END OF TIME PROPHECIES 081

HE IS WORTHY BECAUSE OF WHO HE IS     Revelation 5v5.

"And one of the elders saith unto me," weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof."

What we have in this chapter is the incalculable and incomparable worth of Jesus Christ.   One of the elders consoles John with the news that there is one person worthy to continue God's purposes.   Here is another evidence that these elders were human beings, since only humans would understand John's dilemma.   "Weep not, behold...."; this describes a very human situation.   Often we weep because we don't understand, we become filled with despair.   In this case, John being in heaven, the place where all things were perfect, and before the very throne of God where all decisions are made, he could not understand when the call of the angel brought no response.   Is there no one in the universe who can take forward the work of God?   The elder answers him in no uncertain terms by describing the One who is worthy.    He gives a threefold description;

• the lion of the tribe of Judah.
• the root of David.
• the victor over all circumstances.

It is in the understanding of these three statements we know the truth of who Jesus is.   Bear in mind that this book is a "revelation of Jesus Christ."; so who is He?   Many were asking the same question when He was here on earth; who is this One who will initiate the next stage in God's programme for the world?   He is .....

• The lion of the tribe of Judah.   This takes us back to Genesis 49v9-10.   When Jacob gave the blessing and predicted the future of the sons of Israel, he describes Judah as a lion in three stages of its development: as a lion's whelp; as a full grown lion; and as an old lion who can hardly move from his sleeping position.   Thus he views metaphorically the history of the tribe of Judah from beginning to end in terms of a lion.   The lion is commonly known as  "the king of the jungle."   It represents regal majesty in the midst of lesser animals.   This figure of majesty was applied to the tribe of Judah,  "the sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a law giver from between his feet until Shiloh come."   The tribe of Judah would hold sway in the kingdom of God until the coming of the person known as Shiloh.   Shiloh means "He whose right it is to reign."    We see immediately the link between this and the title "the lion of the tribe of Judah."   Until now the sceptre (symbol of rule) has been with the tribe of Judah but Shiloh has come.   He is Jesus Christ, the One whose right it is to reign.   His time has come and He is the sovereign power of the universe without a rival.   The passage in genesis 49 goes on to say  "and unto Him shall the gathering of the people be."   This last detail is expanded in the rest of Revelation chapter 5.   We are about to witness the enthronement, the investiture of Jesus Christ.  
• The root of David.    Once again this title (which is repeated in chapter 22v16) points us to royalty.   The whole point of David is that his kingdom would never end.   It was to David (who was of the tribe of Judah) God gave the right to rule.  (2nd Samuel 7v12-13 & v16).  The verse in Revelation 22v16 gives the staggering truth of who this Person is;  "I am the root and the offspring of David."   This claim presents the amazing twin truths of His Deity and His humanity.   As God He brought forth David, as man He came out of David (Matthew chapter 1).   As such, He has the right to rule, and he will rule as a man because he took on Himself human flesh.     Thus the idea of the root of David is that a man will reign supreme forever in God's eternal kingdom.    Essentially it means that Jesus is the Messiah and the statement by the angel predicting the future of the babe of Bethlehem says it all in  (Luke 1v32)   "He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest and the Lord God shall give unto Him the throne of His Father David: and He shall reign over the house of Jacob forever and of His kingdom there shall be no end."   He pre-existed David, and he will permanently succeed David, making Him unique in all of history.  
• He is the victor over all life's circumstances.   The words of the elder were that  "He prevailed to open the book and loose the seven seals thereof."   The word "prevailed" is from the Greek word "nike."   The force of this is that He has subdued, He has overcome in a struggle, He has been victorious, having come through the conflict.   In His own words to His disciples in  (John 16v33)  He said  "I have overcome the world."   He met every obstacle in His pathway and overcame.   The New Testament is full of the victories of Jesus Christ.

1. He resisted the craving of bodily needs, in favour of the will of God. (Matthew 4).
2. He resisted the possession of vast worldly empires to do the Father's will by going to the cross. (Matthew 4 & Luke 4).
3. He resisted the temptation to impress people by doing spectacular stunts, at the suggestion of Satan.  (Matthew 4 & Luke 4).
4. He did not retaliate when evil spoken of   "when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered He threatened not."  
5. In the face of the hatred of men He returned only love  "Father forgive them for they know not what they do."   (Luke 23v34)
6. He overcame misjudgment and pain and sorrow at the hands of men.  "He endured the cross, despising the shame."   (Hebrews 12v2).
7. He overcame disappointment in His disciples, and at the last gathered them to Himself despite their failures.  
8. He overcame death; going into death, and through death and conquered death.
9. He was victorious over the hosts of hell  "the prince of this world cometh and hath nothing in Me."  (John 14v30 & Colossians 2v15) which says  "He spoiled principalities and powers and made a show of them openly triumphing over them in His cross."

We must not minimize the struggles of Jesus as He passed through this world, but He overcame in every sphere imaginable and he stands now in heaven as the only Man with the moral right to judge the world.