Seals--Ch 9-He Takes That Mysterious Scroll - Endtime Issues October 2007

Verse 7: “And he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne.”

If the Seals are historical, beginning with the Christian era, why does the Lamb have horns? What purpose would a sealed book serve at the onset of that dispensation? What merit would it serve for the Father to give Christ a book at that time? This must be addressed.

Where did Jesus appear from? Many contend that the imagery of the Holy Place with the seven lamps of fire being burned (4:5) is maintained in chapter 5. Thus Jesus simply had to reach out to the Father to receive the scroll document. Others strongly suggest Jesus came from the Holy Place to the Most Holy Place, fulfilling Daniel 7:13. Others believe this is the inauguration scene given Jesus right after He ascended to heaven or possibly even a judgment scene unique to the Seventh-day Adventist 1844 Millerite motif.

Evidence would suggest that the imagery of chapter 5 is not 1844 nor the inauguration scene. Chapter 1 is a final trumpet call to the church leaders. Chapters 2 and 3 are mainly verbal warnings of a judgment to come and promises to the over comers. In chapter 4 we find an absent Jesus visually, but He sounds what appears to be the Shofar trumpet that a Jubilee is about to come. In chapter 5 we find preparation for one of the most solemn and dramatic warnings of the Bible. First, Jesus is in the “midst” of the throne. Then He is seen approaching God to begin a solemn series of terminal events.

In an insightful preamble to the Seven Seals, David Clover makes this observation: “We must first study the Seals, then we can better understand the timing of Revelation 5.”¹

It is crucial to correctly understand these issues. Chapters 4 through 11 are a detailed revelation of sets of end-time sequenced events. They detail precise steps God has openly presented regarding what good and evil – God’s people and the lost – will take in their final earthly battle, which will lead to the heavenly victory. It will be readily seen that:

2. Together, the Seals, Trumpets and Plagues form a series of events that mark the end of earth’s history.

3. The Seals and Trumpets describe in detail the Early Time of Trouble (or Little Time of
Trouble) and Jacob’s Trouble (the Great Tribulation alluded to in Daniel 9–12).

“It is my belief that this is not just the outline of Revelation, but in fact is its story line. I also believe – and will attempt to show – that this view of Revelation is consistent with the words of Jesus, with the prophetic visions of Ellen White, and with established Seventh-day Adventist eschatology. Some of the events that we believe will transpire, such as the Early Time of Trouble, cannot be definitively supported from Scripture apart from this view.”²

It is crucial to understand: If the sealed book was the record that the investigative judgment was based on (as many contend), the record would have to have been opened before the Seals were broken since those Seals represent the time period when God’s people are sealed and Jesus comes. Daniel 7:13 describes Jesus coming to the Ancient of Days.

“The coming of Christ [there] described [in Daniel 7:13] is not His second coming to the earth. He comes to the Ancient of Days in heaven to receive dominion and glory and a kingdom, which will be given Him at the close of His work as a mediator. It is this coming, and not His second advent to the earth, that was foretold in prophecy to take place at the termination of the 2300 days in 1844. Attended by heavenly angels, our great High Priest enters the holy of holies and there appears in the presence of God to engage in the last acts of His ministration in behalf of man – to perform the work of investigative judgment and to make an atonement for all who are shown to be entitled to its benefits.”³

Is this ‘coming’ the same as in Revelation 5:7? What book is used in the Investigative Judgment? Note the following supportive positions in these questions:

“When we become children of God, our names are written in the Lamb’s book of life, and they remain there until the time of the investigative judgment. Then the name of every individual will be called, and his record examined, by Him who declares, ‘I know thy works.’ If in that day it shall appear that all our wicked deeds have not been fully repented of, our names will be blotted from the book of life, and our sins will stand against us.”⁴

“The book of life contains the names of all who have ever entered the service of God. Jesus bade His disciples, ‘Rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.’ Luke 10:20. Paul speaks of his faithful fellow workers, ‘Whose names are in the book of life.’ Phil. 4:3....

