The Lion and the Lamb
Revelation 5:1-14
Part 1
November 12, 2006

You are living in 1st century Asia Minor in the city of Smyrna. Pressure mounts each day as the openness of your Christian testimony encounters the pervasiveness of an idolatrous culture. You honor and worship one God; they worship numerous gods. You bow in submission to Jesus Christ whom you cannot see; they bow before images of Caesar, Zeus, and others whom they can see. You trust in the solitary sacrifice of Christ for forgiveness; they offer animal sacrifices and burn incense to gods that cannot forgive. You seek to live a holy life honoring Christ as Lord; they indulge in immorality, unethical behavior, bigotry, lying, and gossip as the norm.

The clash is inevitable. You are by far in the minority. Many in the majority don’t care what you worship, just as long as you leave them alone. Yet that is difficult to do when you know the gospel as good news for all people—including those opposed to you. Some find you and your beliefs offensive, so much so, that they take whatever means available to crush you.

You lose your job. Your children are hungry. No one is willing to give you work. Your family has disowned you because of your Christian faith. City officials have an eye out for you. Imperial loyalists find you, threaten you, and then beat you up. Local officials arrest you for failing to confess Caesar as lord. You hear that if you will not take your religion so seriously, and will bow in worship before the emperor’s image confessing him as lord, you can go free, get back your old job, and begin living a “normal” life like everyone else.

What can motivate you to persevere and not give up? That’s the kind of intense pressure that some of John’s recipients felt. But those ancient brethren are not alone. The same pressure is known very well throughout today’s world. It comes in different ways but the aim of worldly opposition always has the same goal, that of stopping the progress and practice of vital, cross-centered, and Christ-honoring Christianity. So, how are we to keep our focus and persevere as Christians, even in times when it is intensely difficult?

I. A book
The opening scene of chapter 5 continues with a view toward the throne considered in the previous chapter. There we see “One sitting on the throne,” exercising His sovereign rule over the world, and worshiped by those in heaven. We’re left with a consciousness of divine might and authority before which all creation bows.

The “One sitting on the throne” has a book sitting in the palm of His right hand, as though offering it to whoever is worthy to open the book. The scene is ironic. After the lofty description of God on His throne, and the flashes of lightning, peals of thunder, and sea of glass before the throne, it seems rather ironic to find something as small and seemingly insignificant as a book in His right hand. Yet the book is of such immense importance that only One is worthy to open it and to discharge it.

New Testament scholars debate whether John has in mind either a scroll or a leather-paged codex. The first would be more typical of that era, with pages made by gluing strips of papyrus together, and then stitching the sheets to form whatever length of scroll needed. The second actually came more into use in the 2nd century, with leather pages that had been scraped and bound into a book. Though the scroll seems more likely, it really does not change the image in either case. The book or scroll was “sealed up with seven seals.” The seals did several things. First, they authenticated the book’s author since the imprint of his identity would have been embossed on the waxy seals. Second, they prohibited the revelation of the scroll’s contents except by the one authorized to open it, thus keeping it a mystery to all until opened. Third, in legal circles, the breaking of the seals implied the full application of its contents. If it was a will, then it meant the right of inheritance had been received when the seals were broken. But in the case of the book “in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne,” it remained sealed with no one able to open and disclose its contents.

1. Its author
“I saw in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne a book written inside and on the back, sealed up with seven seals.” The language is more literally, “I saw on the right hand of the One seated upon the throne a book that had been written completely within and on the back, being sealed up with seven seals.” The book sat on the hand of its author. The Lord God held the book because, as its author, He reserved the right of opening it to only one worthy to receive it.

God is its author. It is no fiction book but a narrative revealing God’s purposes. Therefore, the book reflects the character and interests of its author. Perhaps you’ve had the experience of reading and re-reading a book, so much so, that you get the feeling that you know the author’s personality and way of thinking as he has poured himself into his book. The book in God’s hand reveals the divine personality so that the book expresses His holiness and righteousness on every page. His purpose for His creation is unmistakably detailed. John has already emphasized creation worshiping the One sitting on the throne, thus acknowledging Him as Creator. Now the Creator writes His will and intentions and plans in the book. Thus One of infinite power and wisdom has applied His mind to the details of His book so that nothing is missing. He that declares the end from the beginning shows His mighty power in every decree of His book.
Since God is its author, we must give heed to what He has written.

