Revelation 5:5 And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.
Follow the Truth You Have
What would you do if there were a book that contained God’s perfect plan for your life from now until as far as you could see? Wouldn’t that be wonderful? What if there were such a book, but it was sealed and could not be opened? That is the kind of anxiety John experienced in Revelation 5, except it wasn’t God’s plan for him personally; it was a book of God’s plan for the future. It was an account of what God has in store for the world.
In Revelation 5:1, John saw in the right hand of Him that sat on the throne a book sealed with seven seals. John saw this book, and it seemed there was no one in heaven or earth that was worthy to open it. John was disappointed because he had been told he would be shown the things that were, are, and will be, yet this book was sealed and could not be unsealed. The Bible says, “And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon. And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.” Jesus holds the future in His hands. He is the only One Who can unroll it, unfold it, or open the book to it. Yet, there is a sense in which God’s plan and will for the future is no different than His plan for today.
When you think about it, God’s plan for you and for the world consists of two elements: God’s character and God’s purpose. We know God’s eternal character because in Revelation 4:8 we find those who say, “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.” God’s eternal character is holiness. God will do what is right. Whether it is your personal future, our national future, or the future of the universe, you can be assured that our God is eternally holy. God will never guide you to do something that is against His character. God’s will is never in conflict with Who He is. God’s will does not conflict with His holiness.
The other element is God’s purpose. In Revelation 4:11 the four and twenty elders say, “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power, for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.” God’s eternal purpose for us is to please Him.
God’s character is holiness, and our purpose is to please God. There is a sense in which the future is an open book. There is no secret here. God’s character and purpose are unchanging, and those define His plan. When you are uncertain about the future, follow the truth you already have. It is so easy to fret and worry about the specific steps God has for us, but if I know God is holy and my existence is to please and glorify Him, that will help me to take the right steps every day from now until the end of time.