Everything in the Bible points to a Lamb. Everything is built upon, centers in, and points to a Lamb. In the Old Testament, the hope of Israel and the center of worship was a lamb. All the symbolism of Old Testament worship focused the attention of the people upon a lamb. All the promises and prophecies of the Old Testament find their fulfillment in a Lamb. And all the blessings of mercy and grace from God symbolically flowed to the people through the blood of a lamb. I do not need to tell you that the Lamb referred to is the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, our Substitute. When John the Baptist saw Christ Jesus coming unto him, he pointed to him and said, "Look here he comes, the One promised, typified, and hoped for, the One upon whom we trust, "Behold, the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world!"
1. From the very beginning, The Only Way Sinful Men Could Approach A Holy God Was Through The Blood of A Slain Lamb.
In order for sinful men to approach God in his holiness they had to bring the blood of an innocent victim, offered as a sacrifice to God. That innocent lamb was a picture of Christ, the Lamb of God, who died the Just for the unjust that he might bring us to God.
All the blood of these innocent victims offered upon Jewish altars, day after day and year after year, could never take away sin (Heb. 10:4). They did nothing to appease the wrath of God. They did nothing to change the sinner. These sacrifices simply taught one lesson, which God always kept before men – Sinful men cannot approach God in his holiness without a blood sacrifice. They pointed men to Christ, the Lamb of God.
2. As man cannot approach God without a sacrifice, even so God Will Not Approach Man But Through The Blood Of A Sin-Atoning Lamb.
God always deals with men through the Lamb. Judgment comes upon those who despise the Lamb. And mercy is bestowed upon those who trust the Lamb.
Learn these two lessons, and learn them well. You cannot approach God without Christ. You cannot draw near him except through the blood of Christ, the Lamb of God, the sinner's Substitute. And God will not bestow any mercy or grace upon any sinner except that sinner be washed in the blood of Christ. The bleeding, crucified, slain Lamb of God says two things to all men: "Him that cometh to me, I will in no wise cast out." He says, "Look unto me and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth." And he says, I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life; no man cometh unto the Father but by me." Christ is The Way: without him there is no going. Christ is the Truth: without him there is no living. Christ is the Life: without him there is no living. Salvation is in the Lamb of God. Trust him, and you shall live. Despise him, and you must forever die. In the Word of God everything points to the Lamb, everything centers in the Lamb, everything comes from the Lamb, everything is built on the Lamb, and everything finds its consummation in the Lamb.
And the same thing is true with regard to eternity. In Heaven's Eternal Glory The Central Figure Of The Universe Is The Lamb of God.
When John was called up into heaven, to behold things from heaven's vantage point, he said, "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." And all the hosts of God's elect, both men and angels fall down before the Lamb, crying in unison, "Worthy is the Lamb!"
Proposition:It seems to me that this fifth chapter of Revelation is given to show us one thing in particular – The Lord Jesus Christ, In His Sacrificial Character As The Lamb Of God, Is The Center Of All Things, And The Preminent Object Of All Faith, Worship, And Praise. He is not the only object of worship. We worship the Father and the Spirit as well as the Son. We are Trinitarians. (I John 5:7). But we worship God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, only through the mediatorial Lamb, Christ Jesus.
Divisions:I will call your attention to five things in this chapter.
Now keep your heart focused upon the Lamb. May God the Holy Spirit give you eyes for the Lamb, so that you may see all things through the Lamb and the Lamb in all things. When we have gone through this chapter, I trust that you will all bow before the Lamb with this thought on your heart – "Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing."
I. First, we will briefly consider The Perception of The Lamb.How did John see Christ? What condition was he in, when he looked and beheld the Lamb of God in his glory? If you will read verses 1-4, you will notice that before the Lamb appeared, when there was no one found worthy to open the book which was held in the hand of him that sat upon the throne, John said, "I wept much."
In commenting on this fact, C.H. Spurgeon said, "By weeping eyes the Lamb of God is best seen… Eyes washed by repentance are best able to see those blessed truths, which shine forth from our incarnate God, the bearer of our sins. Free grace and dying love are most appreciated by the mourners in Zion." David said much the same – "I sought the Lord and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears. They looked unto him, and were lightened; and their faces were not ashamed" (Ps. 34:4-5).
