Weep no more (Nehemiah 1-3; Revelation 5)

What if there was no end to suffering, disability, depression or cancer? What if bullies got away with it? What if there was no end to war? What if evil was never punished and there was no end to the suffering in the world? I couldn’t cope, could you? We need hope of a better future.

If there was no hope of life beyond the grave, and of this
world being renewed, that would be a reason for tears to come. No wonder the apostle John weeps (Revelation 5:4) when he thinks there might be no one to bring an end to suffering for God’s people.

The scroll (v1) is God’s final plan for history. If this scroll can’t be opened – there will be no end to pain, to suffering and sickness, ultimately no hope. And it seems there is no one worthy to open this scroll (v3).

But then John is told to stop weeping, because someone has conquered! Someone is worthy! Someone has won the battle! The battle with evil, suffering, sin, sickness, death! Who? It’s the lion of Judah. Remember the 12 tribes of Israel? These all came from Jacob. When Jacob was dying, God told him to tell his son Judah that he was like a lion’s cub! From his family line would come a king who will rule forever (Genesis 49v10), a king who would bring blessing to his people and destroy his enemies. One thousand years later, King David was born into Judah’s family line! He looked like he might be the lion of Judah, he brought great blessing to God’s people and destroyed many of their enemies. But it turned out He was just a root of one who was to come another thousand years later. Our Lord Jesus is the lion of Judah.

But then, there’s a surprise, John hears about a lion, but when he turns to look he sees a lamb (v6). And not just any lamb, but a lamb who had been slain. How weak! Except, he’s now standing, and he is all-powerful (horns representing power, and 7 marking perfection). Here is the one who is worthy to open the scroll, to put God’s final plan to destroy evil and bless His people into action. Weep no more!

This is God’s way—the Lion and the Lamb, power in weakness. Jesus on the cross—looked so weak, Isaiah tells us he was like a lamb led to the slaughter. And yet this is how he conquered. And so—he can walk confidently and take the scroll from God’s hand.

So weep no more—because the Lion is also a lamb! He used His power to serve us. And so Jesus can open the scroll—He can put God’s plan to punish evil and bless His
people into action. The death of Jesus means people from every tribe and language can be ransomed and enjoy being with God forever.

“To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honour and glory and might forever and ever.” (5:13)