CR News

The Lamb Takes the Book (2)

In the last News, we saw Jesus Christ take the book and so execute the eternal decree of God with respect to all things (Rev. 5). Christ the Lamb is spoken of as a mighty “Lion” to assure John of His victory (5). Lions have a loud, terrifying roar (cf. 10:3; Amos 3:8). Lions have long, sharp teeth to seize and rend their prey (their bark is not worse than their bite!). Their jaws are strong and their hold is firm. The power of lions is proverbial (Prov. 30:30; Judg. 14:18). Lions know their strength and so we speak of someone being as “bold as a lion” (Prov. 28:1). David argued that he could take on Goliath because he had slain a lion (I Sam. 17:34-37).

Lions are kingly (they not only roar and rend, but they also reign!). Is not the lion the king of the beasts? King Solomon had twelve lions on the steps to his throne (I Kings 10:20). Jesus is the descendent of kings. He came from Israel’s royal tribe as “the Lion of the tribe of Juda” (Rev. 5:5). When He was prophesied as a king from Judah (Gen. 49:10), Judah was described in terms of a lion (9). Christ came from Israel’s greatest royal figure: “David” (Rev. 5:5). David was the first king from Judah, a great conquering king and the head of a dynasty lasting over 400 years. Christ is an eternal, victorious king. 

Christ is the “root” of Jerusalem’s kings, as prophesied in Isaiah 11:10. Christ is not only the descendent or off-spring of David; He is “the Root of David” (Rev. 5:5; 22:16). Christ, not Jesse, is the origin and source of King David. Christ’s Spirit was in David making him like Christ. Christ’s power brought David to the throne and wrought his victories. Thus, David is a type and picture of Christ’s kingship. As David was enthroned by God and executed His will in protecting and governing His people and destroying His enemies, so the Lord Jesus perfectly rules in the kingdom of God.

Christ’s lion-like power and royalty are required for His taking the book. Only a king is fit for these environs, for, in Revelation 5, God is seated on His throne as the universal ruler and even the 24 elders are royal figures with crowns and thrones. Only a king is fit for the task. The task involves a royal commission from Him who sits on the throne. The task involves sitting on a royal throne (cf. 22:1). The task involves exercising royal dominion over the whole universe in executing God’s all-encompassing, sovereign decree.

Christ appears here as a slain Lamb for as such He obtained His victory on the cross. Notice that the elder speaks of a Lion (5:5) and, behold, instead of a roaring, rending, royal lion, we see ... a Lamb (6)! A lamb is a small, white, woolly creature. A lamb is helpless and weak (Luke 10:3). Moreover, this is a little lamb. Only a “slain” lamb has less strength than a little lamb (Rev. 5:6). A lamb is a stark contrast to a lion. All fear lions; none fear lambs. Lions are wild carnivores; lambs are domesticated herbivores. Lambs feed on grass; lions feed on lambs.

Christ, however, is not just any Lamb. He is the Lamb pictured in the Old Testament. He is the Passover Lamb whose blood stayed the sword of the avenging angel. He is the Lamb of Isaiah 53:7 who receives a portion as the great One (12). He is, in short, the sinless Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29). As the Lamb “slain,” He is the sacrificial Lamb. God appointed Him as such before the world’s foundation (Rev. 13:8). God imputed to Christ all the sins of His people and He bore God’s wrath against our iniquities by dying in our place and redeeming us by His blood (5:9). The cross was the Lamb’s historical, decisive, irrevocable victory. There Christ purchased the elect, defeated Satan and the world, and made glad the heart of the Triune God! He is now the exalted Lamb. The slain Lamb lives, through His resurrection from the dead. The Lamb slain on earth stands in heaven in the midst of the throne, the beasts and the elders, through His ascension.

Christ must be both Lion and Lamb to open the book. The exalted, kingly Lion must first be the humble, priestly Lamb. The victorious Lion’s power comes through the victim Lamb’s weakness. The silence of the Lamb breaks forth in the roar of the Lion. Christ is worthy to take the book since, as the Lion, He has the power, and, as the Lamb, who shed His blood for us, He has the right. No wonder no one else could open the book!

The lowly, weak Lamb has royal characteristics. The Lamb has “seven horns”—omnipotence (6). The Lamb has “seven eyes”—omniscience (6). The Lamb has received the Holy Spirit in all His covenant fullness (6). The Lamb comes and takes the book and rules the universe (7)! All in heaven worship the only One worthy to open the book (8-14)!

This Word of God gives us a glorious vision to help us when persecuted and distressed. Revelation was originally written to a people oppressed by the typical Roman Empire. Today, the final Anti-Christian kingdom is not yet here in its full form (Rev. 13), yet we too feel its tug. We are tempted to put money, pleasure and material comfort above the kingdom of God. We are pressured to water down Christ’s truth for false ecumenism and syncretism. We are persecuted in various forms for the Word of God.

Behind all things, heaven rules. Often we look only on the earthly events, but we must look up and keep looking up at the vistas of the better world. The book is the source of all that happens. Men and earthly calamities are only means. The ultimate cause of all things is the eternal plan of the Triune God. The victorious Lamb is on the throne; our Saviour executes God’s decree! As the priestly Lamb, He is touched with the feelings of our infirmities. The same Lamb, whose love led Him to shed His blood for us, still loves us. He who died for us will keep us. We may and will lose individual battles, personally and corporately, but we share in the final and universal triumph of the Lamb. The “wrath of the Lamb” (6:16) will destroy those who attack His blood-bought church.

If we do not believe this, we will “weep much” in defeat (cf. 5:4-5). We will have no heart for the fight. We will be easily overcome by our trials. Christ has conquered on the cross and reigns over all: “Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing” (12)!  

Rate this item
(0 votes)

Additional Info

  • Volume: 13
  • Issue: 19
Stewart, Angus

Rev. Angust Stewart (Wife: Mary)

Ordained - 2001

Pastorates: Covenant Protestant Reformed Church of Ballymena, Northern Ireland - 2001

Website: www.cprf.co.uk/

Contact Details

  • Address
    7 Lislunnan Road
  • City
    Ballymena
  • State or Province
    Co.Antrim
  • Zip Code
    BT42 3NR
  • Country
    Ireland
  • Telephone
    (01144) 28 25 891851
back to top

Contact Details

Denomination

  • This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
  • This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
  • This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
  • Reading Sermon Library
  • Taped Sermon Library

Synodical Officers

  • This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
  • This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
  • This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
  • This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
  • This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Synodical Committees

  • This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
  • This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
  • Emeritus Committee
  • This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 
  • This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Contact/Missions

  • This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
  • This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
  • This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Classical Officers

Classis East
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Classis West
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.