2. Its contents
John writes figuratively about the book and its seals. Some think that the book is “the book of life,” that is mentioned later, containing the names of all of the redeemed. Others think that it means the Old Testament, and being sealed, its contents would now be accurately disclosed. Though both of these ideas have some merit, it seems best to see this book containing the sum total of the divine decrees, including everything regarding redemption and judgment. The unfolding message of Revelation exemplifies His decrees, so that the Lord God declares what He will do with His people, His concern for justice, and the judgment faced by His enemies, including those rejecting His Son as Redeemer.

The book, we are told, was “written inside and on the back.” Normally, scrolls were written only on one side; the same was true with the leather pages of a codex. The non-written side typically had a rougher surface that hindered writing. But John is not concerned to follow the norm for the book that he describes is unlike any other book. The writing on inside and on the back implies that it is complete, thorough, and detailed. Nothing of the divine will and purpose is left out.

Different writers have expressed it similarly. “The book surely is that which contains the world’s destiny, and its contents are revealed to us pictorially as the seals are broken” [Leon Morris, TNTC: Revelation, 94]. “It symbolizes God’s purpose with respect to the entire universe throughout history, and concerning all creatures in all ages and to all eternity” [Wm. Hendriksen, More than Conquerors, 89]. “It is God’s redemptive plan for the denouement of human history, the overthrow of evil, and the gathering of a redeemed people to enjoy the blessings of God’s rule” [G.E. Ladd, A Commentary on the Book of Revelation, 81]. “The scroll is the book of the eternal decrees of God” [Bruce Metzger, Breaking the Code, 52].
Who but God can write such a book? Many people put great stock in the writings of mystics and self-proclaimed prophets. But God alone can write the end from the beginning, and do so with certainty of its fulfillment by His might.

3. Its value
A strong angel with a loud voice, picturing someone of august abilities and powers, asks the question concerning the book, “Who is worthy to open the book and to break its seals?” This mighty angel, though radiating the wonders of the celestial world, realized his own unworthiness in opening the book and breaking its seals. The concept of worthiness points to the personal dignity and character of a person. It is not worthiness derived from someone else or received from someone else, but worthiness that is personal, inward, and belonging inherently to that person. The angel’s worthiness came only from what God had given to him. He had no inherent worthiness. The worthiness called for required absolute faithfulness to God’s law and to every responsibility entrusted by God. It required sufficient inward righteousness and holiness capable of approaching the throne of God, and taking from the holiest hand the concentrated book of the divine decrees. Such worthiness demanded the virtues of God, perfect righteousness by man, and the satisfaction of divine justice.

The angel’s question prompted a search throughout the universe. “And no one in heaven or on the earth or under the earth was able to open the book or to look into it.” Surely, there were some great individuals and creatures investigated! How about the four living creatures or the twenty-four elders pictured in the last chapter; were they worthy to open the book and to look into it? “No one in heaven… was able to open the book or to look into it.” Let us move to the earth and consider the power brokers of government: the President, the Speaker of the House, the Chief Justice, prime ministers, members of parliament, ambassadors. “And no one… on the earth was able to open the book or to look into it.” Maybe something in the hidden, unseen realms of those “under the earth” can open it. “And no one… under the earth was able to open the book or to look into it.” John negates the verb, describing one without power, without ability, without strength or mental abilities, and so impotent to do anything about unfolding the divine decrees that affect all of creation.

John wept at the news because he realized the importance of God’s will being unfolded in both redemption and judgment by the opening of the book. All, that God had planned to rescue His people and to complete redemption; all that He had planned to avenge those martyred for their faith in Christ, and to bring justice to sinners so that God’s righteousness might be eternally satisfied; none of these things could happen if the book remained unopened. God’s will could not be done. God’s plans would be thwarted. The suffering saints to whom John wrote would have no hope for the future if the book remained unopened. “Then I began to weep greatly because no one was found worthy to open the book or to look into it.” John longed to see the unfolding of the divine decrees; but unless the book was opened, not only would he remain ignorant of God’s purposes in the chaos that he saw about him but no hope remained for suffering Christians. The future appeared pitch dark.

