Jesus, the Lion and the Lamb.

“… and one of the elders said to me, “stop weeping; 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.”  6 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.”  (Rev 5 v 5 – 6)

Jesus, the Lamb that was slain

Probably one of the most well known passages in the Old Testament is found in Isaiah 53 v 7 “…like a Lamb that is led to slaughter, like a sheep that is silent before its shearers, so He did not open His mouth.”  This scripture paints a picture of the promised Messiah who would willingly undergo great affliction, without retaliating and fighting back, hence referring to Him as a lamb that was slain (Rev 5 v 12).

This begs the question how the Creator of the universe can be overcome by mere mortals?  Unless, this was part of God’s plan, all along, as was prophesied by the men of old.  The “lamb without defect” (Lev 14 v 10), was a type of Christ, blameless and innocent, that was sacrificed as a sin offering and reflects in John 1 v 29 where he says, “behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.” 

Those who lived before Christ, had to atone for their sins through sacrificial offering.  Without the shedding of blood there could be no forgiveness of sins (Heb 9 v 22) and it was only the privilege of the High Priest to enter into the Holy of Holies on behalf of the people.  The shedding of blood symbolized one’s cleansing, yet sin could never be taken away completely (Heb 10 v 11).  In order for us to be made righteous, God had to become a man, in the form of Jesus, who knew no sin. Not only to bear our sins, but to become sin (2 Cor 5 v 21). 

Jesus, the conquering Lion (of Judah)

From a suffering servant, a Lamb that was slain, to a conquering Lion, the only One who was worthy to “open the book and the seven seals.”  It was prophesied that He would be victorious over sin, not only on the cross,  but also victorious over death after Satan’s final defeat.  The above, future events, still to take place, gives us hope for the difficult times that lie ahead.

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