The Lion from Judah’s tribe
I cried bitterly because no one could be found who was worthy to open the scroll or look inside it. Then one of the elders said to me, ‘Don’t cry. Look! The Lion from Judah’s tribe, the great descendant of David, has won the victory, and he can break the seven seals and open the scroll.’ (verses 4, 5)
In the vision that the Spirit gave to John, God is sitting on the throne with a scroll in his hand, a scroll that contains the record of the things that are to happen in the last times, like a book of history written in advance. But the scroll is sealed with seven seals, and no-one on earth or in heaven is worthy to remove the seals, open the book and reveal what is inside.
But there is someone! The Lion from Judah’s tribe, the great descendant of David, is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll. Jesus, who has won the great victory over sin, death and Satan, has the power and authority to reveal the great plan that God has for the universe. Jesus came into the world to reveal and effect the consummation of God’s plan for us human beings, a plan that also involves the whole of the created world.
We human beings are not pawns in the hands of the gods to be made sport of. We are the created children of God, chosen people with a divine destiny. In ourselves, because of our sinfulness, we are unworthy of that destiny, and by ourselves we could never achieve it. But we can achieve it by being linked to and being united with the Lion from Judah’s tribe, the great descendant of David. He is willing and able to write our names on the great scroll of life and to bring us to our final destiny. That process has already begun in our baptism, and it is confirmed by our trust in him as our Lord and Saviour.
Trust in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved and will receive the wonderful destiny God has planned for you.
Thank you, Lord Jesus, for your great strength, which I know will be sufficient for me. Amen.
by Kevin Schmidt, in ‘God’s Peace for each Day’ (LCA, Openbook, 2005)
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