Rev.5:5,6 – 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 be able to open the scroll and its seven seals.”
And I saw between the throne (with the four living creatures) and the elders a Lamb standing, as if slaughtered, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth.
This passage in Revelation 5 shows us the foundation of all of our worship of the Lord Jesus. Jesus the Lord was revealed to John as a lion. As the Lion of the tribe of Judah, Christ is pictured as the Sovereign Lord, ruler of all things. In the next moment John sees the Lord as a lamb offered in sacrifice. What a conflict of images, the lion strong and mighty terrifying in His majesty, and then the lamb of God, meek and lowly offering Himself up for our sins. Such an image was totally devastating to John, he began to weep and join in with the heavenly worship. Here is how Augustine describes this scene.
“Like a sheep he was led to be slaughtered, and like a lamb in the presence of his shearer he was without voice, thus he did not open his mouth Who is this?.” Obviously the one about whom he goes on to say, “In humility his judgment was taken away. His generation, who shall relate?” I can see this model of such humility in a king of such power and authority. Because this one, who is like a lamb not opening its mouth in the presence of the shearer, is himself “the lion from the tribe of Judah.” Who is this, both lamb and lion? He endured death as a lamb; he devoured it as a lion. Who is this, both lamb and lion? Gentle and strong, lovable and terrifying, innocent and mighty, silent when he was being judged, roaring when he comes to judge.”
John found himself in the apex of the power of God. The twenty four elders were on their faces in worship, the seraphim were booming out their worship, “HOLY, HOLY, HOLY is THE LORD GOD, THE ALMIGHTY, WHO WAS AND WHO IS AND WHO IS TO COME” and the earth itself was being swept into the effects of this heavenly worship. Worship is increasing on the earth, the ramifications of this is ushering in the King of Kings.
Thank God these comparisons ignite strong feeling within me. Passion for the endless hidden treasures that reveal something new about our God has captured my attention and the further I go, the more I’m consumed by Him. The best part, it’s endless, what a future!