THE VICTORY OF THE LAMB

REVELATION 5

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”

(Revelation 5:9).

After John takes in the vision of the throne and the angels worshiping God, he notices in God’s right hand a sealed scroll covered with writing. This would seem to be the scroll of new covenant history, of the things that will take place whenever a man is found worthy to be the administrator of the contents of this scroll. An angel asks the question, “Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?” But there is no one who is worthy, and John begins to weep.

Then one of the twenty-four elder-angels said to him, “Don’t weep; the Lion of Judah has triumphed.” When John turned to see the lion, however, he saw a lamb. The Lamb had been slain but was alive, and He was inside the threatening circle of the cherubim, next to the throne. The smoke of the sacrificed lambs of the old covenant went up into heaven, and now what all that had symbolized has come to pass. The Lamb has been found worthy, and He approaches the throne and receives the book.

Immediately, the elder-angels take up a new song, praising the Lamb for redeeming humanity and the creation. They are joined by myriads of other angels, who circle the throne and praise the Lamb. Finally, all creation, now redeemed, enters the worship service, joining at last in the angels’ song.

And now, the Lamb begins to open the book (Revelation 6:1ff.). He is worthy to administer the new covenant, and what that means will now be made clear. The book has seven seals, however, and as each of these is broken, a foretaste of the contents of the book is revealed. As the first four seals are broken, the cherubim cry out each time, “Come!” and each time a rider on a horse comes forth. This event shows us something of what it means for Christ to come into history to administer the covenant.

The first horse is white, and the rider with bow and crown is likely Christ Himself. He leads the charge into history. After Him come His servants of judgment, three other horsemen representing war, economic hardship, and plague. We see from this that the pains that come in history are sent by none other than the Lamb and are sent to shake men up and save them.

CORAM DEO

Hosea 9–11

Revelation 2

WEEKEND

Hosea 12–14; Joel

Revelation 3–4

If we pray for Christ to come, we may be praying for trouble and hardship. What if He comes with one of these tough horses in tow? Hardship is often God’s way of purifying us. Ask yourself: Do you want to be comfortable, or do you want to become righteous and holy? Prepare for Christ to come in the sense this passage is setting forth.

For further study: Isaiah 6:1–7; 29:11–12 • John 1:29–36

WEEKEND