“‘A book of remembrance’ is written before God, in which are recorded the good deeds of ‘them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon his name.’ Mal 3:16. Their words of faith, their acts of love, are registered in heaven.”⁵

The scroll that Jesus takes is a different book than the Book of Life. The Book of Life is to be reviewed and decisions are to be made as to whose names will be retained. It will be seen that this seven-sealed document cannot be opened until after the second coming. It is a history of all the evil and good deeds of the nations and individuals and their destiny. This book is not opened until Revelation 20:11-12! That book, written by God, defines how the execution of earth’s final events will be played out and the destiny of those in apostasy.

In Daniel 7:9-10 God is set down ready for judgment and opens the book before Jesus comes to the throne (vs 13). That describes the judgment of those who claim to be His. Here in Revelation Jesus opens the scroll when the deeds of the wicked are to be judged – after Jesus comes.

“In the great day of final atonement and investigative judgment, the only cases considered are those of the professed people of God. The judgment of the wicked is a distinct and separate work, and takes place at a later period.”⁶

“This roll was written within and without. John says: ‘I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon’ [verse 4]. The vision as presented to John made its impression upon his mind. The destiny of every nation was contained in that book. John was distressed at the utter inability of any human being or angelic intelligence to read the words, or even to look thereon. His soul was wrought up to such a point of agony and suspense that one of the strong angels had compassion on him, and laying his hand on him assuringly, said, ‘Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof’ [verse 5].”⁷

As the Seals are opened, they begin to reveal the players in the end-time conflict. Then the Trumpets begin to sound (Feast of Trumpets) after the fifth Seal is broken. That will be the final call for those yet in Babylon to come out and repent. The urgency shows the final Day of Atonement is about to occur, which will eternally seal man’s destiny.

This is the first step in preparation for the onset of the executive judgment. There is no imagery to the enthronement or inauguration of Jesus. “John avoids depicting this act as of investiture or lordship as coronation.”⁸

The exegetic ties to Daniel 7–9 are incomplete. There we see both Revelation 5 and 20 imagery, where four distinct salvic phases are mentioned: investigative judgment, executive judgment, vindictive judgment and destructive judgment.

Verse 8: “And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints.”

Verse 8 – “And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb,”

“The instantaneous adoration of the heavenly court underscores the significance of the Lamb’s action in taking the scroll from God. This verse introduces a section consisting of vv 8-12, which, more than any other passage in Revelation (or in the NT generally), centers on the worship of Christ as the Lamb (Swete, 127; Bauckham, ‘The Worship of Jesus,’ 118-49) [but] there are several scenes of worship in which the initial action involves falling down before God and worshiping him (using the two verbs ... but always varying somewhat in phraseology (4:10; 7:11; 11:16; 19:4). Rev 5:8, however, is the only scene in Revelation in which members of the heavenly court fall down before the Lamb ... [linguistically] suggesting a degree of subordination (Beskow, Rex Gloriae, 140-21).”⁹ The Lamb is assuming a new and vital role in the heavenly courts.

“The falling down ... of these angelic beings depicts the awful solemnity of the occasion (Smith, Revelation, p. 114). In 4:10, the 24 elders fall before the one [before] ... the throne and worship the one who lives forever and ever. In 5:14, only the elders fall in worship. In 7:11, all the angels fall before the throne on their faces and worship God. In 11:16, the 24 fall upon their faces before God and worship Him. In 19:4, the 24 and the four living beings fall and worship God who sits upon the throne.”¹⁰

Thomas captures the essence of this event: “His taking of the scroll marks the initiation of proceedings to convert its contents into reality and eventually usher in the promised kingdom.”¹¹ That is profound. A great transition in time is occurring!

Many commentators state that Jesus now takes the throne. There is absolutely no indication that this occurs. He is not ready to do so. In a few moments John tells us that the 24 elders will be presenting the prayers of the saints to Him. Jesus is performing a priestly function (as are the elders). But He is about to bring about another event, the activation of man’s final destiny. Others contend that no priestly function is in evidence in this scene. The imagery is full of priestly functions as we shall see.