Let this then be our prayer: Spirit of God, let me see Christ that I may weep over my sin. And seeing him through the watery eyes of repentance, let me see him clearly, perceiving by faith who he is and what he has done for me.
II. In verse 5 The Elder describes The Personality Of The Lamb to John as he beheld him.Christ's worthiness to receive all honor, worship, and praise is primarily to be seen in his glorious Person. He is worthy because he is who he is. We love him because of what he has done for us. For had he not loved us and redeemed us, we could never have loved him at all. And we love him for what he has done. But above all else, we love him for himself. "Unto you therefore which believe, he is precious." Who is the Lord Jesus Christ? He is God our Savior, and a man like unto us. He is God and man in one glorious Person. But notice how John describes him. A. This Lamb is The Lion of The Tribe of Juda.
This speaks of the dignity of his office as our King, and the majesty of his Person as our Lord. Christ, according to the flesh, came from the tribe of Judah (Gen. 49:9-10).
1. Like a lion, he is great in strength.He is the mighty God, the able Savior, the strong Deliverer. HE is an effectual Redeemer, an almighty Protector, a powerful Avenger. There is no lack of power and strength in our Savior. We may trust him with implicit confidence.
2. Like a lion, our Savior is bold and courageous.He engaged Satan, the enemy of our souls, with lion like boldness, defeating him and the powers of darkness with unflinching courage. Like a lion, our Savior is full of irresistible power. He has a lion's heart and a lion's strength. He comes forth conquering and to conquer. Yet, and here is a great wonder, to redeem us from the curse of the law this lion became a Lamb led forth to the slaughter!
B. This Lamb is also The Root of David.As regards his human nature, Christ is the son of David (Isa. 11:10; Rev. 22:16). He is David's offspring; and yet he is David's Lord (Matt. 22:41-44). He is the Root out of whom David came and to whom David owes his existence.
In the same sense, Christ Jesus is the Root from whom all of God's elect spring. We derive our life from him. We live by virtue of his live – (John 15:1-8).
C. And This Lamb is a Mighty Conqueror. He "hath prevailed to open the book and to loose the seven seals thereof."
On the cross this Lion of Judah, this Root of David conquered Satan, sin, death, and hell. Prevailing over his enemies and ours, Christ Jesus earned the right to open the book and break its seals. He earned the right to rule the universe according to the purpose of God (John 17:2).
As a Prophet, Christ opens up, reveals, and fulfills all the decrees of God. Christ explains everything. The Lamb is the Key to every secret. Apart from faith in the Lamb nothing of God's purposes can be known. But believing the Lamb, everything is as plain as day. Nothing is hidden from them that believe – (John 15:15; 11:40) (See Eph. 1:9-10).
NOTE: Just in proportion as we trust Christ we see the will of God and the glory of God in all things.
This Lamb is in the midst of the throne. He is perfectly at home in the midst of God's dazzling, unapproachable glory, because he is God himself. The glory radiating from that throne is his very own. Jesus is God! This Lamb is himself the almighty God!
A. The Lamb that Was Slain Is The Mediator Between God And His People.
By the mediation of the Lamb, and only by the mediation of the Lamb, God comes to man and man comes to God.
B. The Lamb In The Midst Of The Throne Is The Center Of All.The Lamb is the center of that blessed circle of fellowship between God, his people, and the holy angels. As in the church below, so in the church above, Christ is All!
1. Using Christ as our standpoint, all things are seen in their proper place.
Standing upon this earth, within the range of human opinion, no man sees anything properly. It is not possible to understand God's creation or the events of providence until you come to Christ. Once you come to Christ, you see all things from the Center. The person who knows this Lamb who was slain for human sin stands in the center of all truth. When you come to him whom to know aright is life eternal, you are in a position to see all things properly. The man who knows Christ sees God in his proper place, man in his proper place, the angels in their proper place, the lost in their proper place, and the redeemed in their proper place. By faith in Christ we understand the past, the present, and the future. Trusting Christ the deep mysteries of eternity immortality, and infinity are perceived with clearness and simplicity.
