The Redemption of the Planet -3
v.6 And I looked, and behold, in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as though it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent out into all the earth.
This characterization of our Redeemer as a “sacrificed Lamb” is the explanation of His worth and the reason why Jesus (while others dare not) may respond to the great call to take the scroll. For it is the death of Christ and the shedding of His own undefiled blood that alone serves to explain God’s forgiveness, and the basis of all redemption.
“In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace…” (Eph.1:7)
This is the first and only time in Revelation that Jesus appears in the image of a lamb—arguably the most significant symbol used of Him as Redeemer and Sin Bearer throughout Scripture.
God let it be known to Abraham that He would provide for Himself the “lamb” to be offered (Gen.22:8). The prophet Isaiah foretold that He would be “led as a lamb to slaughter” to “make His soul an offering for sin” and would pour it out “unto death” (Isa.53). The paschal lamb typified Christ as the Messiah to Israel (Ex.12:1-28; 1Cor.5:7). John the Baptist announced Him to the world as “The Lamb of God” (John 1:29, 36).
Now here, inside the chambers of heaven, He appears as a lamb slain—the Great Redeemer—the One Whom Isaiah prophesied would save the Gentiles (Isa.11:10) and then “assemble the outcasts of Israel and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth “(Isa.11:12).
The image shadows the Passover — the most important Feast imposed upon Israel in memory of their preservation from death and deliverance from bondage (Ex.12:1-28) and consistent with the role of Jesus as the Messiah of Israel Who would preserve Israel from death and deliver them from bondage.
v.7-8 Then He came and took the scroll out of the right hand of Him who sat on the throne. Now when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.
The Church has been praying, “Thy Kingdom come” for the past two thousand years. Israel’s faithful had been praying for the Coming of their Messiah for continuous centuries before.
Now, all those faithful prayers from all the saints over thousands of years are appropriately released at the feet of Jesus as a sweet smelling aroma as He comes forward to answer those prayers.
v.9-14 And they sang a new song, saying: “You are worthy to take the scroll, and to open its seals; For You were slain, and have redeemed us to God by Your blood out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, and have made us kings and priests to our God; And we shall reign on the earth.” Then I looked, and heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice: ‘Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom, and strength and honor and glory and blessing!’ And every creature which is in heaven and on earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying: “Blessing and honor and glory and power Be to Him who sits on the throne, And to the Lamb, forever and ever!” Then the four living creatures said, “Amen!” And the twenty-four elders fell down and worshiped Him who lives forever and ever.
The whole magnificent event concludes with a crescendo of adoration from all of creation for our Lord and Savior—”every creature which is in heaven and on earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them”.