Scripture for Sunday March 17th, 2019
Revelation 5:6-10
And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne...
6 And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.
7 And he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne.
8 And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints.
9 And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;
10 And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.
Lion and Lamb
The announcement of a Lion and the appearance of a Lamb are a shock to the reader, but there is a definite revelation intended. To the wicked angels and men, the Lord Jesus is a fearsome danger in their evil pathways, but the blood washed saints and holy angels cannot see the fearsome qualities of the Lord. They see instead the one who died to redeem them and cherish then. This is a direct response to the great prophecy of Isaiah: "He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so He opened not His mouth" (53:7ff.)... The Lord Jesus is called Lamb twenty-eight times in Revelation (5:6, 8, 12, 13; 6:1, 16; 7:9, 10; 14, 17; 12:11; 13:8; 14:1, 4 (twice), 10: 15:3; 17:14 (twice); 19:7, 9; 21:9, 14, 22, 23, 27; 22:1, 3).
- Custer, Stewart. From Patmos to Paradise. BJU Press: Greenville, SC. 2004, page 64-65.