II. A Mediator
If the book contains the details of history—past, present, and future—so that all that God has planned in terms of redemption and complete salvation for His people, and judgment and eternal damnation for His enemies, then the wise, powerful, and faithful unfolding of it means everything to believers. History makes sense only in light of an overarching divine plan for the ages. Our own day, with terrorism, war, political upheavals, disease, suffering, and nuclear threats can only make sense if there is One of infinite wisdom and power directing all to the grand crescendo that redounds to His glory. Otherwise, anyone of sanity would have to say that we are living in chaos! And that life has no meaning or purpose. It abounds in every nation, among all peoples, and mankind has no sufficient answer to stem the chaos wrought by our own depravity. The reason no one on earth could be found to open the book points to our sinfulness. All humanity is united in this common lot—we are fallen people, who, if left to ourselves, will continue to plunge more and more into the abyss of rebellion against God.

That’s why John wept so violently; he felt the hopelessness of humanity in his heart. Then he heard one of the elders telling him, “Stop weeping!” You have good reason to stop weeping. Chaos will not reign. Sarte’s and Camus’ concept of life as nothingness and meaningless will be brought to nothing! Stop weeping because we have a Mediator.

1. A Lion that conquered
The elder described the One worthy to open the book and break its seals. “Behold, the Lion that is from the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has overcome so as to open the book and its seven seals.” Hope welled in his heart. The prospect of God’s eternal purposes in redemption and judgment perfectly taking place is assured by the conquering Lion. The picture takes us back to Genesis 49:8-12, as the dying Jacob assembles his sons to utter his prophetic declaration concerning their future. Though Judah was the fourth-born, Jacob compares him to a lion, explains that his brothers “shall bow down” to him, and then pronounces, “The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until Shiloh comes, and to him shall be the obedience of the peoples.”

The prophecy took form very clearly when God removed the kingship from Saul, a Benjamite, and gave it to David from the tribe of Judah. God’s promise to David brought fulfillment to Jacob’s prophetic word, and also added to it a dimension that Jacob could not foresee: “Your house and your kingdom shall endure before Me forever; your throne shall be established forever” (2 Sam. 7:16). David’s kingdom would forever exist before God. As we watch the history of Israel and Judah, we find the northern kingdom ending in 724 BC, and the southern kingdom enduring until its demise at the hands of the Babylonians in 586 BC. Zedekiah ended the line of David—or so it was thought. However, Isaiah prophesied in the 8th century BC (11:1-5):

Then a shoot will spring from the stem of Jesse, and a branch from his roots will bear fruit. The Spirit of the Lord will rest on Him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and strength, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord. And He will delight in the fear of the Lord, and He will not judge by what his eyes see, nor make a decision by what His ears hear; but with righteousness He will judge the poor, and decide with fairness for the afflicted of the earth; and He will strike the earth with the rod of His mouth, and with the breath of His lips He will slay the wicked. Also righteousness will be the belt about His loins, and faithfulness the belt about His waist.

The prophet spoke of Christ’s wisdom and righteousness, His power over the nations, His judgment against the wicked. He continues in that same chapter, describing life under kingdom rule of Christ, calling Him “the root of Jesse” (11:10). As “the Root of David,” Jesus Christ fulfills Isaiah’s 750-year old prediction. Dennis Johnson explains, “Though the exile [of Judah] would make it seem that David’s dynasty had been cut off, like a tree sawn down, leaving only root and stump, Isaiah foresaw a fresh shoot from the stump of David’s father Jesse, a fruitful branch springing from the root that seemed lifeless and hopeless (Isa. 11:1, 10)” [Triumph of the Lamb, 105].

The Jewish understanding of a king was not only to rule in righteousness over his people, but also to conquer their enemies. John’s use of the verb, “has overcome,” indicates that this Lion from the tribe of Judah, this Root of David has triumphed over His enemies. What enemies has He conquered? He conquered the enemies of His people—sin, death, Satan, and the world. Paul declared the success of Christ’s triumph in His death, as “having cancelled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile [i.e., our enemies] to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him [or better, “the cross”]” (Col. 2:14-15). The writer of Hebrews adds, “Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and might free those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives” (2:14-15).

