Reading Revelation 5:1-7 Finding Hope Amidst a World of Suffering
- Thad DeBuhr
- May 18
- 5 min read
Imagine the weight of the world's pain pressing down on you. Turn on the news, scroll through social media, or simply look around your own community. You see suffering, injustice, and a pervasive sense of things not being right. It’s a feeling that has echoed through human hearts for millennia, often culminating in the agonizing question: If God is good, why is there so much evil? Why the pain?
Setting the Scene:
This raw, visceral feeling of despair isn't new. In fact, we find a powerful echo of it in the Apostle John's vision recorded in Revelation 4 and 5. Picture with him the very throne room of God, the ultimate command center of the universe. But this isn't a scene of serene inactivity. John witnesses a critical juncture, a moment where God, the sovereign Commander-in-Chief, holds a scroll – the top-secret battle plans for rescuing creation from decay and the destructive forces at play. This scroll, sealed with seven seals, holds the key to reversing the brokenness we see and experience in the world.
Then, a question of immense significance reverberates through this celestial war room: "Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?" (Revelation 5:2). This isn't a theological debate; it's a desperate plea. Is there anyone untainted by the world's corruption, anyone with the authority and power to enact God's plan of redemption?
John's reaction is profound and deeply relatable. He weeps bitterly, overcome by the apparent hopelessness of the situation. His tears mirror our own when we confront the seemingly insurmountable evil and suffering in the world. Like John, we can feel the weight of humanity's complicity in the brokenness, the sense that no one is truly innocent or capable of fixing what's so deeply wrong. It feels as though God's promises, His original intention for a flourishing creation (Genesis 1-2), might be void. Have we, humanity, messed things up beyond repair?
This is the very heart of the question so many grapple with.
The suffering we see and feel can lead to a profound sense of helplessness, a feeling that no one is in control, that evil might just have the upper hand. John's tears become our tears, a lament for a world groaning under the weight of its brokenness.
But in this moment of profound despair, a voice of hope cuts through the anguish. One of the elders, a figure representing divine wisdom, declares with certainty: "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" (Revelation 5:5).
This announcement is a lifeline in the darkness.
It evokes powerful Old Testament prophecies of the Messiah, the promised King from the lineage of David (Genesis 49:9, Isaiah 11:1). The image of the Lion speaks of power, royalty, and the strength to conquer. For those who longed for deliverance, this was the news they had waited for – a champion had finally arrived, one with the inherent right and the victorious power to overcome the forces of evil.
And then comes the astonishing revelation. John turns to see this powerful Lion, the symbol of unconquerable might, but instead, he sees a Lamb standing as if slain, bearing the marks of sacrifice, yet possessing seven horns (full power) and seven eyes (all-knowing wisdom) (Revelation 5:6).
This is the pivotal truth that offers profound hope in the face of suffering.
The one worthy to unveil God's plan, the one who has conquered death and evil, is not just a powerful ruler, but the sacrificial Lamb. Jesus, through his selfless act on the cross, has won the right to open the scroll and initiate God's redemptive plan. His victory over death is the ultimate triumph over the power of evil.
The Lion and the Lamb are one and the same. This powerful paradox reveals the very nature of God's plan to address suffering. It's not through brute force alone, but through sacrificial love and the conquering power of the cross. Jesus, by willingly laying down his life, has defeated the ultimate enemy and secured the authority to bring about God's perfect peace.
Therefore, when we look at the brokenness of the world and our hearts cry out, "Why?", the answer echoes from John's vision: Hope is on the way. God does have a plan, a cosmic rescue operation already in motion, unveiled by the Lamb who is also the Lion. Jesus, through his victory, has begun to reveal and enact God's redemptive purposes, a plan that will ultimately defeat evil once and for all and usher in his perfect peace.
This doesn't mean the suffering we see and experience is insignificant or easily dismissed. John's tears remind us of its gravity. But the revelation of the Lion-Lamb offers a powerful perspective: even in the darkest of times, hope remains. The one who conquered death holds the plan for ultimate restoration, a plan initiated through love and sacrifice, and destined for complete victory.
There's more to this Reading Revelation 5:1-7 Blog Post
BE SURE TO SCROLL DOWN FURTHER FOR:
Questions to chew on and discuss (or for your journal)
A Journey Group Discussion Starter (use in your small group time)
Modern Day Application Ideas
Want to watch the video version of the Daily Bible Podcast Episode that corresponds to this blog post? Here you go!
Questions for You to Chew On and Discuss
How does understanding John's intense grief connect with the feelings we have when we witness suffering in the world?
What does the image of the Lamb "standing as if slain" tell us about the nature of Jesus' victory over evil?
How does the dual image of the Lion and the Lamb offer a different perspective on how God addresses the problem of evil and suffering?
Journey Group Discussion Starter
Share a time when you wrestled with the question of suffering and evil in the world. How does the revelation of the Lion-Lamb in this passage offer you a renewed sense of hope and God's plan?
Want to learn more about our Journey Groups (Small Groups online or in person)
Modern-Day Application:
How might a modern-day Christian apply the principles found in Reading Revelation 6:1-7?
Just as God had a plan unveiled in the scroll, we can trust that He has a plan for our lives and for the ultimate healing of the world. Our role isn't to passively observe the suffering, but to participate in God's ongoing work of redemption, empowered by the victory of the Lion-Lamb. This might involve acts of compassion, working for justice, offering comfort, and living lives that reflect the love and sacrifice of Jesus. We are called to be agents of hope in a world that desperately needs it, knowing that the ultimate victory over suffering has already been won.
RESOURCES TO HELP YOU GROW AS A CHRISTIAN
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