We read in Revelation 5:4, “And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon.” John begins to weep, not just a little, but very much. Why? Well, it seems that the book in God’s hand will remain unopened. But then the world will be hopeless. Then God's punishments and judgments, and with them His plan of salvation, will never be fulfilled. Then all the struggle and effort, all the suffering of the church, the faith, everything will be in vain. Then evil will ultimately triumph. Then man will not be saved and redeemed. Then the kingdom of peace will never dawn. Then it will end in death, after a life of trouble, temptation, struggle and worry. Then only deep despair will remain...
“No man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon.” Thus no one would carry out God's plan of salvation and redemption. What a cry of distress escapes from John's mouth here... Will all then be in vain? It is not for nothing that we too are told this. How great and deep, indeed unbridgeable, is the gulf between us and God. How deep and total is the fall of creation and creature.
But then we hear, “Weep not.” One of the elders, someone from the church of the Old Testament, takes the floor. He is already in glory with God and knows more than John and us. He as a glorified saved sinner knows about the work of the Lamb in heaven. “Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.”
“Weep not.” We hear these or similar words so often. When God speaks to man, who are broken and defeated because of sin and guilt, He speaks of comfort. Consider those glorious words in Isaiah 40:1-2, “Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God. Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned.” That same word of comfort is going to be heard by John, and we hear it with him. Then God's Son, Christ, is pointed out. To John and to us. He is proclaimed to the ends of the earth. All the world needs to hear of Him! He is the Savior and Redeemer! We hear the elder speaking, “Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.” There is One who is worthy to take and open the book God is holding in His hand. It is His own Son, who came in the flesh and prevailed. Behold!