Revelation 5:5-7 - The Lion Has Prevailed

“But one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep. Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has prevailed to open the scroll and to loose its seven seals.”  And I looked, and behold, in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as though it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent out into all the earth.  Then He came and took the scroll out of the right hand of Him who sat on the throne.” Before we see the wrath of God in judgment poured out on the earth in the seven-year tribulation period, we are ushered into the throne room in heaven and are given two worship scenes in Revelation 4 and 5. In chapter 4 we experience all creation worshipping God as the creator of all things, and now in chapter 5, we watch as the angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders, whose numbers are ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands, fall down and worship the Lamb who is the Redeemer! As we study this chapter, we will discover four compelling reasons why we worship Jesus Christ. First, we should worship Jesus because Who He is (vv. 5-7). Next, we should worship Him because where He is (v. 6). Then we should worship Jesus because what He does (vv. 8-10). And finally, we should worship the Lord Jesus Christ because of what He has (vv. 11-14). Three unique titles are given to our Lord to describe who He is. First, He is the Lion of the tribe of Judah. The reference here is to Genesis 49:8–10, where Jacob is found dying, and he has gathered his twelve sons around him and he is pronouncing his final words to them concerning their futures. When he comes to Judah, Jacob prophetically gives him the scepter. Which means that he acknowledges that God made it the tribe of the kings. We need to remember that God never meant for Saul, the first king of Israel, to establish a dynasty, because he came from the tribe of Benjamin. God used him to discipline Israel because the people asked for a king so they could be like the other nations around them. But God’s choice was a man after His own heart, and He replaced Saul with David who was from the tribe of Judah. The image of “the lion” speaks of dignity, sovereignty, courage, and victory. Jesus Christ is the only living Jew who can prove His kingship from the genealogical records. Read this in both Matthew 1:1-16 and Luke 3:23-38. When Jesus was ministering on earth, He was often called the “Son of David”. But He is also the Root of David, which means He brought David (and David’s line) into existence. As far as His humanity is concerned, Jesus had His roots in David (Isa. 11:1, 10); but as far as His deity is concerned, Jesus is the Root of David. This speaks, of course, of our Lord’s eternality; He is indeed the “Ancient of Days.” How the Messiah could both be David’s Lord and David’s son was a problem Jesus presented to the Pharisees, and they could not (or would not) answer Him.  “While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, saying, “What do you think about the Christ? Whose Son is He?” They said to Him, “The Son of David.” He said to them, “How then does David in the Spirit call Him ‘Lord,’ saying: ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand, till I make Your enemies Your footstool” ’?  If David then calls Him ‘Lord,’ how is He his Son?” And no one was able to answer Him a word, nor from that day on did anyone dare question Him anymore.” (Matt. 22:41–46). But when John looked, he saw a Lamb instead of a Lion in the middle of this worship scene!  Tomorrow we will chat about this wonderful Lamb of God Who shows up all the way through the Scriptures from Genesis to Revelation! What an awesome Redeemer is Jesus Christ our Lord! Let’s worship Him today!