2. In heaven's glory we see all things meeting in Christ the Lamb.Christ is the summing up of all existence. All things exist by him and for him. If you seek to know God, go to Christ. He is God. No man has any idea what God is. But Christ is God. We cannot know God apart from Christ. He is man as man was made to be.
By the picture that John draws, it appears that every one in heaven looks in one direction. All look to the center; and the Center is Christ, the Lamb.
Jesus the Lamb is the center of all love, thought, action, and praise in the glory-land.
4. And everything seems to revolve around and rally to the Lamb.It is for the Lamb that the Father acts. He glorifies his Son, The Holy Spirit's delight is to honor the Son. All the purposes of God run in the direction of this Lamb in the midst of the throne. The chief purpose of the Triune Godhead is to make Jesus the Firstborn among many brethren. Is it so? Is Christ, the Lamb of God, the center of heaven? Then surely he ought to be the center of his family upon the earth.
Illus: Napoleon's soldier – "Doctor, be careful! A little deeper and you will touch the Emperor!"
C. And The Lamb In The Midst Of The Throne Is Full Of Power, Wisdom, And Grace.
He stood in the midst of the throne as a Lamb that had been slain. He yet bears the glorious marks of his suffering and death. But he stands as One full of life.
Around the throne, in heaven, they never cease to speak of the wonderful works of Christ, the Lamb of God (vv. 7, 9, 10).
A. It Is Christ, As A Lamb, A Mediatorial Sacrifice, Who Takes The Book Of God's Eternal Purpose And Makes It Known – (v. 7).
1. He took the book in his hands in the covenant of grace.
2. He fulfills the things written in the book.
He was slain by the sword of Divine justice, under the wrath of almighty God. And being slain in the stead of his people, he has redeemed us from the curse of the law. (Gal. 3:13).
1. The death of Christ was an effectual atonement for sin – "Thou hast redeemed us." (See Heb. 9:12). 2. This atonement was made and this redemption accomplished for a particular people – "out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation."
C. And The Glorious Lamb of God, Sending Forth His Spirit Into Our Hearts In Regeneration, Has made Us Kings And Priests Unto God.
1. As kings, we rule ourselves and our environment by the grace of God. Neither the passions of our sinful hearts, not the circumstances of our lives have dominion over us.
2. As priests, we draw near to God in confession and worship and service by the blood of Christ – As priests, we do business directly with God in the Holy Place, through the mediator of Christ.
3. As priests and kings, we shall reign with Christ upon the earth when he makes all things new.
V. And this chapter closes, as the world itself shall close, with The Praise Of The Lamb. (vv. 8-14).
Jesus Christ is the Lamb of God slain for sinners. He appeared in that character in the covenant of grace in eternity. He lived and died in that character in time. He reigns in that character forever. And he is universally ordered in that character. A. The Praise Of The Lamb Begins With The Church of God's Elect (vv. 8-10).
The church of God adores the Lamb! We worship him in prayer, in praise, in faith, and in obedience. We reverence him and we adore him. This is one mark of God's elect, in heaven and on earth, they magnify the Lamb.
B. The Angels of God Unite With Us In The Praise And Adoration of The Lamb – (vv. 11-12).
The angels of God worship the Lamb, as the sin-atoning Savior, because they have been instructed in the mysteries of redemption by redeemed sinners! (See Eph. 3:8-11).
C. And In The End The Entire Universe Shall Praise And Honor The Lamb of God For His Glorious Work of Redemption – (vv. 13-14). (Ps. 76:10).
He who made all things shall have the praise of all things – (Phil. 2:9-11). All things shall in the end be to the praise, honor, and glory of the Lamb (Rom. 11:36).
Application:I have but one word of application to you – "Behold the Lamb of God!" Are you perishing? Look to the Lamb of God and live! Child of God, ever "Behold The Lamb of God!" All comfort and assurance is here!
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