Why do you think the angel in
Revelation 5 looked -under the earth-to try to
find someone to open the sealed book with seven seals?
in heaven - under the earth - and other locations
First off; let's take a close look at the first few verses of Revelation 5, because the passage does not actually say that this angel is "looking" under the earth.
Verse 1:
Let's start with the first verse of Revelation 5. We have a figure sitting on a throne with a scroll in His hand. This is a pictorial description of God the Father. This scroll is written on the front and back and is sealed with 7 seals.
Now what is this scroll? We know when it's opened; all these things happen. Now if we go back and look through the Bible at what types of documents were sealed by people of authority; we see they all carry legal implications. A bill of divorcement. A decree from a king that people should do A, B or C. Prophets are sealed. People are sealed. Books are stated by prophets to be sealed because: "I can't interpret it for you, I don't understand what that means, because it is sealed."
So, who opens the seals so that the legal document can be read, understood and enacted upon? Later on in Revelation; obviously we have this "lamb that was slain" that opens the seals.
Verse 2:
Now here's where it gets interesting. We have an "angel" that is "strong". "Angel" in the Scripture is also translated "messenger". That messenger can be a human messenger, a Divine messenger, an other than human entity bringing a message, a false messenger / prophet, a demonic entity or even Satan himself.
This "angel" is said to be "strong". That word "strong" is primarily used in the context of combat. This is an accusative / combative "angel". This "angel" "proclaims" (declares / preaches) in a "voice" (tone) "loud" (of the greatest "band with"). "Who is worthy (weighted - as in to balance out a scale) to open (read with correct interpretation) the scroll and to break (loose, unleash) the seals?"
Now keep in mind this "scroll" the Father is holding is a legal document. Who by this law, has countered the weight of it; that He is able to cause to come to pass all that is written in this book; (also enabling men now possessed by the Holy Ghost to understand it)? This "scroll" is the Law and all it encompasses both in written Scripture, as well as what is naturally revealed to man in the creation.
This brings us back to the question of what did the atonement actually accomplish? We know the lamb that breaks the seals is Christ. The atonement that paid for sin and fulfilled the law is actually what makes the law active upon men; either to redeem them (through atonement) or to condemn them for their disobedience.
Now the book of Job is filled with some interesting verses about "seals".
The stars are "sealed".
My transgressions are "sealed" up on a bag.
Instruction is "sealed" upon the ears of man.
God "seals" up the hand of every man that all men may know His work.
The earth is turned to clay "as a seal" in the day that the wicked are shaken out of it.
Leviathan's scales are his pride "shut up together with a close seal".
Leviathan is Satan.
This "angel" in Revelation 5:2 is Satan.
Verse 3:
Note the "angel" is not actually looking for someone "in", "on" or "under" the earth to open the seal. He's declaring the question: "Who is weighted in this balance? to correctly interpret and set in motion what's written in this book?"
And "no one"
(nothing) was able "in"
(from out of) heaven, "upon"
(in regards to / against / on the basis of) the "earth"
(the arena we live in that operates in space and time with the intent to prepare us for eternity) nor "under"
(that which is subject to authority) the earth. This Greek word "under" is most commonly used to describe enemies "under" Christ's feet.
Now what does this mean?
Nothing coming out of heaven (both created and including God Himself in His eternal form) could open the seals, because what the book contains is relevant to the the creation, not the creator. This is the distinct reason for the incarnation. This is why the 2nd person of the Godhead became a human being. Because the scroll pertained to the creation; God could not open it unless He became part of the creation.
Nothing in the earth could open the seals because none of the created realm possessed the wisdom and power of the Divine in order to make known and cause to come to pass what is written in the scroll.
Nothing under the earth could open the seals because even as being subject to law; no created entity on account of their temporal nature, could attain to the balance God had set. This is reason #2 for the necessity of the incarnation.
Stitching the verses together:
Now let's jump back a minute to what the atonement actually accomplished. As stated earlier: The atonement that paid for sin and fulfilled the law is actually what makes the law active upon men; either to redeem them (through atonement) or to condemn them for their disobedience.
If God had never created a redemption plan; the only outcome possible for any thing He'd create, would have been its indiscriminate destruction, based on its inherent corruptibility. (That would have been the waste of a good creation.)
The creation was inherently corruptible because of the temporal nature of it being created. Creation bearing a certain reflection of its Creator, can only be corrupted by the knowledge of good and evil, because it does not bear the attributes of God that prevent God from being corrupted by that knowledge. (Being omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent, immortal and having no beginning and no end.) These attributes make God incorruptible; but due to lack of them, incorruptibility does not apply to anything God creates.
Conclusion:
These verses have far broader application than the question of: Where is physical hell? Where is physical hell is actually of no spiritual value to us. It's actually a moot point. It doesn't matter.
As for these other verses you quoted? I'll go over those later.