So, I realize that I have not posted in a while, and this is not my intent by any means. So I apologize, but I will continue talking about the Christological images that are present in Revelation. After the image of the Son of Man, comes the image of the Lion and the Lamb.
To get the image in our mind, we need to understand the context that it occurs in. After John is commanded to write the seven letters to the churches, John receives an image of the throne room. This is a beautiful seen where we see that God, the one who sits on the throne, is receiving all honour and praise. In chapter five, we are still in the throne room, but something different happens.
In this scene God is still at the centre of it, but this time in His right hand there is a scroll that is sealed. An angel then declared "Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?" (Rev. 5:2). At present there is no one who is scene who can open the scroll and John weeps. He weeps because the scroll cannot be opened, but soon he is comforted by one of the 24 elders. The elder proclaims to him that the Lion of Judah has conquered so that He can open the scroll (Rev. 5:5). In this section the elder uses two common OT themes for the Messiah--The Lion of the tribe of Judah and the Root of Jesse. The Jews were looking towards a Messiah that would come in power and restore Israel in fullness. The image of the Lion occurs throughout early Judaism, and early Christianity.
Here the Lion is attached to the Greek word νικᾶν (‘to conquer’). This shows the reader that his victory is in totality. There is nothing more that He could conquer. This shows us that the Lion has completely overcome the enemy, and this is such a beautiful image of Christ as victor! This image definitely has some militaristic undertones in it, and this is what the Jews were expecting of the Messiah, but then something happens.
John is expecting to see this great and conquering Lion, but instead a Lamb appears. And not just any Lamb, but a lamb that seems to have been slain. This is an interesting juxtaposition that is presented here. We read that the Messiah, the one who is worth to open the scroll, conquers, yet He does not conquer in the way that we are expecting Him to. Jesus does not conquer by physical prowess or force, but he conquers by laying down His life. He takes the posture of the sacrificial Lamb in the Jewish sacrificial system, and lays down His life for His people. In this way, Christ is victor.
Now the Lamb does have some militaristic overtones because He has seven horns and seven eyes. Now the horns represent power/might and seven is the number of completion. In essence, the Lamb has complete power and this echoes the image of the Lion. The seven eyes are the seven spirits of God (Rev. 5:6). Both the seven eyes and seven horns demonstrate the omnipotence and omniscience of Christ.
This image of the Lion and the Lamb ends with Christ at the centre of worship. Christ is now ascribed the same worship and devotion that God the Father is in the throne room seen. After John describes these things, those in heaven "sang a new song, saying,
To get the image in our mind, we need to understand the context that it occurs in. After John is commanded to write the seven letters to the churches, John receives an image of the throne room. This is a beautiful seen where we see that God, the one who sits on the throne, is receiving all honour and praise. In chapter five, we are still in the throne room, but something different happens.
In this scene God is still at the centre of it, but this time in His right hand there is a scroll that is sealed. An angel then declared "Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?" (Rev. 5:2). At present there is no one who is scene who can open the scroll and John weeps. He weeps because the scroll cannot be opened, but soon he is comforted by one of the 24 elders. The elder proclaims to him that the Lion of Judah has conquered so that He can open the scroll (Rev. 5:5). In this section the elder uses two common OT themes for the Messiah--The Lion of the tribe of Judah and the Root of Jesse. The Jews were looking towards a Messiah that would come in power and restore Israel in fullness. The image of the Lion occurs throughout early Judaism, and early Christianity.
Here the Lion is attached to the Greek word νικᾶν (‘to conquer’). This shows the reader that his victory is in totality. There is nothing more that He could conquer. This shows us that the Lion has completely overcome the enemy, and this is such a beautiful image of Christ as victor! This image definitely has some militaristic undertones in it, and this is what the Jews were expecting of the Messiah, but then something happens.
John is expecting to see this great and conquering Lion, but instead a Lamb appears. And not just any Lamb, but a lamb that seems to have been slain. This is an interesting juxtaposition that is presented here. We read that the Messiah, the one who is worth to open the scroll, conquers, yet He does not conquer in the way that we are expecting Him to. Jesus does not conquer by physical prowess or force, but he conquers by laying down His life. He takes the posture of the sacrificial Lamb in the Jewish sacrificial system, and lays down His life for His people. In this way, Christ is victor.
Now the Lamb does have some militaristic overtones because He has seven horns and seven eyes. Now the horns represent power/might and seven is the number of completion. In essence, the Lamb has complete power and this echoes the image of the Lion. The seven eyes are the seven spirits of God (Rev. 5:6). Both the seven eyes and seven horns demonstrate the omnipotence and omniscience of Christ.
This image of the Lion and the Lamb ends with Christ at the centre of worship. Christ is now ascribed the same worship and devotion that God the Father is in the throne room seen. After John describes these things, those in heaven "sang a new song, saying,
"Worthy are you to take the scroll
and to open its seals.
for you were slain, and by your
blood you ransomed
people for God
from every tribe and language
and people and nation,
and you have made them a kingdom
and priests to our God,
and they shall reign on the earth"
In our Christian walk it is too easy to forget or neglect that Jesus did not conquer in the way we would like Him to. He came and conquered death by laying down His life for us. In the same way, we too, must lay down our lives for Him and surrender all that we are.
To Him Who Sits on the Throne
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