1 And I saw in the right hand of him who was seated on the high seat, a book with writing inside it and on the back, shut with seven stamps of wax.
And looking, I saw a hand stretched out to me, and I saw the roll of a book in it; And he put it open before me, and it had writing on the front and on the back; words of grief and sorrow and trouble were recorded in it.
And the vision of all this has become to you like the words of a book which is shut, which men give to one who has knowledge of writing, saying, Make clear to us what is in the book: and he says, I am not able to, for the book is shut:
But as for you, O Daniel, let the words be kept secret and the book rolled up and kept shut till the time of the end: numbers will be going out of the way and troubles will be increased. Then I, Daniel, looking, saw two others, one at the edge of the river on this side and one at the edge of the river on that side. And I said to the man clothed in linen, who was over the waters of the river, How long will it be to the end of these wonders? Then in my hearing the man clothed in linen, who was over the river, lifting up his right hand and his left hand to heaven, took an oath by him who is living for ever that it would be a time, times, and a half; and when the power of the crusher of the holy people comes to an end, all these things will be ended. And the words came to my ears, but the sense of them was not clear to me: then I said, O my lord, what is the sense of these things? And he said, Go on your way, Daniel: for the words are secret and shut up till the time of the end;
And to my ears came the voice of everything in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and of all things which are in them, saying, To him who is seated on the high seat, and to the Lamb, may blessing and honour and glory and power be given for ever and ever.
And he had in his hand a little open book: and he put his right foot on the sea, and his left on the earth;
And to my eyes he was like a jasper and a sardius stone: and there was an arch of light round the high seat, like an emerald.
See what is recorded in the book of the Lord: all these will be there, not one without the other: the mouth of the Lord has given the order, and his spirit has made them come together.
And the vision of evenings and mornings which has been talked of is true: and keep the vision secret; for it has to do with the far-off future.
And the voice came to me again from heaven, saying, Go, take the book which is open in the hand of the angel who has his place on the sea and on the earth. And I went to the angel, and said to him, Give me the little book. And he said to me: Put it in your mouth; and it will make your stomach bitter, but in your mouth it will be sweet as honey. And I took the little book out of the angel's hand and did as he said; and it was sweet as honey in my mouth: and when I had taken it, my stomach was made bitter. And they said to me, You are to give word again of what is coming in the future to the peoples and nations and languages and kings.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Revelation 5
Commentary on Revelation 5 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 5
In the foregoing chapter the prophetical scene was opened, in the sight and hearing of the apostle, and he had a sight of God the Creator and ruler of the world, and the great King of the church. He saw God on the throne of glory and government, surrounded with his holy ones, and receiving their adorations. Now the counsels and decrees of God are set before the apostle, as in a book, which God held in his right hand; and this book is represented,
Rev 5:1-5
Hitherto the apostle had seen only the great God, the governor of all things, now,
Rev 5:6-14
Here,
We see how the church that began the heavenly anthem, finding heaven and earth join in the concert, closes all with their Amen, and end as they began, with a low prostration before the eternal and everlasting God. Thus we have seen this sealed book passing with great solemnity from the hand of the Creator into the hand of the Redeemer.