Revelation 5

The Lamb in Revelation

Revelation 5:1

INTRODUCTORY WORDS

We remember from Exodus 12:1, how that lamb had to be kept up from the tenth to the fourteenth day, and how it had to be slain at the going down of the sun on the fourteenth day. We remember that it was the sprinkled blood that became the sign of God's deliverance, and the security of the first-born in every Israelitish home.

Years passed by, and John the Baptist was preaching by the river Jordan. On a certain day he saw Christ coming, and he cried, "Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world." The next day, also, seeing Christ, he cried, "Behold the Lamb of God!"

The Apostle Paul, in speaking of Christ and His Calvary work said, "Christ our Passover is sacrificed tor us." In this Paul referred back to the Passover lamb, and he also referred to Christ's atoning work.

The Apostle Peter wrote, "Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; but with the precious Blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot."

We now come into the Book of Revelation. We have seen in Chapter s one and two various Names of Christ, and various visions of Christ which described Him as the Jehovah-God, the One who was, who is, and who is to come. Passing, however, beyond the Church age, we come into the first great scene which marks the opening of the tribulation period.

The throne is now preparing for judgment. Upon the throne is the Father. In the Father's right hand is a book. The cry is made, "Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof?" There was no one found worthy in Heaven, nor in earth, and John wept much. Then one of the elders said unto John, "Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof."

John immediately turned to look at the lion, and being turned he saw in the midst of the throne and of the. four beasts, and in the midst of the elders a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes. Thus have we passed from the first vision of the slain Lamb.

The visions of old were prophetical and symbolical. We now have passed from the symbolical into the real; from the figure to the fact, from the suggestive to the actual. We have before us the sacrificial Lamb, the Lamb slain from before the foundation of the world; the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world. We have before us not only the Lamb slain, but the Lamb with seven horns, the Lamb in the perfection of His authority and dominion. The Lamb also stands before us with seven eyes, the perfection of wisdom. Thank God, we have found the answer to the Jewish sacrifices. We have found the Lamb.

I. THE LAMB SLAIN (Revelation 5:12)

The scene is majestic: The Lamb as it. had been slain stood before the Father. He took the book from the Father's hand. As He took it all Heaven broke forth with their worshipful magnificat. Here is the way it reads: "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 odors, which are the prayers of saints." Then it was that this great concourse sang 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."

With this marvelous acclamation concluded we read that "the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders" began to acclaim with a loud voice, "Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing," Think of it, "ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands" giving honor to the slain Lamb!

Think of it, every creature which is in Heaven, on earth, under the earth, and such as are in the sea crying out, "blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto Him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever!"

II. THE LAMB AND THE SEALS (Revelation 6:1)

The Lamb now is described as taking one of the seals of the seven-sealed book, and breaking it. When He had broken it, the white horse came forth. He then broke the second seal, and the red horse came forth. The third seal was broken, and the black horse appeared. The. fourth seal was broken, and the pale horse was seen. The fifth seal was broken, and the cry of the martyred saints was heard. The sixth seal was broken, and the sun became black as sackcloth, and the moon became as blood. Remember that each one of these six seals was broken by the Lamb who was slain, We like to call the book, which was sealed, the book of Divine inheritance, the book that held the investiture of the Kingdom, The seals which the Lamb broke stand for the method by which this inheritance is to be acquired.

Mark you, that in the close of chapter 6, when the seals had all been broken, that we read, "And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains; and said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of Him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: for the great day of His wrath is come."

How strange it is to pass from the story of the Lamb slain to the story of the Lamb and the sealed book, wherein the wrath of the Lamb is displayed. Is the One with the nail-prints also the One of fiery indignation and wrath? Even so.

Christ Himself said, "All judgment is given unto the Son." It is the Lamb of Calvary who is the Judge of the inhabited earth.

III. THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB (Revelation 7:14)

We bring you now to the third vision of the Lamb in the Book of Revelation. In the early part of chapter 7 we read of the sealing of the one hundred and forty-four thousand Jews. Following this sealing there is a description of a great multitude which no man can number. This multitude had come out of the great tribulation. They had come from all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues. They stood before the throne, and before the Lamb. They were clothed with white robes, having palms in their hands. We wonder now what will be the message which this tremendous multitude of outcomers will bring.

It is written concerning them that they "cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb." No sooner had they sounded their praise than "all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the eiders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God."

One of the elders said unto John, "What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they?" John replied, "Sir, thou knowest." Then the angel said, "These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have. washed their robes, and made them white in the Blood of the Lamb."

The next word from the lips of the angel was, "Therefore are they before the throne." They had washed their robes and made them white in the Blood of the Lamb, therefore they served Him day and night in His Temple. No wonder that they praise the Lord day and night. It is the Lamb who feeds them and leads them unto rivers of living fountains of waters. God pity the man who would do away with the Blood of Christ. It is the central theme of redeemed saints in Heaven.

