Rev. 5.2: 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. And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming in a loud voice, “Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?”
The word, open, here means to open up or again. Not just the mere open as in other passages. Even Rev. 10.2: it uses a related word to Anoizai, but not Anoizai. Rev. 10.2’s meaning is just opened, not again. So, reading again, we might get the deeper ‘alway word’ in this passage: …to break the seals and open up the scroll again… In the past this book was opened for a time, and then sealed; now it is being opened up again.
Who is Worthy to Break the Seals
Rev. 5.2: 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. And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming in a loud voice, “Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?”
The word, worthy, here means ‘of equal value’. (axios, of weight, or of worth—of equal weight, value) All of heaven is, at that moment, looking for one who is of equal value to the act of breaking the seals and opening up the scroll again.
So, reading again, with this word in mind, we might get some of the deeper nuances of this passage: …Who is of equal value with the breaking of the seals and of equal value of the opening of the book again…
The answer to this ‘who’ question happens to fall on Christ.
Why Does it Fall on Christ
The Angel in Daniel 10 says to Daniel that no one held with him in these things, but 'Michael your Prince'. This angel also raised his hands (both of them) toward heaven and announced the times, time, and half a times. Right after that he tells Daniel that the book is sealed until the time of the end. We do not hear the angel say that it was himself who sealed it. And if no one held with him in these things but Michael, then Michael could have sealed the book. (or God the father)
In this section we have seen that a book or vision that involved times, time and half was sealed (closed) and the one who could have sealed it was Michael (Christ). Then we look into Revelation and see that the Book of Revelation is talking about the times, time, and half; and (in the 5th chapter, they are looking for one who is of equal value to ‘open the book again,’ —we have arrived at the logical: it is Christ. One who seals a thing, has the right, or equivalence to open a thing.
So, reading again, with this word in mind, we can see how knowing the nuance of this word can sharpen and deepen our understanding.
The Right Hand of the One Who Sits
The book is offered to the universe from a right hand that is eternal. This hand’s power has no beginning and no ending: unlike us. The book, then, can be looked on as an eternal document, spanning not just times only, as we look at times, but duel and manifold times in a way we are yet to view and comprehend.
We see this book taken from the throne person. We hear the celebration of the angelic hosts, and then finally the book is opened in front of John to reveal things in the years just ahead of John’s time. However, at the same time, in the same fashion as Jesus did in Matthew 24, a blended prophecy is contained within this revelation: namely, words about when and how the seed which was promised in Eden would finally crush the head of the serpent.
There is so much celebration—even with a new song being invented just for the moment, too—that it would seem to signify a great culminating thesis is here to be opened; not just a time line of historical events following the people in John's era, but something —in the same verse—for our immediate future as well. This pattern of doing can also be seen in Matt. 24.
The Book of Revelation holds eternal messages, from eternal times, presented in eternal ways: the deep things of God.
The Four Living Creatures
Just as Christ in chapter one was seen in the midst of the 7 golden candlesticks (7 symbolizes complete) and the seven golden candlesticks are in heaven, for that is where the full spiritual assembly is. So, we see from the beginning point that Christ is officiating among the church in heaven in Priestly garb.
Then John is called up to heaven. The scene he enters includes the throne of the universe and one sitting on that throne. Then are described the four creatures which are surrounding the throne. It mentions the 24 elders also.
I believe the statements from others, who say that Christ was not present in heaven in the 4th chapter and only arrives there from earth or other places in the 5th chapter, are not correct. From the words that are in the 4th and 5th chapters we can see and know for sure that Christ was always right there.
Following are five points that show, from the words that are in the text, that these two mentioned groups are humans from earth, and that they are there with Christ in the throne room—whichever one room it is:
Point one: In the 4th chapter the beings who sit on thrones are called elders. This is John’s description/recognition of them. Definitely human people, and we can easily believe this from the words he uses—From his perception they were not angels.
Point two: The 4 living creatures are positioned as in the midst of the throne. They are not sitting on thrones, but are in and just outside the throne—a very unique arrangement, but it is where and how they are doing their God’s business.
Point three: When found, the Lion of the tribe of Judah is beheld in the midst of the throne, and in the midst of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the 24 elders. It is interesting that this unique arrangement used to describe the placement of the 4 living creatures is repeated and amplified somewhat to show the Lamb’s arrangement, and how he is doing his God’s business.
Point four: The 4 living creatures and the 24 elders have vials full of odours which are the prayers of the saints. They are doing the business of the sanctuary. Elders were priests on the non-High Priest level. (Greek, presbyter, signifying elder.) These two groups of officials are human: The creatures are human, and the 24 elders are human. This becomes clearer from the words which follow the description of the vials, etc. After the Lamb takes the book from the one sitting on the throne, these two groups as one sing a new song—a song whose words teach about their experience which shall end with them ruling on the earth. ‘We shall reign on the earth’ is also sung by the 4 living creatures. ‘Redeemed us’ means and includes the 4 living creatures too. From the words here,—yes, from their own words they are telling that they are human, all 28 of them.
Point five: If they are human, and if they are in heaven, then they are with their Lord. Thus they shall ever be with their Lord. He wishes them to be where he is and pleads with his father that they can be with him. So, wherever these humans that have made it to heaven—and throughout the bible it is written of those who have been taken to heaven—Christ is with them. This is fulfillment of the promise; here we are shown assurance that the promise of Christ—to be with them—is true, and that the Father has answered Christ’s request. (additionally: wherever two or three humans are gathered in his name, there he is in the midst of them.) In the 5th chapter, it shows him in heaven, in the midst of the representatives (kings and priests) who have gone beforehand at his resurrection and make up his church in heaven.
The one who is worthy to open the book was in their midst all the time of the 4th and 5th chapters. The lamb is found just where he ought to have been found: in the midst of—not only the 4 living creatures, but at the same time being in the midst of the 24 elders. He did not suddenly arrive there from earth or some other place.
He is with his resurrected first fruits —forever-- as designed and foretold.
Addendum: He Was There in the Throne
Rev 3:21: To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.
The four creatures are sometimes in and sometimes out of the throne. This place is their officiating territory, their estate, and their place that he went to prepare for them. The 4 living creatures belong to that place. They sit with God in the throne of the son. And the son is in the midst of them. The glorious detail of this one little word in should show us something distinctly different about God as opposed to mankind kings and rulers. This is a glorious word phrase because it shows another dimension about sitting in rulership: the throne of God is something altogether more manifold a concept and a reality than the historical accounts about how mankind has sat on thrones. In John’s account of this sitting on thrones done by the 4 living creatures pictures what Jesus was promising. There is something more powerful about the way Christ describes the sitting he and we will do on his throne. This promise to the overcomer is describing about power for us which involves mixing with the essential makeup of the throne. And so, if we think about it, this throne must be made up of something earthly manufacturers of thrones have thus far not compiled. Glorious things are not like our things. In this one verse we see just one of the Deeper Things of God which the Book of Revelation is revealing.
In seeing each word that is there, we really begin to see.
In= in, on, among. [1722en (a preposition) – properly, in (inside, within); (figuratively) "in the realm (sphere) of," as in the condition(state) in which something operates from the inside (within).] In over 270 times the word en is translated it was translated 124 times as ‘among’.