Then one of the elders said to me, “Stop weeping! Look, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the root of David, has conquered; thus he can open the scroll and its seven seals.” (Revelation 5:5 [NET])
I have cried. I can admit it now, but for many years my pride prevented me from saying it out loud. Now, I am not one to cry a lot. But with the loss of a loved one, I have learned holding in the deep pain makes it continue. Wailing allows a release of some of the ache.
On those days when pain and tears are present, the words of John, in his book called Revelation, come to mind. Stop weeping. Though my sorrow is over circumstances around me, the grief referenced by one of the elders in heaven in Revelation 5:5 is over a different set of circumstances. John is crying over God the Father holding out a scroll in his right hand when no one is found worthy to open the scroll. What is in the scroll? Why would someone weep over a scroll?
The scroll has seven seals, like a will in the early days of the church. God has an inheritance in heaven for believers. John weeps because the scroll, containing the final judgement followed by the inheritance for all God’s children, remains in the Father’s hand. It appears finding one created being—worthy and holy—to open the seals (v. 4) and receive His inheritance is hopeless. The future of the world remains unknown if the scroll is left sealed. Yet, there is one who is worthy—Jesus. Jesus conquered death when He died on the cross and rose again. He is holy and worthy to open the scroll, and the final judgement of evil on the earth can begin.
Evil and brokenness existed before Jesus died on the cross and rose to life. Jesus spoke this same directive to “Stop crying” in Luke 7:13 and Luke 8:52. In both passages, Jesus was about to raise a son or daughter from the dead, a possible foreshadowing of what is to come. In Revelation, as the elder tells John to stop crying, all believers are about to rise to eternal life. There is no need for tears.
I find comfort in knowing Scripture says we can stop weeping, for one day God will make everything new. We will rise to eternal life. In the end there will be no more tears, death, mourning, crying, or pain (Rev 21:4). Jesus paid the price necessary for us to inherit the kingdom and reign on the earth (Rev 5:9–10). One day there will be no sorrow, no brokenness, and no evil when the devil is defeated (Rev 20:10).
The devil will be defeated. When I cry now, I gaze at the words written by John that give me hope for the future. One day there will be no more tears.
Prayer:
Lord, remind me this world is temporary. I choose to remember when I cry that You, Jesus, are coming back again, to conquer evil for eternity. Thank you for the promise of a new earth where there will be no sorrow. Amen.
References
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Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NET) are from the NET Bible® copyright ©1996, 2019 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. http://netbible.com All rights reserved.