The Slain Lamb

Rev. 5:1-7

A study on Revelation

The Slain Lamb

Rev. 5:1-7

Theme:  God shows us the perfection of the slain Lamb.

Introduction:  This is by far the most revealing passage regarding the Lamb of God.  We have go to the Old Testament to understand the Lamb.  A lamb would be used as a sacrifice for sin which we will look into in a few minutes.  Tonight, as we observe the Lord’s Supper, we are remembering God’s Son who is identified as the Lamb of God who suffered and shed His blood to take away our sin.

God will only accept a perfect sacrifice as payment for sin.  “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” (2 Corinthians 5:21)

This is the perfection of God who gave His life for us.  We are not having a religious ritual or going through the motions of some event.  We are honoring the very Lamb of God.

Here in this passage God show us the perfect Lamb of God.

God gives us two distinct descriptions.

I. He is worthy vv. 1-4

A. The call vv. 1-2

1.  The book is located in a place of authority and power.

2. 7 sealed book-at the opening of the book there is the outpouring of the judgments-maybe like flying roll

“Then I turned, and lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and behold a flying roll. And he said unto me, What seest thou? And I answered, I see a flying roll; the length thereof is twenty cubits, and the breadth thereof ten cubits. Then said he unto me, This is the curse that goeth forth over the face of the whole earth: For every one that stealeth shall be cut off as on this side according to it; And every one that sweareth shall be cut off as on that side according to it.” (Zechariah 5:1–3)

3.  Or the new covenant

“The words of Jeremiah the son of Hilkiah, of the priests that were in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin: To whom the word of the Lordcame in the days of Josiah the son of Amon king of Judah, in the thirteenth year of his reign. It came also in the days of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, unto the end of the eleventh year of Zedekiah the son of Josiah king of Judah, unto the carrying away of Jerusalem captive in the fifth month.” (Jeremiah 1:1–3)

4. The message seems to be man losing his lordship over creation and Christ is now claiming it back.

5. The angel with a loud voice asks, who is worthy?  Where can you find one worthy?

Reminds me of God’s search for a man

“And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none.” (Ezekiel 22:30)

B. The credentials vv. 3-4

1.  No man is worthy because of his human inability.

2. There was no man anywhere: living or dead had the credential to even look upon the book.

3. The sadness brings weeping because no man is found worthy.

4. There is only One worthy and that Jesus.

5. There is sadness when a man trusts in man whether it be himself or some other man.

6. Look may have more to do with understanding

“Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures,” (Luke 24:45)

7.  The men on the Emmaus road could understand because the only worthy person is Jesus. 

This reminds us tonight:  the only worthy one to die for our sins is Jesus Christ. By worthy, this means Jesus met all the qualifications.   Jesus is the one who suffered for us and this is our reminder.  When we partake of the Lord’s Supper, this not only honors Jesus but reminds us of our imperfection.  When you look to the cross and see through the eye of faith, Jesus dying there for us, we should want to follow Him, obey Him.  This means we need to yield our self-will, our pride, our envy, our unforgiving spirit, whatever is in our hearts, give it to God.

II. He is authoritative vv. 5-7

Jesus has been given all authority and power Matthew 28:18.

A. His identity v. 5

1.  Lion of the tribe of Judah

“Judah is a lion’s whelp: From the prey, my son, thou art gone up: He stooped down, he couched as a lion, And as an old lion; who shall rouse him up? The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, Nor a lawgiver from between his feet, Until Shiloh come; And unto him shall the gathering of the people be.” (Genesis 49:9–10)

2.  His Messianic line goes back to God’s promises those who Judge and Rules.

3. Root of David refers to Royalty-

“Saying, What think ye of Christ? whose son is he? They say unto him, The Son of David. He saith unto them, How then doth David in spirit call him Lord, saying, The Lordsaid unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool?” (Matthew 22:42–44)

4.  Lamb at First Coming and Lion at the second coming.

B. His description vv. 6-7

1.  A slain Lamb which goes back to Exodus 12. 

“Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year: ye shall take it out from the sheep, or from the goats: And ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month: and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening. And they shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses, wherein they shall eat it.” (Exodus 12:5–7)

2.  Slain means He took our sins on Himself for us.

3. Seven horns speak of complete power and authority.

4. Seven eyes-speaks of complete knowledge.

5. Seven spirits-going back to 4:5.

6. He is the ONLY one who takes the book  in verse 7-Christ bears the mark of redemption.

Conclusion:  Tonight, as we participate in the Lord’s Supper, we are reminded that He is the only One worthy to the open the Book.  He is the focus of heaven and He is the central in our lives as the Lord.  When we partake of the Lord’s Supper-remember what He did for us.