reason, His death – understood as the final hours of His life – symbolizes how He overcame throughout His life.

Why did Jesus have to remain “faithful until death” to be able to open the book (explain God’s judgments)? Before His death, the Son of God, due to Satan’s accusations, was not regarded “worthy” by all. But, by remaining faithful to God under the most severe circumstances, He was demonstrated to be “worthy” (Rev 5:9).

Revelation 5:6

And I saw between the throne
(with the four living creatures)
and the elders

This recalls some detail from chapter four. The throne was at the center of that vision, surrounded by the four living creatures and by the 24 elders.

a Lamb standing, as if slain,

He “has overcome;” not by using His lion-like power (Rev 5:5) but by restraining His power and, like a lamb, by offering up His life

John hears about a lion (Rev 5:5) but when he looks, He sees a lamb. These animals seem like opposites, but reflect two different roles of the same person; Jesus Christ.

having seven horns and seven eyes,
which are the seven Spirits of God,

It is not a literal lamb and not seven literal eyes or horns. Revelation depicts reality by means of symbols. As discussed under Rev 4:5, the number seven symbolizes completion in terms of time. The seven eyes symbolize that, through the working of God’s Spirit, Christ knows everything that happens on the earth.

Horns symbolize authority (Rev 17:10). The seven horns mean that He will ALWAYS reign (Rev 11:15; cf. Matt 28:18).

sent out into all the earth.

Before Jesus appeared in the throne room, “the seven Spirits of God” are “before the throne” (Rev 4:5) but, now they are “sent out into all the earth.” In the context of a slain lamb, this points to the day of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit was poured out on the disciples (cf. Acts 2:33). 

Revelation 5:7

And He came and took the book
out of the right hand of Him who sat on the throne.

Lambs do not have hands and cannot take books. This shows again that these visions are not to be interpreted literally. John did not literally see literal things.

The book is in the “right hand” of God (Rev 5:1). The Scriptures, elsewhere, frequently states that Jesus sat down “at His right hand” (e.g. Eph 1:20; cf. Rev 3:21). This implies that, when Jesus takes the book in the current verse, He also sits down on God’s throne. 

Christ’s victory did not immediately open the book. The book remains sealed because He, by overcoming, did not refute Satan’s objections against God’s elect.

In the current verse, Jesus receives the book but He does not open it immediately. He breaks the seals one by one in Revelation 6, causing catastrophes on earth. The sixth seal has the signs of His return (Rev 6:12-15). This means that Jesus refutes Satan’s accusations in the time between His death and His return by directing events on earth. Particularly during the end-time crisis, the lives (deeds) of God’s elect will demonstrate that they are worthy of salvation.

Revelation 5:8

When He had taken the book,
the four living creatures
and the twenty-four elders
fell down before the Lamb,

The word translated “fell down” is one of the two main Greek words for worship (the other is proskuneó – see also Rev 4:10; 5:14; 7:11; 11:16; 19:4). This is the ancient form of obeisance—falling down on one’s face (1 Cor 14:25), much as Muslims do still today.

each one holding a harp and golden bowls full of incense,
which are the prayers of the saints.

The Old Testament also associates prayer with incense (Psa 141:2; cf. Lev 16:12-13). In the temple context, while the priest was offering incense inside the temple, the people outside were in prayer before God (see Luke 1:9-10). Likewise, here, the elders, representatives of humanity, offer incense to God while the church on earth is praying.

Revelation 5:9-10

And they sang a new song, saying,
“Worthy are You to take the book
and to break its seals;
for You were slain,
and purchased for God with Your blood

Christ’s blood symbolizes His death. His death does not only refer to when He breathed His last but to His final hours when tempter inflicted the most severe torment and temptation possible on Him.

men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation.

Similar four-fold listings of the people are found throughout Revelation (e.g., Rev 10:11; 14:7; 17:15). The number four represents worldwide extension, for example, in the four corners of the earth (Rev 7:1). These four elements, therefore, sum up all the people in the world.

Is it not wonderful that people from every tribe and tongue will be saved? According to Rev 7:9, an innumerable multitude will be saved. Praise the Lord!

Revelation 5:10

“You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God;

A priest is someone who stands between God and the people. God called Israel a kingdom of priests (Exo 19:6). Israel was not called for its own sake, but to be a blessing to the nations (Gen 12:1-3).

The New Testament writers understood the church to be a new Israel, with the twelve disciples becoming the leaders of the twelve tribes (Matt 19:28-30). Israel, therefore, is no longer constituted on the basis of physical descent from Jacob but in relation to the Jewish Messiah Jesus. See the discussion under Rev 4:4 or the article on the