Jesus Christ alone is worthy to open the scroll in Revelation.
Revelation 5 says no man in heaven, on earth, or under the earth was able to open the scroll, and the elder then announces that the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has prevailed to open it. Les Feldick teaches that the Lion is Christ, God the Son, and that He is the only one with the authority and the right to pay off what Les calls the "mortgage."
Revelation 5:5 — Directly names the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, as the one who has prevailed to open the scroll.
Revelation 5:1 — Describes the scroll written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals, held in the right hand of God.
Revelation 5:3 — Establishes that no one in heaven, earth, or under the earth was able to open the scroll.
In Revelation 5, John sees a book in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne. The book is written within and on the backside and sealed with seven seals. A strong angel proclaims with a loud voice, "Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof?" But no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon. John weeps much because no man was found worthy to open and read the book, neither to look thereon. Then one of the elders says, "Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof." John then sees a Lamb standing as it had been slain take the book out of the right hand of Him that sat upon the throne. The four beasts and the four and twenty elders sing a new song, saying, "Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; and hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth."
Les teaches that Revelation 5 is the answer to the question of who can open God's sealed scroll. He repeatedly calls the scroll a "mortgage" held by God, and he says John wept because no one anywhere in God's creation — no man in heaven, on earth, or under the earth, and not even the angels — had the authority or capability to open it. Les emphasizes that the word "Lion" is capitalized, that Christ came out of the tribe of Judah, and that this Lion is Jesus the Christ, God the Son, who is already in heaven. He comes before the Father's throne as the only one who has the authority to open this mortgage and say, "I'll pay it off." Les explains that Christ is qualified because of His death, burial, and resurrection; the heavenly song in Revelation 5 confirms that the Lamb is worthy because He was slain and redeemed people from every kindred, tongue, people, and nation. Les also connects the redemption of the scroll to Jewish custom found especially in the Book of Ruth: if a Jew had mortgaged his land and could not pay, redemption had to come through a next of kin who had the means and willingness. Christ is that next of kin and Redeemer. By taking the scroll, God the Son agrees to pay off the mortgage, which will lift the curse from the planet; the seven-year tribulation is the outworking of His redemption and Satan's final time.
Scripture says John wept because no man was found worthy to open and read the book, nor to look upon it. Les explains that John's tears were due to the reality that no one in heaven or on earth could pay off this awful mortgage; no one had the next-of-kin right, the wealth, or the willingness to redeem it.
Les reads the sealed scroll in Revelation 5 as a mortgage held by God. He notes the scroll was written within and on the backside and sealed with seven seals, and says the only one with the authority and capability to open this mortgage is Christ. Les says the Jewish redemption custom required a next of kin — not a stranger — to redeem mortgaged land, and he points to the Book of Ruth as the background. Christ, as the qualified next of kin, takes the mortgage and declares that He will pay it off.
Scripture records that the heavenly elders sang, "Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood." Les teaches that Christ is worthy because of His death, burial, and resurrection. He is the Lion of the tribe of Judah, God the Son, who has both the authority and the wherewithal, so to speak, to open the mortgage and to redeem the planet from the curse. The redeemed will reign on the earth as kings and priests.
Les connects the opening of the scroll and its seven seals to the events that follow in Revelation. He says the seven years of tribulation are the whole reason for the opening, and that Satan is going to have his final time before Christ's kingdom is established. This is part of how God the Son pays off the mortgage and delivers the planet from the curse.
The Sealed Scroll
Les explains that the KJV word 'book' in Revelation 5 should be 'scroll,' and he quotes the description of the scroll written within and on the backside and sealed with seven seals.
No One Worthy in All Creation
Les reads Revelation 5:2-5 and highlights that no man in heaven, in earth, or under the earth had the authority or capability to open the mortgage, which is why John wept; the elder then points to the Lion of the tribe of Judah.
The Lion Is Christ
Les identifies the Lion of the tribe of Judah and the Root of David as Christ, God the Son, and notes that John is the one who uses the expression 'the Lamb of God.'
Why He Is Worthy
Les teaches that Christ alone can open the scroll because of His death, burial, and resurrection, and he connects the Lamb's worthiness to the new song in Revelation 5:9-10 and the coming tribulation.
The Son Qualified by Calvary
Les says John wept because no one could pay off the mortgage, and then shows that God the Son, qualified by what He accomplished at Calvary, took the scroll from the Father's hand.
Next of Kin Redemption
Les explains that God the Son takes the mortgage and agrees to pay it off to deliver the planet of the curse, and he connects this to the Israeli redemption law that required a capable, willing next of kin.
No One with Next of Kin Right
Les emphasizes that no one in heaven, earth, or under the earth was able to open the scroll because no one had the next-of-kin right, the wealth, or the willingness.
The Only One with Authority
Les teaches that Jesus the Christ, who came from the tribe of Judah, is already in heaven and is the only one with the authority to open this mortgage and say, 'I'll pay it off.'
Revelation 5:1: And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals.
This verse introduces the scroll that no one else could open.
Revelation 5:2: And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof?
The angel's question frames the entire search for someone worthy.
Revelation 5:3: And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon.
This verse shows that no one in the whole creation was able to open the scroll.
Revelation 5:4: And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon.
John's weeping shows the desperate situation until the worthy one is revealed.
Revelation 5:5: And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.
This is the direct answer to the question: Jesus, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, is worthy.
Revelation 5:6: And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.
The worthy one is seen as a slain Lamb, pointing to Christ's sacrificial death.
Revelation 5:7: And he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne.
This shows the Lamb taking the scroll in a direct act of authority.
Revelation 5:9: And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;
The Lamb is declared worthy because He was slain and redeemed people by His blood.
Revelation 5:10: And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.
The result of the Lamb's redemption is that the redeemed are made kings and priests who will reign on the earth.
Jesus Christ, the Lion of the tribe of Judah and the Root of David, is the only one worthy (Revelation 5:5). Les Feldick teaches that Christ alone has the authority to open what he calls the mortgage and pay it off.
The Bible describes it as a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals, held in the right hand of God (Revelation 5:1). Les teaches that it is a mortgage held by God that no one but Christ could open and redeem.
John wept because no one was found worthy to open the scroll, read it, or even look on it. Les explains that no one in heaven, on earth, or under the earth had the ability or right to pay off this awful mortgage, until the Lion of the tribe of Judah was revealed.
Watch the Teaching: The Scroll in God's Hand That No One Could Open — Revelation 5