IV. THE LAMB AND THE 144,000 (Revelation 14:1)

We made mention of the 144,000 sealed in the seventh chapter of Revelation. We now have a second vision of them. Here is the way the fourteenth chapter reads: "And. I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the Mount Zion, and with Him an hundred forty and four thousand, having His Father's Name written in their foreheads."

As this multitude from among the Jews stands with Christ upon the mount, once more all Heaven breaks forth. A voice is heard as the voice of many waters, and the voice of a great thunder. John also adds, "I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps; and they sung as it were a new song before the throne." This new song was the song of redemption which the 144,000 alone could sing. It was a peculiar song because it related only to the experience of this special group of Israelites, and of their deliverance by the Lamb from the power of Satan and the antichrist.

These Jews who had once rejected Christ and spurned Him had, through great tribulation, come to know Him, and to believe in Him. They are spoken of as redeemed from among men. They are described as the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb. They stand before the throne of God without fault.

This bringing in of the firstfruits of a restored Israel to us is overwhelmingly glorious, For their new-found faith they had been willing to follow the Lamb among men. Now, as the Millennial period is about to open, they are destined to follow Him wheresoever He goeth.

V. THE SONG OF MOSES AND THE LAMB (Revelation 15:3)

Revelation 15:2 reads: "And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass having the harps of God. And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb."

Here is a wonderful comparison. The song of these redeemed hosts who have been brought out from the tyranny of Satan, and of the antichrist is likened unto the song of Moses and the Lamb

We remember well Pharaoh's tyranny and artless wrath against Israel, and bow, as they stood delivered across the sea, they began to sing the song of Moses, which was the song of their deliverance.

Now, we have another group, and they are singing the song of the Lamb, which is similar to the song of Moses. Here is their song: "Great and marvelous are Thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are Thy ways, Thou King of saints. Who shall not fear Thee, O Lord, and glorify Thy Name? for Thou only art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before Thee; for Thy judgments are made manifest."

Do you marvel that following this song the Temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from His power? Wonderful magnificats lie ahead of the Lord Jesus, during the days of great tribulation.

VI. THE MARRIAGE OF THE LAMB (Revelation 19:7)

If you want a great vision of real joy and gladness, you will find it here. We have before us, as it were, "the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth. Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to Him: for the Marriage of the Lamb is come, and His Wife hath made Herself ready."

There will be joy and rejoicing in the skies when the Wife is presented unto the Lamb. The Father will be there, we believe, and He Is going to make a great supper for the Lamb and His Bride. He is going to crown that glorious hour with His presence. The Lamb will be there, for He is to see of the travail of His soul and be satisfied. The Wife will be there, and she will have made herself ready. She has been washed in the Blood of the Lamb, and she is now arrayed in fine linen, clean and white, even in the righteous acts which she had wrought among men.

Do you marvel that all Heaven once more breaks forth with glory? Do you marvel that the angel said unto John, "Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the Marriage Supper of the Lamb"?

VII. THE LAMB'S WIFE (Revelation 21:9)

The angel is saying unto John, "Come hither, I will shew thee the Bride, the Lamb's Wife." The marriage of Christ, the Lamb, to the Wife has long since taken place. We are interested, therefore, in knowing something of her environment in that glorious city of God.

As John looked to see the Lamb's Wife, he saw that great City, the Holy Jerusalem, He saw the City, "having the glory of God." He saw the walls great and high. He saw the twelve gates. He saw that it had no need of sun, nor the moon to shine in it, "for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof." He saw the pure river that proceeded out of the throne of God, and of the Lamb, He saw that the Bride felt no more the curse. He saw that the central fact of that wonderful city was the throne of God, and of the Lamb.

How thankful we are that the last picture we have of the saints is under the vision of the Lamb's Wife. How thankful we are that the last vision of Christ is as the Lamb.

Do you marvel, therefore, as you come to the last chapter of the Bible that you read these stirring words: "Blessed are they that do His Commandments, that they may have right to the Tree of Life, and may enter in through the gates into the City"?

AN ILLUSTRATION

THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB

G. Campbell Morgan has said: "I am bound to confess there was a time in my evangelistic work when I had an idea that Christ could satisfy the man who was down there in the slums, but I was always a wee bit afraid if into the inquiry-room there came a man of position and culture; and I tell you the Lord gave me one of the most wonderful illustrations of the absurdity of my fear that I ever had. * * There came into the inquiry-room a rag-picker, a great, gaunt old man who had grown hoary in the service of sin and Satan. * * There in our inquiry-room he knelt, and I knelt by him, and I felt quite at home as I spoke to him of the Blood that cleanseth from all sin. * * I looked around, and there, kneeling next to me, was the mayor of the city, a man about as old as the rag-picker, but a man who had all the marks of culture and refinement. I happened to know that some time before the mayor had sentenced the rag-picker to a month's hard labor; he had got out a month ago. There they were, side by side. Presently the light that had broken on the rag-picker broke on the mayor, and I found that the Blood needed there was needed here, and I found that the life sufficient there was sufficient here. When the men rose, the mayor said to the rag-picker, 'Well, we didn't meet here last time.' 'No, we will never meet again like we did the last time, praise God!'