The Slain Lamb
And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming in a loud voice, “Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?” But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth could open the scroll or even look inside it. I wept and wept because no one was found who was worthy to open the scroll or look inside it. Then one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.” Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing in the centre of the throne Revelation 5:2-6
The apostle John is in heaven. He is watching an extraordinary scene unfolding before him. A scroll that contains a clear outline of God’s purposes and plans to undo evil on the earth and establish His rightful rule remains sealed because no one is worthy to open it. The sense of disappointment is so intense that John begins to weep.
An angel stops him, “the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.” But when John looks, he doesn’t see a Lion. He sees a Lamb.
The Lion and the Lamb are in fact the one figure – the Messiah, Jesus Christ. The lion is the symbol both of ultimate power and supreme royalty. The lamb symbolises extreme vulnerability and through sacrifice, the ultimate weakness of death (‘a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain’).
The victory won by the Lion was accomplished by the sacrifice of the lamb. The victory won by the Lamb is a lion-like victory.
This principle was true of Christ and is to be equally true of us. We are to reign as kings by living as lambs. We are to be vulnerable and meek, because we have the full resources of Almighty God behind us.
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