Why did John weep in Revelation 5:4?
John wept because no one in heaven, on earth, or under the earth was found worthy to open and read the scroll or even look upon it. Nowhere in God's creation possessed the authority or capability to open this mortgage, so his grief was intense until the Lion of Judah was announced.
Les explains that John's weeping was tied to the sealed scroll, described as a mortgage that no created being could open. Verses 3 and 4 show that no man in heaven, earth, or under the earth, not even the angels, was found worthy to open, read, or look on the scroll. John wept much because no one had the authority or capability to open it. Then an elder tells him to weep not and points to the Lion of the tribe of Judah, capitalized, showing Christ, who came out of Judah. Les says Jesus the Christ is already in heaven and comes before the Father's throne as the only one with authority to open this mortgage and say, "I'll pay it off." He also connects this to Jewish history and custom, especially the book of Ruth, where a mortgaged land could be helped by a next of kin, not a stranger, illustrating why only Christ could pay it off.
And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon.