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NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Rev_5:1-5
1I saw in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne a book written inside and on the back, sealed up with seven seals. 2 And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, "Who is worthy to open the book and to break its seals?" 3And no one in heaven or on the earth or under the earth was able to open the book or to look into it. 4Then I began to weep greatly because no one was found worthy to open the book or to look into it; 5and one of the elders said to me, "Stop weeping; 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."
Rev_5:1 "and I saw in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne" A better translation of this phrase would be "on the right hand of Him" (Peshitta translated into English by Lamsa and the Amplified Bible). It is not the idea of God holding tightly to the book, but God holding it out for someone to take and open.
The phrase "the right hand of Him" is a biblical anthropomorphism to describe God's power and authority (see Special Topic at Rev_2:1). God does not have a physical body; He is a spiritual being (cf. Joh_4:24), uncreated and eternal.
▣ "book" The Greek term is "biblion" which later was used to refer to a codex (book). Most commentators agree that books did not appear until the second century, so what we have here is a papyrus or parchment scroll (NKJV, NRSV, TEV and NJB). There are several theories as to the meaning of this book.
1. the book of woes found in Eze_2:8-10; and Rev_10:8-11
2. the book which the people are unwilling to read because God has spiritually blinded them (cf. Isa_29:11; Rom_11:8-10; Rom_11:25)
3. the events of the end-time (cf. Dan_8:26)
4. a Roman last will or testament, which was traditionally sealed with seven seals
5. the book of life (cf. Dan_7:10; Dan_12:1), which is mentioned so often in the book of the Revelation (cf. Rev_3:5; Rev_17:8; Rev_20:12; Rev_20:15)
6. the Old Testament (cf. Col_2:14; Eph_2:15)
7. the heavenly tablets of I Enoch 81:1,2.
In my opinion aspects of #1, #2, or #3 seem to be best; the scroll is a book of the destiny of mankind and God's culmination of history.
▣ "written inside and on the back" This was very unusual in the ancient world because of the difficulty of writing on the back side of papyrus, although it is mentioned in Eze_2:8-10 and Zec_5:3. It symbolizes God's complete and full control over history and human destiny.
Both of the participles (written and sealed) that describe this scroll are perfect passives. The first is a special grammatical form used to describe Scripture as being inspired (i.e., Joh_6:45; Joh_8:17; Joh_10:34, etc). The second is a way of expressing that the scroll was protected, preserved, and reserved by God.
▣ "sealed up with seven seals" The seven seals have two possible origins.
1. Seven was the number of perfection from Genesis 1, therefore, it was perfectly sealed.
2. Roman wills were sealed with seven seals.
The seals were small blobs of wax containing the imprint of the owner, placed where the book or scroll would be opened (see Special Topic at Rev_7:2). In Rev_6:1 to Rev_8:1 the breaking of these seals brings woes upon the earth, but the content of the scroll is not revealed in this literary unit. As a matter of fact, in the structure of the book, the seventh seal starts the seven trumpets which is the seventh seal.
Rev_5:2 "I saw a strong angel" Some see a connection etymologically to the name Gabriel, which means "God's strong man." Another strong angel is mentioned in Rev_10:1; Rev_18:21. Angelic mediation is common in Jewish intertestamental apocalyptic literature.
▣ "proclaiming with a loud voice" He was addressing all creation.
▣ "Who is worthy to open the book and to break its seals?" The term "worthy" is a commercial term relating to the use of a pair of scales. It came to mean "that which corresponds to." Something is put on one side of the scales and what is put on the other is equal. It could be used in a negative or positive sense. Here, it is the inestimable value of the sinless Savior. Only Jesus was equal to the task of redemption. Only Jesus was equal to the task of consummation. Only Jesus is worthy (cf. Rev_5:7; Rev_5:9-10; Rev_5:12).
Rev_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" This shows the total inability of angels or humans to bring about the will of God! Rebellion has affected them all! Creation cannot help itself! No one is worthy!
Rev_5:4 "I began to weep greatly" This is an imperfect tense verb, which denotes the beginning of an action or repeated action in past time. This meant "loud wailing," so characteristic of the Ancient Near East.
Rev_5:5 "one of the elders said to me" Here we find one of the elders acting in the role of an angelic interpreter, as in the book of Daniel. See hyperlink at Rev_4:4.
▣ "Stop weeping" This is a present imperative with the negative particle which usually meant to stop an act which is already in process.
▣ "the Lion that is from the tribe of Judah" This is an allusion to Gen_49:9-10 (cf. 2Es_12:31-32). The Messiah is the conquering Lion (king) from the tribe of Judah.
▣ "the Root of David" This is an allusion to 2 Samuel 7 and particularly Isa_11:1-10. This same idea of a royal Davidic Messiah can be found in Jer_23:5; Jer_33:5 and Rev_22:16.
▣ "has overcome" This is an aorist active indicative, which implies it was an accomplished fact (i.e.,Calvary and the empty tomb). Notice that the Lion is not going to conquer by His power, but by His sacrifice (cf. Rev_5:6).