As we come to Revelation 5 we find Jesus is sitting upon the throne just as we had seen in chapter-4.[1] Some may conclude that he is with his Father on the throne in both chapters, but the text doesn’t say this. Others may say, if we see Jesus, we see the Father as well; therefore, the Father is on the throne in Revelation 4 and in chapter-5 as well. Yet, we aren’t told anything like this, and we need to be careful not to read too much into the text.
On the other hand, the presence of the 24 elders in chapter 4, may imply representatives of the church are seated with Jesus on his throne (cf. Revelation 3:21). If the 24 elders are priests, they are the captains of the twenty-four courses of priests (1Chronicles 24:1-19) and are, therefore, sitting with Jesus on his throne. This would mean that the throne of Revelation 4 is not the throne of God and the Lamb (Revelation 22:1, 3) but the Messianic throne. The Father doesn’t sit upon the Messianic throne. How should we understand the scene that John witnessed in Revelation 5?
Revelation 5:1-7 YLT And I saw upon the right hand of him who is sitting upon the throne a scroll, written within and on the back, sealed with seven seals; (2) and I saw a strong messenger crying with a great voice, `Who is worthy to open the scroll and to loose the seals of it?’ (3) and no one was able in the heaven, nor upon the earth, nor under the earth, to open the scroll, nor to behold it. (4) And I was weeping much, because no one was found worthy to open and to read the scroll, nor to behold it, (5) and one of the elders saith to me, `Weep not; lo, overcome did the Lion, who is of the tribe of Judah, the root of David, to open the scroll, and to loose the seven seals of it; (6) and I saw, and lo, in the midst of the throne, and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, a Lamb hath stood as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the Seven Spirits of God, which are sent to all the earth, (7) and he came and took the scroll out of the right hand of him who is sitting upon the throne. (emphases mine)
The words, “the right hand,” do not necessarily mean “in the right hand of God.” The words can also be translated, the right side. The preposition is epi (G1909) and means on or “upon” the right side or hand. In Revelation 5:6 John saw the Lamb (Jesus) “in the midst of the throne,” where “midst” is mesos (G3319) and means middle. Jesus is en (G1722) in the middle (G3319) of the throne and (in the middle) of the four living beasts (seraphim) who bear the throne about according to Isaiah 6. And the throne is in the middle of the 24 elders.
Revelation 5:6 says that Jesus “stood” in the midst of the throne. Actually, the word is hestemi (G2476) and implies the place where Jesus was, not his posture. The same word is used in Matthew 12:25 to say that any kingdom divided against itself cannot stand . In Matthew 20:6 it is used for workers standing idle. The workers could have been sitting, because the Greek (G2476) doesn’t necessarily indicate posture. In Romans 5:2 it is used to say that we stand in the faith and the grace of Christ. Could we be faithful, if we are also sitting down?
The most difficult passage in Revelation 5 in relation to this understanding is verse-7, which I shall address shortly. First notice that Revelation 1:1 introduces the book of Revelation as something that God gave to Jesus to give to his servants:
Revelation 1:1 KJV The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John:
Notice this book is a revelation of or an unveiling of Jesus Christ. This is not merely a prophecy about the future, but an unveiling of Jesus – his person and what he did, and what he was about to do as the King and Judge of mankind. This revelation is found in Revelation 5 in the form of a scroll (book) lying on the right side of him who was sitting on the throne (Revelation 5:1).
The question arises, is this one on the throne Jesus or the Father? Revelation 4 already unveiled his appearance as that of the High Priest dressed for judgment. Moreover, the 4 living creatures (Seraphim, cf. Isaiah 6:2-3) called him Almighty God (Revelation 4:8). Therefore, we are presented with a paradox. If this one truly is Jesus, then he is called Almighty God in Revelation 4:8 by those who carried the throne of the Most High God. If this one is not Jesus, then the Father has the appearance of the High Priest, an office the scriptures attribute to Jesus alone.
Let’s now consider Revelation 5:7, which shows that the Lamb took the scroll from the right side of the one sitting upon the throne. How should we understand this? The verb erchomai (G2065) is translated came in verse-7. It is in the aorist tense of the verb, the indicative mood, and the active voice. It should be translated “has come.”[2] In other words, if the action of the Lamb is a metaphorical activity, then verse-7 would not be translated as though the Lamb “came to or toward the throne” (implying direction). It would be translated in response to his having “prevailed” (verse-5) and having shown himself “worthy” (verse-4; compare verses-8 & 9 and the response of the Seraphim and the elders). This would mean that the Lamb “has shown himself (worthy)” or “has found place (status or rank)” (G2065) and has taken the book at his right side.
This answers to Revelation 5:6, where we find the Lamb in the middle of the throne, and in the middle of the Seraphim (beasts) who carry the throne, and the middle of the elders who surround the throne. In other words the Lamb is seated upon the throne. Remember, the word “stood” (G2476) in Revelation 5:6 doesn’t refer to the Lamb’s posture, but to the Lamb’s place, which is in the middle of the throne. So, if all this understanding is correct, we can say of Revelation 5:7, “and he has shown himself (worthy) and has taken the book from the right side of him (i.e. himself) seated upon the throne.”
As I said above, this is the Revelation or Unveiling of Jesus. In Revelation 3:14 Jesus is revealed as the faithful Witness or Prophet. In Revelation 4 he is revealed as the High Priest. In Revelation 5:5 he is revealed as the Lion of Judah or the Messiah, King of Israel and all nations. Revelation 6 begins with the opening of the seals – the revelation of the work of the High Priest. With the opening of the Seventh Seal we have the Seven Trumpets, which terminates the work of him who stands before the altar (Revelation 8:3), i.e. the High Priest. So, the blowing of the trumpets reveal his office as the Prophet of God. With the blowing of the Seventh Trumpet we have the declaration of him as the Messiah (Revelation 11:15), or, in other words, it begins the revelation of his work as the King and Judge in the pouring out of the Seven Bowls of Wrath (Revelation 15:6-8).
There are a number of reasons why Revelation 5:7 should be translated to show that the one seated on the throne is Jesus, but there is only one reason why it should be translated to mean the Father – traditional understanding. If the one John saw seated on the throne truly is the Father, how is it that John is able to see him before he (John) is changed (1John 3:2)? There is even a question as to whether we shall ever be able to see the Father in his glory (seated upon the throne). Personally, I’ve already claimed in a previous study that man, glorified or not, is simply not equipped to behold the Father, whose creation (including our eyes) cannot contain him (1Kings 8:27). It may be that the only way we could ever see him is in and through Jesus. In any event, this is my case. I have no degree in the Biblical languages, but I study and read books written by men who do. If I have misunderstood, certainly others who have such degrees would be able to correct me, and at the same time explain how John could see the Father (Revelation 4:3; 1John 3:2; cf. John 14:7-9), whom no man has seen or can see (1Timothy 6:16).
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[1] See my study: “God Almighty in Revelation 4.”
[2] According to Thayer’s Lexicon, if this word is meant to be taken metaphorically, it can be translated: “to come into being, arise, come forth, show itself, find place or influence.”
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