What does the "scroll with writing on both sides" symbolize in Revelation 5:1? The Verse at a Glance “Then I saw in the right hand of the One seated on the throne a scroll with writing on both sides and sealed with seven seals.” (Revelation 5:1) Why the Two-Sided Writing Matters • Ancient scrolls were normally written on the inside only; parchment was smoother there. • When scripture highlights “both sides,” it signals something extraordinary—total, exhaustive content with nothing left to add (cf. Exodus 32:15). • It announces that every detail of God’s redemptive and judicial program is already recorded, settled, and secure. The Scroll as Heaven’s Title Deed • Legal deeds in Israel could be sealed, with an accessible exterior summary and an interior text opened only by the rightful heir (Jeremiah 32:9-15). • The seven seals underscore perfect, divine authority; only the appointed Redeemer may break them (Revelation 5:5-7). • Thus, the scroll functions as: – The title deed to the earth and all creation, forfeited by humanity yet reclaimed by the Lamb (Psalm 2:7-8; Romans 8:19-22). – The comprehensive plan of judgment and restoration executed through the seals, trumpets, and bowls (Revelation 6–19). Old-Testament Echoes • Ezekiel 2:9-10—prophet sees a scroll “written on front and back” containing “lamentations, mourning, and woe,” foreshadowing catastrophic judgments. • Exodus 32:15—tablets “inscribed on both sides” emphasize completeness of God’s covenant law. • Zechariah 5:1-4—flying scroll signals curse upon sin throughout the land. These parallels support a literal, full record of divine covenant, curse, and consummation. What the Symbol Means for Believers Today • God’s purposes are not improvised; they are fully written, sealed, and certain. • Christ alone is worthy to open the scroll, proving His exclusive right to judge and to reign. • The two-sided writing reassures the church that nothing concerning our future is overlooked—every promise of deliverance and every act of judgment is already penned in heaven. |
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