In the previous scene we have the heavenly beings worshiping God in the setting of seven golden candlesticks. Here, the candlesticks are not mentioned (the seven spirits they symbolized are now represented as being on Jesus). God is still on His throne, but now Jesus the Lamb is seen with the full expression of the Spirit in full review. He approaches the Father to obtain the Book of Destiny, a record of what is about to occur to nations, individuals, religions and groups. He is preparing for the termination of earth’s history and vindication of God’s judgment. The angels and those beings of the court are anxious for the destiny of all to be completed. That would herald the end of the conflict.

“So, with the perspective that these heavenly hosts had been waiting nearly 2,000 years for this event, and at the same time wondering how God’s name could possibly be vindicated, it is not difficult to understand why they exhibit such joy and acclamation when the Lamb at last steps forward to take ‘the book.’

“Consider also their frustration when the ‘Most Holy’ place COULD have been anointed at the end of the ‘seventy weeks’ or only three and a half years after the crucifixion (see the last part of Dan 9:24) had the Jewish nation fully accepted the Messiah. Therefore, the 2,000 years of additional waiting time, which included the 1260 years of the Dark ages, must have been excruciating.”¹²

Verse 8 – “having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints.”

“They have ‘harps’, which are the ‘lyres’ used for the older psalmody (cf., e.g., Pss 33:2; 98:5) but will now be used for the ‘new song’ of praise to the Lamb (v. 9; 15:2-3).”¹³

It was the lyre that was used to accompany singing and not harps, per se. This was a smaller instrument than the harp and was easily used to accompany cultic songs. The Kithara or lute anciently was a triangular shape, with seven strings, afterwards increased to eleven.¹⁴

“It also is regularly connected with prophecy (cf 1 Sam 10:5, 1 Chron 25:3; Ps 49:4). More than any other musical instrument, the harp is employed in Scripture in direct praise and worship of God (Scott). Later in the Apocalypse, it is used to describe celestial music in 14:2 and 15:2 (Swete; Ladd).”¹⁵

Most scholars conclude that the etymological structure refers to only the elders having the “harps” and “bowls.” “The elders are those holding harps and bowls and sing the new song in vv 9-10. The living beings do not do so since ... (‘having,’ masculine plural participle) has its antecedent in ... (‘the twenty-four elders’) and ... (‘the four living beings,’ neuter plural), although John does not always follow the standard rules of concord. That only the twenty-four elders have this role is evident from the fact that they are partially modeled on the twenty-four orders of Levites, who were commissioned to ‘prophesy in giving thanks and praising the Lord’ by ‘singing’ to the accompaniment of ‘lyres, harps, and cymbals’ (1 Chron 25:6-31; see above on 4:4).”¹⁶

Why did the 24 elders have 24 bowls of incense? In the Old Testament incense was burned at the Altar of Incense in a small golden cup or bowl (some reference two cups). On the Day of Atonement the High Priest carried a golden censor or bowl filled with incense from that altar into the Most Holy Place before the mercy seat.

“The word ... usually translated ‘bowl’ (RSV; NRSV; REB; NIV; Louw-Nida,§ 6.124), must be understood in this context as a cultic utensil and is therefore translated ‘bowl used in offerings’ by BAGD, 858, and Opferschale, ‘offering dish,’ by Bauser-Aland, 1771. The term ... occurs twelve times in Revelation (5:8; 15:7; 16:1, 2, 3, 8, 10, 12, 17; 17:1; 21:9). The meaning ... in 5:8, however, appears to be slightly different from the meaning ... in the other eleven references.”¹⁷

In Old Testament worship the offering of incense was the prerogative of the priest (cf. Numbers 16:6-7) (Ford).¹⁸

This would mean the 24 elders fulfill the repeated promise that the redeemed will be kings and priests (1:6). Clearly we have shown here a mediation role for the saints. If these elders are bringing to Jesus prayers, they must be of some urgency. We see an allusion to urgent prayers under the fifth Seal. If all heaven is astir to get the scroll open to bring the world to an end, something of a vast magnitude must be occurring.

