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. John's vision of celestial paradise in Revelation chapter 4 continues without interruption in Revelation chapter 5.¹ God the Father is still the person that sat on the throne,² but the focus of John's vision shifts from the glory of God the Father as the creator³ to the glory of the Lamb as the Redeemer.⁴

The vision of redemption begins with a book (i.e., roll or scroll)⁵ that John saw in (on) the right hand of God.⁶ The right hand is the symbolic hand of power⁷ and the covenant hand.⁸ By historical precedent,⁹ the sealed book on the Father's right hand symbolizes the covenant to redeem and exalt his children through his plan of salvation¹⁰ called¹¹ the gospel of Jesus Christ.¹² Therefore, the book with seven seals sets forth a history of the earth and how the earth serves God's purposes to redeem and resurrect his children.¹³ Those worthy of exaltation will reign with Christ on the earth during the millennium¹⁴ and forever thereafter.¹⁵ All God's creations will be physically and spiritually redeemed at the time of their resurrection,¹⁶ except for mortal sons of perdition who will be redeemed from physical death only.¹⁷

Joseph Smith prophetically explained the symbolic book with seven seals in Doctrine and Covenants Section 77:6, as "the revealed will, mysteries, and the works of God" throughout the earth's 7000-year temporal existence¹⁸ since the fall of Adam.¹⁹ Each seal represents a thousand-year period of time.²⁰ The thousand-year periods are not the same as the seven²¹ major gospel dispensations,²² although they largely overlap in their timing.²³

The book with seven seals had writing on both sides of the parchment scroll to signify a full and complete record of God's dealings on earth.²⁴ However, only a very small portion of the record was devoted to events before the resurrection of Jesus Christ in the meridian of time.²⁵ Parchments written on both sides are called opisthographs, and they are very rare.²⁶ God the Father had this rare book in his possession because he controls²⁷ the earth's history and the final redemption described in the book.²⁸

The seven seals have several symbolic meanings.²⁹ The number of seals represents perfection in the content of the book.³⁰ Anciently, legal documents such as wills were tied or bound with flaxen string and sealed with clay.³¹ This was done seven times to authenticate and validate their content.³² The book with seven seals in Revelation 5:1 is unusual,³³ however, because each seal secured a separate parchment that was rolled on the same scroll.³⁴ Thus, the content of each seal could be opened separately without revealing the content of the entire book at the same time.³⁵ This symbolism indicates that the complete will, mysteries, and works of God are executed³⁶ one seal at a time.³⁷ Only an authorized and worthy person could open the book to reveal and execute God's will,³⁸ including the fulfillment of all God's covenants with his righteous children.³⁹

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?

In this part of John's vision, and in other parts, John both saw and heard a strong angel,⁴⁰ as distinguished from other angels of lesser rank.⁴¹ Some scholars suggest that this strong angel was Michael or Gabriel.⁴² However, Michael (who is Adam)⁴³ and Gabriel (who is Noah)⁴⁴ were resurrected with Christ in the meridian of time.⁴⁵ By the time of John's vision on Patmos Island in 96 AD,⁴⁶ their disembodied spirits were gone from celestial paradise in the postmortal spirit world⁴⁷ and they were resurrected as exalted gods.⁴⁸ This suggests that the strong angel is neither Michael nor Gabriel. The strong angel could have been the apostle Simon Peter (the rock).⁴⁹ His disembodied spirit was in paradise at the time of John's vision⁵⁰ because Peter was martyred sometime between 64 and 68 AD.⁵¹ Peter also held the keys of the sealing power⁵² and his earthly epistles in the Bible⁵³ indicate that he was keenly aware of, and sensitive to, missionary activity in the postmortal spirit world.⁵⁴ Alternatively, the strong angel is Christ himself, since he is also the mighty angel in both Revelation chapter 10 and Revelation chapter 18.⁵⁵ However, since Christ is separately identified as the Lamb during the same vision, this suggests that the strong angel is someone other than Christ.

The vision in Revelation chapter 5 begins in earnest when the strong angel asks: Who is worthy? This was an invitation or call⁵⁶ to identify someone with both the moral quality⁵⁷ and authority⁵⁸ to both open the book⁵⁹ and loose the seven seals.⁶⁰ The invitation is reminiscent of the premortal council in heaven when the Father asked: "Whom shall I send?"⁶¹ Both inquiries sought the identity of one worthy as both creator and redeemer,⁶² the beginning and the end,⁶³ the one who could open the book of the earth's history by his power to create and who could also loose the seven seals of the earth's history by his power to redeem.⁶⁴

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.

The words heaven, earth, and under the earth describe the universe of all God's creations.⁶⁵ The words describe every possible scenario of people in heaven (those who were resurrected), in earth (those who were mortal), or under the earth (those who were the spirits of the dead).⁶⁶ John searched in vain and concluded that there was no person anywhere⁶⁷ who was worthy to open the book or even look thereon. In other words, John saw no one who could perform or carry out the content of the book⁶⁸ by loosing the seven seals.⁶⁹

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 wept much because in his vision of celestial paradise,⁷⁰ he saw no man⁷¹ worthy to open and read the book, which means he saw no mortal human who could carry out⁷² the plan of redemption.⁷³ Only a God could do so.⁷⁴ All God's creations, except for Jesus Christ, were incapable of redeeming themselves.⁷⁵