The scene opens in Chapter five with God seated on His throne, holding in His right hand a book that contains the title deed to this world.  When God created Adam and Eve, He gave them dominion over all the earth. However, when Adam sinned, he lost that dominion and Satan, the one to whom Adam had subjected himself, became prince, or ruler, of the world.  See Luke 4:6, John 12:31, 2 Corinthians 4:4.

In Leviticus 25:25-27, God gave instructions concerning redemption of a poor man’s property.  If a man lost his property because of poverty, a scroll was prepared.  On the inside of this scroll was written every necessary detail required to purchase the property back again.  The scroll was then sealed, and on the outside was written the names of those involved and the location of the property.  If a near-kinsman desired to redeem the property, thus keeping it in the family name, provision was made for him to do so providing he met three specific requirements, namely:

1. He must be a near-kinsman.
2. He must be willing to redeem the property.
3. He must be able to redeem it.

This is an illustration of Jesus, our Redeemer, Who met all of these requirements:

1. He became a man, and thus became our near-kinsman.
2. He was willing to redeem (John 10:18).
3. He was able to redeem (2 Peter 1:18-19).

A beautiful example of redemption of property in Old Testament times is seen in Jeremiah 32:6-15.  When the Jews were taken captive to Babylon, God instructed Jeremiah to purchase a piece of property which was located near Jerusalem and which belonged to his cousin, Hanameel.  Jeremiah did this, manifesting his faith in God’s promise that Judah’s captivity would last only 70 years, after which time they would return to their land. Although Jeremiah, himself did not live to return and claim this piece of property, his kinsmen had the right to possess it.

Verses 2-5 of our chapter reveal that the opening of the book which God holds in His right hand is of great importance.  John weeps, or loudly wails, because it seems that there is no man with authority to open the book.  Remember, this book is the title deed to the world and contains the terms by which Adam’s lost estate could be redeemed.  Jesus, our kinsman Redeemer, wrought a complete redemption at the cross, and God has put all things in subjection to Him.  However, in Hebrews 2:8, we read “. . . but now we see not yet all things put under Him.”  Satan is still the god of this world, and as such he usurps authority and blinds the minds of them who believe not.  In Romans 8:21-25, we see that although we have been redeemed, we wait for the manifestation of that redemption, which will be our glorified bodies.  Even so, the earth has been redeemed, but waits for the manifestation of that redemption also.

One of the 24 elders tells John that there is no need for him to weep, for the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has prevailed (or conquered) and may open the book and loose the seals thereof.  The description of Christ, along with the elders’ involvement, causes us to understand that the book has to do with Israel.  And indeed, the complete redemption of all the earth, and therefore the promises to the nation Israel, was dependent on the opening of this book.  Genesis 49: 9-10 is a prophecy of Jesus as the Lion of Judah.  Since the lion is the king of the beasts, and the tribe of Judah was the ruling tribe of Israel, this is a description of Jesus as the mighty King. Next, Isaiah 11:10 reveals Jesus as the Root of David, denotes His becoming a Man, but a Man born of the kingly line of David.  However, when John looked, he did not see a lion or a man or even a king—he saw a little lamb “as it had been slain.”  This great King of Judah and Root of David became a Lamb, the perfect Sacrifice, and as such, He was able to open the book!

The Lamb is in the midst of the throne, living creatures and elders. They are all in perfect union. The Lamb has seven horns (complete power—Deuteronomy 33:17) and seven eyes (complete discernment—Zechariah 4:10). The seven Spirits of God show the complete union of Christ and the Holy Spirit in doing God’s bidding in all the earth.

Verse 7 is a fulfillment of Daniel’s vision in Daniel 7:13-14.  What an awesome moment this will be—the beginning of the fulfillment of all God’s plans and purposes for the ages!  It is no wonder that this causes the living creatures and elders, the redeemed ones in heaven, to fall before the Lamb in praise and worship.  They worship Him with harps and singing.  Music is a creation of God, a means of expressing His beauty, and there will be much of this expression in heaven.

The bowls of odours, or incense, are prayers of the saints of God that have come up to Him through thecenturies, crying out for His will to be done in earth as it is in heaven. David prayed in Psalms 56:8 for the Lord to put his tears into His bottle. I believe God looked forward to these bowls of incense when He instructed Moses to have a perpetual offering of incense going up as a sweet savor to the Lord from the altar of incense in the tabernacle. It is instructive that God Himself gave Moses the recipe for this incense and all the ingredients came from spices which represent suffering. God was very particular that this incense be made exactly as He ordered and it could not be used for any other purpose (Exodus 30:7-10, 34-38). God is just as concerned and particular about the prayers of His saints. They are even now a “sweet savor” to Him. Note Malachi 3:16 and Psalms 141:2.

In chapter 4:11, praise was offered up to God as the Creator of all things. Now these redeemed ones sing a new song, praising the Lamb as their Redeemer. The word “redemption” has three basic word roots:

1. To release by paying a price
2. To purchase for one’s self by a price duly and freely paid
3. To purchase from the power or possession of anyone–release from bondage.

The word used in v. 9 is the second meaning—to purchase for one’s self by a price duly and freely paid. Jesus freely paid the price of our redemption by His blood! These redeemed ones have come out of every people and nation on earth. The pronouns “us” and “we” in vs. 9-10 include both the living creatures and the elders. There are some translations of the Bible that have changed these pronouns to “they” and “them.”  However, if you will refer to the original Greek wording, you will see that the King James’ version is correct in using “us” and “we.” These living creatures are not angels. We see angels mentioned in v. 11 as distinct from the living creatures and elders. This distinction in also seen in chapter 7:11. As we have noted before, these living creatures are overcomers of the New Testament church, as the elders are overcomers of the Old Testament, and they all together praise the Lamb of God for His redemption work at Calvary.

These redeemed ones can now sing, “Thou hast made us unto our God kings and priests, and we shall reign over the earth,” because the book will now be opened to make way for these things to occur.

Note the great number in heaven who will at this time praise the Lord “with a loud voice.” It is as the “Lamb slain” that Jesus is worthy to receive power, riches, wis­dom, strength, honor, glory and blessing! Remember that this book of Revelation is an un­veiling of Jesus Christ. Let us pray that God will reveal Him to our hearts more every day.

Not only do the ones in heaven praise our Lord, but verse 13 takes us in time to the end of the seven years’ tribulation—to the time when all creation will praise God as a result of the completion of redemption, which will be enjoyed after the opening of the last of the seven seals of this book. Just as the trees and plants burst into life in the springtime, and thus declare the glory of God, even so at this time all creation will in some way praise and glorify the Lamb. Read Psalms 148 and praise the Lord now for His great majesty!