Revelation 5:4
So I began to weep and weep, because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to look inside it.

People weep for various reasons–serious ones and silly ones, genuine tears and crocodile tears (see Luke 7:32). Recently I watched grown men openly weep after losing a match at the recently-ended Euro Soccer Finals in France. However, these guys still returned to the safety of their homes unharmed. They still enjoy their handsome salaries, and for them it’s business as usual as life goes on.

Such “disasters” pale into insignificance relative to the prospect of the eternal tragedy facing the entire globe. The scale of John’s sorrow upon discovering that the end-time vacancy could not be filled makes sense. It does because the Hebrew Bible says, ‘And he said, Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end” ‘ (Dan 12:9).

Now, “the time of the end” has arrived, but the words of the universe’s final chapter are still sealed, with no hope of their disclosure! Thus, the devil would continue to have a field day on earth–oppression, injustice, persecution, disease, poverty, chaos, murders, witchcraft, horrific accidents, abuse, recessions, wars, strikes, drought, natural disasters, terrorism and all manner of evil would persist on earth.

Beloved, there is a sorrow that stems from a deep understanding of eternal realities and our spiritual position. Even in church, some do not realise the gravity of their errant ways, the reality of pending judgment, the potential doom of their loved ones and the imminence of Jesus’ Return. They think life is all fun and games!

“Blessed are you who hunger now, for you shall be filled. Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh. Woe to you who are filled, for you shall hunger. Woe to you who laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep” (Luke 6:21, 25). See also Joel 2:17.

Pastor Josh