Skip to main content

The Lion and the Lamb

                Much of the book of Revelation is confusing. However, some things are not only clear, but critical to our understanding of God’s message.
                In chapter five, John sees a vision of the throne room of heaven in which a mighty angel appears and asks, “Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?” (verse 2).  The scroll contains the message of God.  It needs to be heard.  Unfortunately, though they search heaven and earth, no one can do the job (verse 3).
                Then, something changes.  John is told that, “The Lion of the tribe of Judah… has triumphed.  He is able to open the scroll” (verse 5).  This lion represents Jesus and, when you think about it, that makes perfect sense.  Lions are fierce, strong and powerful!  When John wants to assure the Christians that Jesus is in charge and can handle anything, he compares him to the “King of the jungle”.   We need to know that the lion exists.
                However, the next verses bring a surprise.  “Then I saw a lamb, looking as if it had been slaughtered… he came and took the scroll” (verses 6-7).  The picture of Jesus changes from a fierce lion, to a lamb.  Lambs are soft, cuddly and are about as threatening as a soap bubble, but, this, too, is a well-known image.  The first time that John the Baptist saw Jesus, he said, “Behold, the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world” (John 1:29).  God’s people knew what the lamb represented.  They had sacrificed millions of them over the years to deal with their sins. 
                Here is the point:  We need to know that the lion exists.  We need to understand that Jesus is strong, powerful and in charge.  He has all authority in heaven and earth (Matthew 28:18).  However, it is great to know that Jesus wields that power like a lamb.  He is non-threatening, kind and gracious.  In fact, he even sacrificed himself so that we could live. 
                The lion has the power.  The lamb gives us access to that power.  When you put both of those together, you have the proper picture and a message worth sharing.
                “Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need” (Hebrews 4:16).

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Art of Noticing.... Seeing what we need to see and what we miss when we don't

 What we focus on in life matters. Here are some scriptural reminders that will help us see correctly.  https://youtu.be/Rn76tV0ZH8s    
Post a Comment
Read more

New Article: A Path Worth Following

  Jehoram was a terrible king.  He reigned in Judah around the year 850 B.C. and he did not care about God or his people.  His first act as king was to assassinate his six brothers so that no one could challenge his authority.  He was brutal and selfish.   Therefore, when the Bible sums up his life, it says, “Jehoram… passed away, to no one’s regret, and was buried in the City of David” (2 Chronicles 21:20).  Did you catch that?  “To no one’s regret!”  What a terrible phrase for your tombstone. On the other hand, consider a lady named Tabitha.  She lived in the city of Joppa in the first century A.D. and we are told, “… she was always doing good and helping the poor” (Acts 9:36).  She became sick and died.  This caused the community so much grief that they called Peter, who was in the nearby town of Lydda, to come and help them.  When Peter arrived, a crowd gathered, bringing all the robes and other clothing that ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Consider This: Press The Button!

  Consider This:  Press the Button! My favourite TV game show is Jeopardy.  I used to like it even more when my kids were younger, because I could easily beat them and look smart.  These days, after they have grown up and gone to university, it is much more difficult.  However, Jeopardy is still the only game show I will watch. In a book I read, a contestant who did very well on the show shared the secret to his success.  He said (and I am paraphrasing here), “You must press the button before you know the answer.  Everyone on Jeopardy is smart. Everyone knows the answer. The key to winning is to act.  You must jump in and press the button, assuming that your brain will catch up and supply the answer.  If you wait until you are sure, you will be too late!” Press the button! Too often, we hesitate, not because we do not know what to do, but because we do not want to do it.  Sometimes, we fail to act because we are not sure how the situatio...
Post a Comment
Read more