Did God just write the book at the time of the vision scene? Evidence suggests, because it was sealed, it has been there from ages past. Why now the urgency to get it opened? There is only one conclusion that can be drawn – the time of the end has come! Heaven is eager for the final scenes to be enacted so that judgment can be executed. Breaking the Seals causes many of the closing scenes to be enacted. Thus, we have those surrounding the throne encouraging Jesus to take the scroll, open the Seals, and deal with the special prayers of the saints.

There is stunning “celebration liturgy” written relating to this scene. It is true there is awe and solemn praise going to Jesus, but the context is far more. Those heavenly beings are saying to Jesus, “You are worthy to move the final stages of the sin conflict to its end.”

“The grounds are better for seeing them as specific prayers of saints from this future time of trial – prayers that seek the sending forth of judgment and the inauguration of Christ’s kingdom (cf. Luke 18:7-8). The connection of similar prayers with the vindication of martyrs of this future time in 8:3-5 argues for such specificity. A reference to the coming reign of the saints in 5:10 lends support from the immediate context (Johnson). In 6:10, the martyrs petition God for His judgment on their murderers. This adds to the case for restricting these prayers to specific goals of vindication (Johnson).

“The Apocalypse describes a witnessing company of saints on earth during the apocalyptic outpouring of wrath (cf. 12:17; 13:7-10) who will be objects of the beast’s persecution. These will be the ones who cry out to God for vindication after their martyrdom (Scott). The symbol of their prayers in this scene, preparatory to the opening of the seven seals, furnishes a hint as to the part these prayers will play once the period symbolized by the seals begins.”¹⁹

Since there are odors that come from the incense in the bowls (vials) they are passionately active prayers going heavenward in the setting just before the Seals are broken. The “beginning of sorrows” (Matthew 24:8) has started. The Tribulation is about to begin.

“The saints’ prayers are to be identified with those of 6:9-11 and 8:4ff., which call for divine vindication ... and which are both directly linked to judgment of the ungodly. Therefore, the prayers mentioned here are not just praises but especially requests that God defend the honor of his reputation for justice by judging the persecutors of his people. This is a further indication of the pastoral concern for suffering behind the apparently lofty theophanic theology of ch 4. The position and work of Christ mentioned in 5:9-13 must also be relevant to this pastoral concern because of the immediate link of the ‘new song’ of v 9a with ‘the prayers of the saints’ of v 8b.”²⁰

“Let the members of every family bear in mind that they are closely allied to heaven. The Lord has a special interest in the families of His children here below. Angels offer the smoke of the fragrant incense for the praying saints.”²¹

Here the 24 elders have the vials of incense. This is the last time the 24 elders will be depicted as holding incense vials. A typological change will come with these into a single golden censer.²²

“‘The bowls full of incense’ represent the ‘prayers of the saints’ (8:3-4). Prayer (proseuche) in this scene is not praise but petition. Why would John mention the saints on earth as petitioning God? In 6:10 the martyrs are seen as calling to God for his judgment on those who killed them, and in 8:3-4 the prayers of the saints are immediately connected with the trumpets of God’s judgment. And since v 10 refers to the coming kingdom, it may be that the prayers are petitions for God to judge the world and to extend his kingdom throughout the earth (Luke 18:7-8). ‘Saints’ here, as elsewhere in the NT and the rest of Revelation, is simply the normal term for the rank and file of Christians, i.e., those set apart for God’s purposes (2 Cor 1:1; Phil 1:1; Rev 11:18; 13:7, 19; 19:8; 22:21).”²³

⁴ White, Ellen G.; The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 7, p. 987.

⁸ Roloff, Jurgen; The Revelation of John – A Continental Commentary, (Fortress Press, Minneapolis, MN), p. 80.