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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadBob Utley You Can Understand the Bible - Revelation 5:6 - 5:10
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NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Rev_5:6-10
6And I saw between the throne (with the four living creatures) and the elders a Lamb standing, as if slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God, sent out into all the earth. 7And He came and took the book out of the right hand of Him who sat on the throne. 8When He had taken the book, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each one holding a harp and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. 9And 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 men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation. 10You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God; and they will reign upon the earth."
Rev_5:6 "a Lamb standing" This concept of a sacrificial Lamb (i.e., baby lamb, arnion) depicts the vicarious atonement and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The Lamb is mentioned throughout the book of the Revelation (cf. Rev_5:6; Rev_5:8; Rev_5:12-13; Rev_6:1; Rev_6:16; Rev_7:9-10; Rev_7:14; Rev_7:17; Rev_12:11; Rev_13:8; Rev_14:1; Rev_14:4(twice),10; Rev_15:3; Rev_17:14; Rev_19:7; Rev_19:9; Rev_21:9; Rev_21:14; Rev_21:22-23; Rev_21:27; Rev_22:1; Rev_22:3). The sacrificial metaphor is from
1. the Passover Lamb (Exodus 12)
2. one of the lambs that was sacrificed daily in the morning and evening (the continual, cf. Exo_29:38-46; Num_28:3; Num_28:6; Num_28:10; Num_28:23; Num_28:31; Num_29:11; Num_29:16; Num_29:19; Num_29:22; Num_29:25; Num_29:28; Num_29:31; Num_29:34; Num_29:38)
3. the slain lamb of Isa_53:7 or Joh_1:7; Joh_1:29
This metaphor is used of Jesus in two distinct senses: (a) as an innocent sacrificial victim and (b) as the overcoming victor (also found in Jewish apocalyptic literature, cf. I Enoch 90:9; Testament of Joseph Rev_19:8-9). In the NT only John the Baptist in Joh_1:29; Joh_1:36 and John in Rev_5:6; Rev_5:8; Rev_5:12-13; 61:1, refer to Jesus as "Lamb" (Paul asserts this, but without the term in 1Co_5:7).
▣ "as if slain" He was dead but now alive. The Messiah's resurrection is parodied by the sea beast (cf. Rev_13:3).
▣ "having seven horns and seven eyes" The first term refers to power or omnipotence (cf. Exo_27:2; Exo_29:12; Deu_33:17; 2Ch_18:10; Psa_112:9; Psa_132:17; Jer_48:25; Eze_29:21; Zec_1:18-21). The second term refers to God's omniscience (cf. Rev_4:6; Rev_4:8; Eze_1:18; Eze_10:12; Zec_3:9; Zec_4:10). This symbolism is similar to Dan_7:13-14.
▣ "which are the seven Spirits of God" See Special Topic at Rev_1:4 and note at Rev_4:5.
Rev_5:8 "When He had taken the book, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb" This shows the worship of the Lamb as well as the worship of God (cf. Rev_5:13), which is a central theme in Revelation.
▣ "and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints" Angels were the regular bearers of prayers to God in inter-biblical Jewish literature (cf. Tobit 12:15; III Baruch 11). The idea of incense representing prayers is used several times in Scripture (cf. Rev_8:3-4; Psa_141:2; Luk_1:10).
▣ "saints" Although the word "church" does not appear after chapter 3, the concept of "saints" does continue throughout the book and must refer to the people of God. The concept of believers as "saints" is common in Revelation (cf. Rev_8:3-4; Rev_11:18; Rev_13:7; Rev_13:10; Rev_14:12; Rev_16:6; Rev_17:6; Rev_18:20; Rev_18:24; Rev_19:8; Rev_20:9).
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Rev_5:9-10 There is a significant Greek manuscript variant related to the pronoun "us." The NKJV has the pronoun "us" in Rev_5:9, "have redeemed us to God," and in Rev_5:10, "and have made us kings and priests to our God." Most modern translations (NASB, NRSV, TEV, NJB) omit "us" in both verses. If "us" is present in both verses then Jesus' sacrificial death includes the twenty-four elders who seem to be angelic creatures. Nowhere in the Bible is Jesus' death related to angelic redemption. Also, the presence of "them" (autous) in Rev_5:10 grammatically excludes the possibility of "us" being original. The United Bible Society's fourth edition rates the two plural pronoun's omission as "certain."
