Begin study:
John is looking at an incredible scene before him,
the glowing, blazing reflection of God’s glory emanating from the throne, the
bright green rainbow surrounding it, the brilliant smooth sea on which it sits,
the flashes of lightning and peals of thunder foreshadowing fearsome divine
judgment, the four living creatures which are life, and twenty-four elders
which are glorified believers.
John’s attention was drawn to what he saw between
the throne (with the four creatures) and the elders.
Instead of the anticipated mighty Lion of the Tribe
of Judah, the all-conquering Davidic King as was previously mentioned, John saw
a Lamb.
The Lord Jesus could not be the Lion of judgment,
or the King of glory, unless He was first “the Lamb of God who takes away
the sin of the world” (John 1:29).
The lamb refers to a baby or young lamb. This was mentioned in the Old Testament, Ex
12:3-6, where each family was to select a lamb and keep it for four days, as a
pet, and then sacrifice it, demonstrating something that becomes near and dear
to you, a family member, must pay the price for sin, in order to obtain
salvation. This is a picture of Jesus
Christ, the Son of God, going to the Cross.
Christ is only referred
to as a lamb once in the Old Testament, Isa 53:7. And in the New Testament outside of
Revelation, He is called a lamb four times, John 1:29, 36; Acts 8:32; 1 Peter
1:19. And in Revelation He appears as
the Lamb thirty-one times.
This was no ordinary lamb. His is the unique lamb, only one of its kind.
The lamb stood, alive, but had all of the markings
and scars of one who had been executed, and had died, yet was alive. This symbolism of the lamb, stood in the
midst of the throne and all of the scene before John,
and represents the work of Christ on the Cross, which is an integral and
necessary part of Gods plan.
For life cannot go forward without the work of
Christ on the Cross, and no power could be bestowed on the throne, or even take
possession of the throne without the work of the lamb, the sacrifice of Christ
on the Cross.
The lamb stood alive, but had died, representing
resurrection and the victory over sin and death. For no plan is complete unless there is
restored life for eternal life.
The lamb had seven horns, representations of power,
1 Sam 2:1,10; 2 Sam 22:3; Ps 18:2; 75:10; 89:17,24; Jer
48:25; Mic 4:13.
The number seven represents perfection or completion.
The lamb had seven eyes, representing perfect sight
or foreknowledge and omniscience, Zech 4:10, 2 Chron
16:9.The number seven represents
perfection of completion.
The seven spirits represent the spiritual life, the
path to spiritual maturity, Isa. 11:1.
And all of these come together representing the
perfect and complete plan of God for you, for history, for humanity. There is no plan, no power of the lion, until
and unless the lamb is first taken, sacrificed and then resurrected back to
life. Then and only then is Gods plan complete.
The lamb represents Gods strategic victory in the
angelic conflict, and preparing the way for His tactical victory, which is
about to be unleashed and accomplished against Satan and evil.
Gods
victory is for the benefit of all of humanity spread across all of the earth,
throughout all of history.
And now to Him who is able to keep you from
falling, and to present you without blemish, before the presence of His glory,
with exceeding joy. And to the only wise
God and savior, even Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom be glory, and majesty, dominion,
and power, before time, now, and forever.
Amen (believe it, because it is so).
End of study
