HIGHLIGHT
Revelation 5:5 (ESV): 5 And one of the elders said to me, “Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.”
EXPLAIN
What has the Lion of Judah conquered? Chronologically, at this point Christ was not pictured as having returned to the earth to conquer the devil, his minions, and the people of this world.
Revelation 6 begins with the Lamb opening the seals, and the first seal is of a white horse and rider who comes out conquering. This horse does not represent Christ, but a time of war on earth.
What has the Lion conquered? The very next verse, Revelation 5:6, says John then saw a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain. The reason the Lion could open the scroll is that he had conquered as Lamb being slain to take away the sins of the world!
Revelation 5:9–10 (ESV): 9 And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, 10 and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.”
APPLY
The response of the four living creatures and the 24 elders, seemingly representing all of creation and the people of God, should inform us how to react to the reminder that Jesus has conquered sin and death.
He is worthy of all our worship!
RESPOND
Heavenly Father, I thank you for your son, the Lion-Lamb, who has conquered sin and death, and will return soon to establish his kingdom for eternity. Amen.