Revelation 5: 4

“I wept and wept because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to look inside.”

Having seen the centrality of the throne in heaven and the one that is seated on it, John got excited, no doubt. Caesar is not Lord, no, the throne of God is the seat of all power. The power of Rome has no place in heaven.  John’s hope is secure, God rules!

Clearly, circumstances sometimes seem to refute that fact, that is why we need to ask, who is God Almighty, not who is the present Emperor of the temporary Roman Empire. Emperors come and go.  Empires never last.  That throne before John, the throne of God, will never seat another. The reign of God is forever and ever.  John, think about that!

The most powerful person in the entire known world at the time was Caesar, Rome’s Emperor.  The mind could not conjure up any thing or any person stronger than that!  The decree of the Emperor could not be questioned, but must be obeyed.

If that is true, what chance does the Kingdom of God (that Jesus announced and established) have in face of the mighty power of Rome?

I think that is inferred in how John responded to heaven’s question, “Who is worthy?” We might paraphrase it, “Who can possibly claim to have more power and authority than Caesar?”

John certainly asked this question as he saw Rome persecute the followers of Jesus Christ across the vast Empire that stretched from England to Persia.  John was himself a prisoner of the Emperor.  All must have looked bleak to John. “Is Caesar superior to God?” It certainly looked so to any observer.

In this state of wonderment a question arose to fill all heaven, “Who is worthy?”  “Who can bring about the Kingdom of God on the earth as it is in heaven?”

I can only imagine John’s utter despair as he was forced to the conclusion that no one is found worthy!  He burst into tears. “No one!”

(To be continued.)