Stop Weeping

"Weep not: behold, the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, the Root of David, hath prevailed..." Revelation 5:5 (KJV)

The Tribe of Judah.

Truly, the redemptive work of the Lord is wonderful! Yes, Judah means "praise". And yes, toward the end of the Genesis narrative, Judah became a stand-put character who offered his life in the place of his brother. But most of the early story of Judah is not pretty.

It's actually rather sordid.

He was a terrible character for a while. His son, Perez, in the ancestorial line of Jesus, was born of prostitution. Yet such is the glory of Jesus that He is "not ashamed to call us brethren." (Hebrews 2:11)

He is not tarnished by the bloodline He chose, instead He redeems the bloodline.

He identified with us and was "numbered with the transgressors," then, "put away our sins by the sacrifice of Himself." (Hebrews 9:26)

In the presence of the glory of the Lord, honest souls will weep over their own wickedness and the wickedness of all mankind. But the beautiful promise echoes the the ages, "Weep not! The Lion of the Tribe of Judah has overcome!"

There He is, at the right hand of the Almighty, risen and triumphant, our King of deliverance and glory!

"Weep not." Why?

Because JESUS!