revelation of jesus– things are not as they seem – look! a lamb!

Revelation of Jesus– Things are Not as They Seem –

Look! A Lamb!

Have you ever read a book a number of times?

You know what is coming next.

You start skimming.

You can miss the impact of what you are reading


Look! A Lamb!

That can also happen when you read the Bible.

“Oh, I know this parable.”And so you skim,

And you miss what God is saying.


Look! A Lamb!

Throughout this series of messages,

we have been hearing that the Book of Revelation was given to

the church to help them [us]

see reality through different eyes.


Look! A Lamb!

What the original hearers of Revelation saw with their eyes was all sorts of symbols of the

power of Rome.Temples, statues, armies.

They were being killed for their faith.


Look! A Lamb!

This morning our Scripture Reading is

Revelation 5

the continuation of the vision of Chapter 4.

This series largely follows Darrell Johnson’s book, Discipleship on the Edge.


Look! A Lamb!

Last Sunday we entered the Throne Room of Heaven when we

read Revelation 4.

John, prisoner on the penal colony of Patmos, is given a vision of an open door into

heaven.


Look! A Lamb!

And there he saw a throne with someone sitting on it!

Key message of Revelation:The throne in heaven is not

empty.God, holy, almighty and merciful

is in control!


Look! A Lamb!

As we begin reading chapter 5 it is as if the camera zooms in on

the hand of the one on the throne.

“Then I saw in the right hand of him who sat on the throne a scroll with

writing on both sides and sealed with seven seals.” v.1


Look! A Lamb!

Then I saw in the right hand of him who sat on the throne a scroll with writing on both sides and sealed with seven seals.

“The scroll contains the completeness of God’s plan… for

rectifying what is wrong and establishing his gracious .

rule in the world.”

Johnson, p. 144


Look! A 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. vv.2-4


Look! A Lamb!

No one was able to open the scroll,

- that contains the meaning of history.- that contains God’s plan to bring the kingdom of heaven to earth- that rectifies the wrongs of the world.


Look! A Lamb!

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.” v.5


Look! A Lamb!

“Lion of Judah” and “Root of David” – Messianic images

Genesis 49:9: You are a lion's cub, O Judah; you

return from the prey, my son. Like a lion he crouches and lies down, like

a lioness—who dares to rouse him?


Look! A Lamb!

Isaiah 11:1-2:A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear

fruit. The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him—

the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding,the Spirit of counsel and of power,

the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD -


Look! A Lamb!

"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,

vv. 5-6


Look! A Lamb!

Expecting a warrior messiah!

Get a beat up lamb!

Not a warrior lamb

But a little lamb – diminutive form

Mary’s little lamb


Look! A Lamb!


Look! A Lamb!

Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing in the center

of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. He had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God

sent out into all the earth. v. 6


Look! A Lamb!

Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing in the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures

and the elders. He had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. v. 6

- Looking as if it had been slain - Passover lamb slain for forgiveness

- standing at the center of the throne

- Where God is seated - He is God, that is why he is worthy


Look! A Lamb!

Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing in the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures

and the elders. He had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. v. 6

- encircled by the 4 living creatures & elders

- 7 horns & 7 eyes = all powerful, all wise


Look! A Lamb!

He came and took the scroll from the right hand of him who sat on the

throne. And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-

four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they

were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the

saints. Vv.7-8


Look! A Lamb!

He came and took the scroll from the right hand of him who sat on the throne. And when he had taken

it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of

incense, which are the prayers of the saints. vv.7-8

Your prayers are in this vision!They are before the throne of

God!


Look! A Lamb!

And they sang a new song: "You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation. You have made

them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the

earth.”

vv.9-10


Look! A Lamb!

And they sang a new song: "You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased men for

God from every tribe and language and people and nation. You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on

the earth.” vv.9-10

He is worthyBecause he was slain

Bought us with his bloodTo be a kingdom and priests who serve God, reigning on the earth.


Look! A Lamb!

Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten

thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders. In a loud voice they sang: "Worthy is the

Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength

and honor and glory and praise!"


Look! A Lamb!

Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders. In a loud voice they sang: "Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and

wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!”

The 4 living creatures and the 24 elders are joined by the angels

praising the lamb.7 words of praise = all praise


Look! A Lamb!

Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, singing: "To him who sits on the throne and to

the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and

ever!” The four living creatures said, "Amen," and the elders fell down and

worshiped. vv.13-14


Look! A Lamb!

Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, singing: "To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!” The four living creatures said,

"Amen," and the elders fell down and worshiped. vv.13-14

The praise ripples out from the center of the throne to all creation.

Praise for ever and ever!


Look! A Lamb!

So how does Revelation 5 help us to see our reality better?

At least 5 ways


Look! A Lamb!

First, with Revelation 5 glasses on we see that at the centre of reality is the Lamb who suffers.

Isaiah 53:3:He was despised and rejected by men,

a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering.


Look! A Lamb!

On the throne of God is one who knows our suffering.

Oppressed blacks sang,“Nobody knows the trouble I see.

Nobody knows but Jesus.”

We are never alone in our suffering.


Look! A Lamb!

“Second, with Rev. 5 glasses on, we realize that at the center of reality is

grace, costly grace.” Johnson p.149

Jesus became the slain lamb for sinners like you and me.

Isaiah 53:6:We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way;

and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.


Look! A Lamb!

We realize that we can safely come to the throne room of God.

It is a place of grace and forgiveness

because of the slain lamb.


Look! A Lamb!

“Third, with Revelation 5 glasses on, we realize that we work from the victory, not towards it.” Johnson p.150

-The lamb is already on the throne, victorious

- nothing can dethrone him- the end of the battle is sure


Look! A Lamb!

“Forth, with Revelation 5 glasses on, we realize that the way to the fullness of life is the way of the

Lamb.” Johnson, p.150

The Lamb gets to the throne not by being a lion but a lamb.

By self sacrifice.


Look! A Lamb!

The Christian life is one of self-sacrifice.

-Forgiving those who hurt you- giving of the riches God has

given you- turning the other cheek


Look! A Lamb!

This can seem foolish and weak.

But remember that the Lamb has seven horns = complete strengthSeven eyes = complete wisdom


Look! A Lamb!

“But here is the secret, a secret we would never know through an ordinary set of glasses: The

greatest power in the universe is the ‘weakness’ of sacrificial love.

The greatest wisdom in the universe is the ‘foolishness’ of sacrificial

love. The apostle Paul calls Christ crucified, ‘the power of God and the wisdom of God’ (I Cor. 1:24)” Johnson, p. 150


Look! A Lamb!

“Fifth, with Revelation 5 glasses on, we realize where it is all

going. History is headed to the feet of the Lamb!” Johnson, p. 151

The slain Lamb is the victor!His nail scarred hands hold the

scroll of history


Look! A Lamb!

Do you see what that means?

First century Christians did.

They realized that because the slain Lamb was on the throne

that they could not loose.


Look! A Lamb!

Even if to the ordinary eye it looked like they would loose their

life in the coliseum, they knew that if they followed the suffering

lamb that they could not loose.

They had eternal life!


Look! A Lamb!

It is because of this Revelation 5 perspective that all of creation

joins its voices to praise the Lamb who was slain,

for you and me.

revelation of jesus– things are not as they seem – look! a lamb!

Documents

book of revelation

original hearers of

key message of revelation

throne room of heaven

open door

lion of judah

kingdom of heaven

right hand