{"id":9282,"date":"2026-08-20T11:59:55","date_gmt":"2026-08-20T01:59:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sdreformedbaptist.org.au\/?p=9282"},"modified":"2026-08-20T11:59:58","modified_gmt":"2026-08-20T01:59:58","slug":"weep-no-more","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sdreformedbaptist.org.au\/?p=9282","title":{"rendered":"Weep no more"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

In Revelation 4\u20135, we are given a glimpse into heaven. The curtain is pulled back, and we are allowed to see what, in many ways, our minds cannot comprehend. Indeed, I think we need this more than we realise. In chapter 4, the elders fall before the throne and sing: \u201cWorthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honour and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This echoes the language of Colossians, where Paul reminds us that all things were created through Him and for Him. Creation is not random, accidental, or adrift. This is not only true for the tangible things we can see, but includes our personal circumstances, the seasons of life, the everyday rhythm \u2014 the good and the hard. God sovereignly ordains and governs all our circumstances and upholds them in His providence. This matters because our individual circumstances can often feel a far cry from God\u2019s sovereignty. We each carry our own burdens and difficulties, some acute and some chronic. When we look at world events, that tension can intensify. It is in these moments that we often struggle to wholeheartedly give an \u201cAmen\u201d to what is described in Revelation 4.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the following chapter, John sees a scroll in the hand of God. It is written on the front and on the back and sealed with seven seals. This is the last will and testament of God\u2019s completion of history \u2014 the setting right of all things. The scroll is full and complete; nothing can be added. Yet no one is found worthy to open it, and John\u2019s reaction is striking: he weeps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For a moment the vision presents a crisis. If no one is worthy to open the scroll, how will God’s purposes for history be revealed and brought to their appointed end? how will God carry out the totality of His plan? John\u2019s comfort comes not from within himself, but from a word from heaven: \u201cWeep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You and I can feel something similar, if we look to anything within this world east of Eden there is cause to weep for we have no hope. But John turns and what does he see, what is his comfort? He sees a Lamb standing as though slain. Here is the heart of his comfort and ours: the One who rules history is the One who bears the scars of suffering. He is not distant from our waiting. He entered into it. He is not untouched by suffering. He bore it. He is not indifferent to delay. He is the One unfolding history to its appointed end.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And so, like John, we are comforted by words from heaven \u2014 words preserved in Scripture. Our ultimate answers are not found in therapy, investments, health or circumstances, but in a Person. As Philippians reminds us, the peace of God surpasses all understanding. It is not the peace of knowing every detail, but the peace of knowing the One who holds the scroll. There will be tears in this life, but they will be wiped away by the divine hand, the same human hand that opens the scroll, the same hands that know scarring.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

May He comfort you in all your seasons of life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dan Stroud<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In Revelation 4\u20135, we are given a glimpse into heaven. The curtain is pulled back, and we are allowed to see what, in many ways, our minds cannot comprehend. Indeed, …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":8496,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-9282","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-articles"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sdreformedbaptist.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9282","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sdreformedbaptist.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sdreformedbaptist.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sdreformedbaptist.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sdreformedbaptist.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=9282"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/sdreformedbaptist.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9282\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9283,"href":"https:\/\/sdreformedbaptist.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9282\/revisions\/9283"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sdreformedbaptist.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/8496"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sdreformedbaptist.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=9282"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sdreformedbaptist.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=9282"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sdreformedbaptist.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=9282"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}