Jesus Christ: the Lion of the Tribe of Judah

“He’s wild, you know. Not like a tame lion” (The Lion, Witch and the Wardrobe p197)

Rev. 5:3-5 But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth could open the scroll or even look inside it. I wept and wept because no one was found who was worthy to open the scroll or look inside. Then one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.”

In apocalyptic language, John the beloved apostle of Jesus shares in but a few words the whole story of humanities fall from relationship with God in the motif of our weeping, our utter unworthiness to effect our own righteousness or salvation in the sight of God’s holy majesty. A search is done of ‘the Great and Good’ but nobody was found who is sinless and perfect. Hence, nobody can open the scroll of life for the names of the saints to be added.

With perfect literary tension an ‘elder’ comes into the scene: but wait… who is this? Look! the One who fulfils the hope and longing of all peoples and ages , the One who defeated death and rose victorious – Jesus Christ has come. Once and for all time he has dealt with the just penalty of sin by removing the sting of death for all who believe.

Heaven erupts with the joyous chorus!

Rev. 5:9-10 And they sang a new song, saying:
“You are worthy to take the scroll
and to open its seals,
because you were slain,
and with your blood you purchased for God
persons from every tribe and language and people and nation.
You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God,
and they will reign on the earth.”

The Book of Revelation pulls back the curtain of time and space and peers into the more vividly intense drama of heavens great song and human kinds redemption. What hope and joy awaits us and fills us even now as we trust in Jesus.

“All their life in this world and all their adventures had only been the cover and the title page: now at last they were beginning Chapter One of the Great Story which no one on earth has read: which goes on for ever: in which every chapter is better than the one before.”
– C S Lewis – The Last Battle