REVELATION 5:1-5

Then I saw in the right hand of him who was seated on the throne a scroll written within and on the back, sealed with seven seals. 2 And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?” 3 And no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look into it, 4 and I began to weep loudly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to look into it. 5 And one of the elders said to me, “Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.”

Revelation is a vision given to a man named John, in which he is given the gift of seeing reality from a heavenly perspective. He is taken to the heavenly throne room (chapter 4) where he sees God’s will perfectly enacted. But John has come from earth, where things seem very far from perfect.

The question Revelation will answer is, How will the Kingdom come?

The answer will be given on a special scroll, a scroll that has been sealed up forever.

(See Daniel 12:8-9, for example:

8 I heard, but I did not understand. Then I said, “O my lord, what shall be the outcome of these things?” 9 He said, “Go your way, Daniel, for the words are shut up and sealed until the time of the end.”)

Who can open the scroll?

John begins to weep because it seems no one can open the scroll, which means the Kingdom will never come, and wrongs will never be made right.

And in the midst of his despair, one of the heavenly rulers says, “Don’t cry—here is the one who can open the scroll.”