“TRIUMPH OF THE (Slain) LAMB”

The New Testament Epistle of Revelation, the closing book of the Bible, reveals the God glorifying, Christ exalting climax of redemptive history.  It was written by the Apostle John while he was exiled in a prison camp on the island of Patmos, as a consequence of his faithfulness to the Gospel (Revelation 1:9).

It is in its totality a letter that was originally circulated to the seven churches of Asia Minor (modern day Turkey), that are specifically identified in Revelation 1:11 by Jesus Himself.  The salutation or greeting in the letter is trinitarian attesting to the fact that the content of the letter came from the eternal God through His servant John to the churches of that day and by extension, of our day (Revelation 1:4-5).

The practical purpose of this letter is for the admonition, exhortation, encouragement and comfort of the Church on earth, a Church under attack, as it/we await Christ’s second coming and the consummation of His redemptive work.  The ultimate purpose of the letter and the exposition of all that it contains is the revelation of Christ’s glory, of all that makes Him worthy to rule over a new creation and to be worshiped and glorified by all of creation (Revelation 1:5-6) (Philippians 2:5-11) (Revelation 5:11-13).

Now the book of Revelation is an amazingly fascinating, but challenging, book to read and study.  It is a book which promises blessing to those who read and heed what is revealed in it (Revelation 1:3). At the same time, it warns that those who would be arrogant or careless enough to add to or take away from the glorious truths God has revealed to us in this book, will be subject to the plagues that are written in the book and even to the exclusion from a place in the “Lamb’s book of life” (Revelation 22:18-19).  Both the promise and warning should motivate us to a serious study of this book.

But we need help, as the letter contains a series of visions (and I saw) given to John by Jesus Christ (Revelation 1:12-20); visions which contain references, images and symbols regarding past, present and future events that comprise God working out His plan of redemption which is consummated in a new heavens and new earth (2 Peter 3:13).

It uses, at least to us, bizarre and even frightening  imagery to reveal present and future unseen realities regarding the attacks of the enemies of God and His people, the Church on Earth, while assuring us of God’s sovereign rule over and final defeat and judgment of those enemies through the person and work of Jesus Christ, God the Son (1 Corinthians 15:24-26) (Matthew 17:5).

There is imagery that refers to the purification and security of His Church in the midst of the battle, particularly in Chapters 2 and 3, and in the consummation of God’s eternal plan of a new heavens (universe) and new earth where there will be no more suffering nor sadness nor death as there will be no more sin, curse or devil  (Revelation 21:1-4) (Revelation 22:3) (Revelation 20:10).

Many of the references, images and symbols expressed in these visions are explained to John by those within the vision and have ties and allusions to Old Testament history and prophecy, imagery and prophecy that would have been familiar to and understood by John and the people of His day and culture.

However, as we have gotten further from that time and culture, we need help in bringing this into our understanding and in heeding the truth revealed in this letter as we walk through this present evil world, the dangers and allurements of which Jesus came to warn us of and deliver us from (Matthew 24: 4-11) (Galatians 1:4).

There are a number of very helpful commentaries on the book of Revelation.  Two that I have found helpful that are relatively easy reads include More Than Conquerors by William Hendrikson and The Returning King: A Guide to the Book of Revelation by Verne Poythress.  Gregory Beale has a commentary, The Book of Revelation, that has been highly recommended and quoted by a number of Reformed writers/teachers.  However, it’s cost ($80.00 used) and length (around 1300 pages), are both outside of my comfort zone.

The commentary I have found most helpful to me is titled Triumph of the Lamb by Dennis Johnson. It is very readable and clear in its presentation of Christ’s victory over the enemies of God’s people, and thus His worthiness as the “Lamb of God’ “To receive power and riches and wisdom, And strength and honor and glory and blessing!” (Revelation 5:11-12).

This Lamb, prefigured in the Old Testament sacrifices for sin (Exodus 12:1-13), is introduced to us by John the Baptist in John 1:29-30 as the “lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world”.   He does so through His sinless life, substitutionary death on the cross and miraculous resurrection from the dead, as a man, and thus stands here in John’s vision in Revelation 5:6-9) as a lamb that was slain to redeem men from every tribe, language, people and nation.  Revelation 13:8 tells us that this Lamb was slain from the foundation of the world, indicating this was the primary identity He would assume in coming into this world to die – to be slaughtered for our sins (Isaiah 53:7-8) (Mark 10:45).

In doing so He would restore both those who would put their faith in Him and the creation as a whole, back to the glory in which we and it were created (Ephesians 2:8-9) (1 Peter 3:18) (Romans 8:18-22).  And thus, He reveals Himself to be infinitely and eternally worthy of being worshiped by all of the redeemed as well as all of His creation forever and ever (Revelation 5:14)

In my next post, I will look more closely at this Lamb and His worthiness of being worshiped, worshiped as the object of our deepest love and as the source and substance of our present and eternal happiness and joy.

Grace and Peace x