Revelation 5

Lion of the Tribe of Juda

Lion of the tribe of Judah — the conquering King from Judah's royal line

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. Revelation 5:5

An elder tells John to stop weeping because Christ, the royal Lion from Judah, has won the victory and is worthy to open God's book.

How we know: a Church study aid lists it

• alludes to Genesis 49:9-10 — Judah is a lion's whelp ... The sceptre shall not depart from Judah ... until Shiloh come

Root of David

Root of David — both the source of David's line (as Jehovah) and David's promised descendant

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. Revelation 5:5

Jesus is David's heir and also the root from which David's kingdom sprang.

How we know: a Church study aid lists it

• alludes to Isaiah 11:10 — there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people
• the same title in Revelation 22:16 — I am the root and the offspring of David

Lamb as It Had Been Slain

Lamb — the sacrificial offering; seven horns and eyes signify complete power and knowledge

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. Revelation 5:6–7

The Lion turns out to be a Lamb still bearing the marks of sacrifice. He conquered by being slain, and He receives the book from the Father.

How we know: the verse itself names Him · a footnote points to Him · a Church study aid lists it

• the same title in John 1:29 — Behold the Lamb of God
• alludes to Isaiah 53:7 — he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter
• typified by Exodus 12:5-6 — the Passover lamb without blemish, killed for Israel's deliverance
• the same title in 1 Nephi 11:21 — Behold the Lamb of God, yea, even the Son of the Eternal Father

Redeemer by His Blood

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. Revelation 5:8–10

Heaven sings a new song: Christ is worthy because He was slain and bought people of every nation back to God with His blood.

How we know: the verse itself names Him · a footnote points to Him · a Church study aid lists it

• alludes to 1 Peter 1:18-19 — redeemed ... with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish
• alludes to Revelation 1:5-6 — washed us from our sins in his own blood, and hath made us kings and priests

Worthy Is the Lamb

And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands; Revelation 5:11–13

Countless angels and every creature everywhere worship the slain Lamb together with the Father on the throne.

How we know: the verse itself names Him · a footnote points to Him · a Church study aid lists it

• alludes to Philippians 2:10-11 — every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth
• alludes to Isaiah 53:7 — brought as a lamb to the slaughter