Revelation chapter 5 continues the never ceasing praise of God as John sees in God's hand a sealed scroll so sacred no one is worthy to open it. Revelation's entire understanding of the way Jesus Christ establishes God's kingdom on earth is, the conviction that in His death and resurrection, Jesus has already won His decisive victory over evil. After the revelation of God's sovereignty in heaven, in chapter 4, the question of how this heavenly sovereignty is to become effective on earth is answered in Revelation chapter 5.
Revelation 5:1-4 ESV
The Scroll and the Lamb
5 Then I saw in the right hand of him who was seated on the throne a scroll written within and on the back, sealed with seven seals. 2 And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?” 3 And no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look into it, 4 and I began to weep loudly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to look into it.
John saw in God's right hand a sealed scroll, sealed with 7 seals. This scroll contains the secret purpose and plan of God for establishing his kingdom on earth, as it is in heaven.
Verses 2-4 in Revelation chapter 5, awaits one worthy to open the scroll and break its seals. No one, in heaven, on earth, or under the earth, had sufficient authority to take the scroll and open it. John began to weep because his hopes for the church on earth seemed doubtful, since no one seemed worthy to open the scroll.
Revelation 5:5-10 English Standard Version
5 And one of the elders said to me, “Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.”6 And between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders I saw a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain, with seven horns and with seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. 7 And he went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who was seated on the throne. 8 And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. 9 And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, 10 and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God and they shall reign on the earth.
The key to understanding John's vision of the slaughtered lamb in verse 6, is to recognize the contrast between what he hears in verse 5 and what he sees in verse 6. John "hears" that "the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the root of David had conquered." Those two well known messianic titles evoke a strong militaristic and nationalistic image of the Messiah of David as conqueror of the nations, destroying the enemies of God's people.
But this image is reinterpreted by what John "sees," the Lamb whose sacrificial death in verse 6 has redeemed people from all nations in Revelation chapter 5:9-10. By mentally placing the two contrasting images, side by side, John has created a new symbol of conquest by sacrificial death.
Revelation 5:11-14 English Standard Version
11 Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, 12 saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain,to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!” 13 And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying, “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!”14 And the four living creatures said, “Amen!” and the elders fell down and worshiped.
John supposes that all that is opposed to God's rule has been defeated by the Lamb. The continuing and ultimate victory of God over evil which the rest of the Book of Revelation describes is no more than the working-out of the decisive victory of the Lamb on the cross.
It is with the Lamb's victory as the basis for this working-out that John is primarily concerned at the end of writing Revelation chapter 5.