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I live just outside the city right between Bonn and Cologne, Germany along the Rhine river. Although I'm only 15 minutes from the center of both cities, my neighborhood feels a bit like living in the country. I like to go for runs on the path beside the water with the mighty river on my left and a series of people's backyard gardens on my right. Most of these gardens have the most impeccable landscaping with perfectly rounded bushes and fruit trees. Along the river are wild blackberry bushes that we pick when they come in season. There is one plot of land along this path where the owners have a small flock of sheep. To my surprise, when I ran by one day this spring, I saw that the sheep had given birth just a few days prior, and a group of the sweetest little lambs were stumbling and frolicking around the garden. They looked so frail and awkward but oh so adorable.
So when I read on in our passage in Revelation 4-5, the imagery of the Lamb becomes a little startling. It reads, "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. And he went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who was seated on the throne. And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints." (Revelation 5:6-8)
They go on to worship with the words we studied yesterday. Then, as a response, thousands of angels cry out in worship of their own. With a loud voice, they say,
"Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!" (Revelation 5:12)
This Lamb seems to be a much different sight from the feeble newborns in my neighborhood. This Lamb is worthy of power, wealth, wisdom, might, honor, glory, and blessing. What a list! He is worthy of it all.
But why? Why is this Lamb so different?
This Lamb is the Lord Jesus Christ. Just as Old Testament saints sacrificed lambs and their blood served as a temporary atonement for sin (since the wages of sin is death–Romans 6:23), the death of Jesus on the cross, and his innocent, blameless blood spilled is the source of our redemption. Jesus is the true and better "lamb" whose sacrifice was sufficient to cover all sin for all time. He bought our redemption with His blood. He is the only one worthy of opening the scroll as the ruler of all the Earth.
Jesus, you are the Lamb who was slain for me. Thank you for dying on the cross for my sins. Thank you for dying on the cross for the sins of all the saints. You are worthy of all power, wealth, and wisdom, and all power, wealth, and wisdom are yours! You are worthy of all honor, glory, and blessing, and I honor, glorify, and bless you today for who you are. Thank you for your sacrifice. Amen.
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