Rev_5:9 "And they sang a new song" In the OT there are many allusions to the new song (cf. Psa_33:3; Psa_40:3; Psa_98:1; Psa_144:9; Psa_149:1 and Isa_42:10). At every major event in the OT, the people of God were encouraged to sing a new song praising God's activity. This is the ultimate song about God's revealing Himself in the Messiah and the Messiah's work of redemption on behalf of all believers (cf. Rev_5:9; Rev_5:12-13; Rev_14:3).
The emphasis on "new" things is characteristic of the new age in Isaiah 42-66.
1. "new things," Isa_42:9
2. "new song," Isa_42:10
3. "do something new," Isa_43:19
4. "new things," Isa_48:6
5. "new name," Isa_62:6
6. "new heavens and new earth," Isa_65:17; Isa_66:22.
In Revelation there are also many "new things."
1. "new Jerusalem," Rev_3:12; Rev_21:2
2. "new name," Rev_2:17; Rev_3:12
3. "new song," Rev_5:9-10; Rev_5:12-13; Rev_14:3
4. "new heaven and new earth," Rev_21:1
▣ "Worthy are You to take the book and to break its seals" This new song (Rev_5:9-10) is a fivefold description of the worthiness of the Lamb.
1. substitutionary death (cf. Rev_5:6; Rev_5:9; Rev_5:12; Rev_13:8; 1Pe_1:18-19)
2. redemptive price paid (cf. Rev_5:9; Rev_14:3-4; Mar_10:45; 1Co_6:19-20; 1Co_7:23; 1Ti_2:6)
3. purchased men from every nation (cf. Rev_5:9; Rev_7:9; Rev_14:6)
4. made the believers a kingdom of priests (cf. Rev_1:6; Rev_5:10)
5. they will reign with Him (cf. Rev_3:21; Rev_5:10; Rev_20:4)
▣ "from every tribe and tongue and people and nation" This is a recurrent metaphor of universality (cf. Rev_7:9; Rev_11:9; Rev_13:7; Rev_14:6). It may be an allusion to Dan_3:4; Dan_3:7.
▣ "and purchases for God with Your blood" This is surely a reference to the vicarious atonement of the Lamb of God. This concept of Jesus as the sacrifice for sin is central in Revelation (cf. Rev_1:5; Rev_5:9; Rev_5:12; Rev_7:14; Rev_12:11; Rev_13:8; Rev_14:4; Rev_15:3; Rev_19:7; Rev_21:9; Rev_21:23; Rev_22:3) and also in all the NT (cf. Mat_20:28; Mat_26:28; Mar_10:45; Rom_3:24-25; 1Co_6:20; 1Co_7:23; 2Co_5:21; Gal_3:13; Gal_4:5; Eph_1:7; Php_2:8; 1Ti_2:6; Tit_2:14; Heb_9:28; and 1Pe_1:18-20).
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Rev_5:10 "have made them to be a kingdom and priests" This is an allusion to Exo_19:6 and Isa_61:6. This terminology is now used for the Church, the new Great Commission people of God (cf. Rev_1:6; Rev_20:6; 1Pe_2:5; 1Pe_2:9). See note at Rev_1:6.
▣ "they will reign upon the earth" Some translators see this in a future sense and some see it as a present reality. There is a Greek manuscript variant between the future tense in MSS à , P and the present tense in MS A (Alexandrinus). If it is in a present sense it is similar to Rom_5:17 and Eph_2:6. If future it possibly deals with the reigning of the people of God with Christ (cf. Mat_19:28; Luk_22:30; 1Co_4:8; 2Ti_2:12; Rev_3:21; Rev_5:10). Even this future reign is seen in two ways.
1. in Rev_20:4; Rev_20:6 it seems to refer to a millennial reign
2. in Rev_22:5 it seems to refer to an eternal reign (cf. Psa_145:13; Isa_9:7; Dan_2:44; Dan_7:14; Dan_7:18; Dan_7:27)
3. possibly the millennium is a symbol of eternity
The UBS4 gives the future tense an "A" rating (certain).
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