The Lion, as our Mediator, has conquered our enemies and now reigns in power and majesty over us. John found hope and consolation in that vision of Christ. He recognized that the kingly triumph of Christ made Him worthy “to open the book and its seven seals.” As King, He effectively discharges the eternal purposes of God.

2. A Lamb that suffered
John turned to see the Lion that the elder spoke of. With great irony, he sees instead a Lamb. “And I saw between the throne (with the four living creatures) and the elders a Lamb standing, as if slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God, sent out into all the earth.” John was struck by seeing the Lamb’s appearance “as if slain.” We sing, “Rich wounds yet visible above, in beauty glorified.” That’s what John recognized, that the Lamb gave evidence of having been slaughtered sacrificially. His position “between the throne,” or more literally, “in the midst or middle of the throne,” identifies Him with God on the throne. The Lamb is unlike the four living creatures or the twenty-four elders who were beside the throne. The Lamb is on the throne with God the Father. The language is intentional to emphasize that the Lamb mediates the eternal rule of God. Revelation 22:1, 3 call it “the throne of God and of the Lamb,” showing the Lamb that opened the book and broke its seals, effectively rules forever. Yet this Lamb is “standing, as if slain.” The marks of our redemption will forever be borne by our Savior. The price of our forgiveness, that cost the Son of God being slaughtered on the cross as a sacrificial lamb, will be more clearly understood in heaven. There we will more fully understand our sinfulness and separation from God. Our rebellion against His rule will be fully grasped. The costliness of redemption will overwhelm us with worship for the Lamb. Edward Dorr Griffin expressed it so well.

But with how much greater gratitude will the redeemed in heaven, when they see from what they were raised,--when they feel the great salvation which he procured for them,--when they discover the dignity and glory of the Sufferer, and see in his hands and in his side the prints of the nails and the spear; with how much greater gratitude will they cast their crowns at his feet and ascribe to him all the glory of their salvation [The Life and Works of Edward D. Griffin, vol. 2, 476].

The Lamb, John saw was “standing,” so very much alive. Though the emblems of His atoning death like that of the Passover lamb will be visible, even more so will be His triumph over death! Resurrection life crowns the Lamb’s triumph over sin and death.

Then John saw something strange, ironic when thinking of a lamb. “I saw… a Lamb standing, as if slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God, sent out into all the earth.” A horn was often used in the Old Testament to describe strength. The seven horns, expressing perfect power or strength, stand in contrast to the horns on Daniel’s beast in Daniel 7, who will wage war against the saints. Here, “seven horns” demonstrates the fullness of divine power, the omnipotence of Christ as He opens the book and executes the divine decree for the universe.

The “seven eyes” imply Christ’s omniscience, His perfect wisdom regarding every detail necessary for His people to be brought through the trials of this life into the glories of heaven. John adds a note of present encouragement. These “seven horns and seven eyes,” he says, “are the seven Spirits of God, sent out into all the earth.” He had earlier witnessed “the seven Spirits of God,” the Holy Spirit, as “seven lamps of fire burning before the throne” (1:4; 4:5). Now he continues that same image but with an important truth. The Holy Spirit, full of divine power and wisdom, has been “sent out into all the earth.” Wherever God’s people are found, whatever situation they face, however difficult the trial, there is the certainty that the Holy Spirit has been sent from the throne to mediate the power, strength, and wisdom of Jesus Christ for His people.
 
This Lion who is the Lamb that suffered and conquered; that possesses all power and wisdom “came and took the book out of the right hand of Him who sat on the throne.” Here is what John is telling us: everything is under control. Don’t panic, don’t despair, don’t give up, don’t fear—your Savior will faithfully execute God’s plans, and will bring you into His bosom and judge His enemies with righteousness.

Conclusion
The Lamb is on the throne. The only ones that should despair are those that do not know the Lamb. Why should you despair if you have trusted Him?

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