Revelation 5:6
And between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders I saw a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain, with seven horns and with seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth.
“Why doesn’t God heal Himself?” That was the question of the five-year-old, the daughter of our friend, when the passage was being read as part of their family devotions.
Agnus Dei is a Latin term translated to English as the “Lamb of God,” referring to Jesus Christ. A title for the Lord we have used often.
Yet, it is only John who uses this title of Jesus in the New Testament. (Peter refers to it, too, but not as a title in 1 Peter 1:19 – “but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb…”). The apostle John had long known the Lord Jesus as the Lamb. That was his first view of Him, when the Baptist, pointing to Jesus, said, “Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world” (John 1:29).
“A LAMB AS IT HAD BEEN SLAIN”
The word “slain” is from the Greek root word sphazō, which may also be translated as “slaughtered or butchered.” It describes the violent death Jesus endured on the cross to take away our sins. Jesus is the slaughtered and stricken Passover Lamb.
However, He is also the Lamb exalted. He is the One declared as “worthy” (Revelation 5:9). The song that the elders in heaven sing is the song of the worthiness of the Lamb.
Around the throne are the elders representing the redeemed; the four living creatures who represent all of nature; and the myriads of angels who do the beckoning of Jehovah. And at the very center, in the middle of this great multitude, is the Lamb of God. He has the highest and most exalted place.
Without Him, there would be no redeemed souls.
Without Him, there would be no church.
Without Him, there would be no hope for this sin-cursed world.
No matter how many countless ages roll by in eternity, we shall never forget that the redeemed are there because of the slain Lamb. All we have or ever hope to become is the fruit of the cross and the gift of the Lamb that was slain for us.
One of the elders who worshipped the Lamb approaches John and asks him, “Those who are clothed in robes of white, who are they and where do they come from?” (Revelation 7:13). The elder then explains a beautiful truth.
Who are those who are dressed in robes of white? They are the ones who have come out of the great tribulation and have washed their robes — made them white — in the blood of the Lamb, Jesus Christ. “Therefore, they may come before the throne of God” (Revelation 7:15).
The elder represents the church triumphant, speaking to John, who is still a part of the church militant. The picture given in the question is one of the church triumphant comforting the church militant in her grief. It is an assurance that the victory has already been won. The Lamb has been slain!
The blood of the Lamb assures us that the victory is ours as He has been slain for our sin.
YET A REGAL LION
Notice, though, that in Revelation 5:6, John does not say, “He looked but saw a sacrificial lamb instead of a regal lion that he was asked to behold.”
In fact, the Lamb is the Lion; both animals represent one person – Jesus Christ.
The One who died for us now reigns. Only Christ can and has spanned the two worlds of the Lamb and the Lion.
This is what we remember. This is one of the facts we will never forget throughout eternity.
Our remembrance, for now, is by the elements of the bread and the wine. In eternity, it will be the very physical presence of the Lord Himself. One look at the slain Lamb, who is the Lion of Judah, is all it will take for us to remember through eternity that He loved us to death and beyond.
Come, let us worship Him as we remember Him and show forth His death.