Revelation 5:1-6: No more tears.

“Then I saw in the right hand of him who sat on the throne a scroll with writing on both sides and sealed with seven seals. 2 And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming in a loud voice, ‘Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?’ 3 But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth could open the scroll or even look inside it. 4 I wept and wept because no one was found who was worthy to open the scroll or look inside. 5 Then one of the elders said to me, ‘Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.’6 Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing at the centre of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. The Lamb had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth.” NIV

Tom Wright says:

‘…already the plan, to wipe away all tears from all eyes (7,17; 21.4) has begun.’

He goes on to add:

‘The echoes that rumble like thunder around the cave walls of our scriptural memories conjure up prophecies and visions. The Messiah will come from David’s tribe, the tribe of Judah; Judah was described in Genesis 49.9 as a lion’s cub…No first-century Jew would miss the reference, or fail to understand ‘the Root of David’, a phrase which, as in 22.16, echoes the great messianic prophecy of Isaiah 11:1-10.’ ‘Revelation for everyone’, p.53.

As you read through Revelation, it helps to remember that this prophecy is steeped in Old Testament allusions. There is truth in the saying:

‘The New is in the old concealed; the Old is in the New revealed.’

Also, never lose sight of the key message that the throne of the universe is occupied, and Jesus has conquered through suffering. Whatever we may have to go through down here, we are on the winning team.

PRAYER: Thank you, Almighty God, for your wonderful Word.