“Lion and the Lamb” (Revelation 5:1-14)

How to Conquer the World

A weekly magazine The Economist once interviewed Frank Brown, one of the global CEO leaders in 2008. The main topic was how to conquer the world. Mr. Brown basically said two things. The first thing was networking and relationship-building. He said, “Building relationships is not something you do once you're 40 and join the country club. You should have been doing it for the last 15 years.” The second area was communication. He believed how we communicate is a huge factor in how successfully to conquer the world.[1] Good advice.

The Scroll

I shared this because today’s scripture tells us how to conquer the world, but in a different way. In Revelation 4 John is invited to heaven and sees a throne at the center of the universe and the One seated on the throne. He sees that everything – our family, our health, our future, our life – revolves around the throne. Then John’s attention is now shifted from the throne to a scroll. In Revelation 5:1 John says, “Then I saw in the right hand of the one seated on the throne a scroll…” John does not tell us what it is, but from the following chapters we know it is the book of history, particularly the sealed record of the unknown future. Now we know our history and our future are in God’s right hand. They are safely sealed. But, as long as the scroll is sealed, we don’t know what is written inside. In John’s time Christians were a persecuted minority. As they were suffering under Roman oppression, probably they had many questions in their minds: “Do my sufferings have any meaning?”, “Does God have a plan for this?”, “Who can give me a clue to the mystery of suffering?” They might get frustrated and worn out. They were looking for someone who would be able to open the scroll and give them an answer. That’s why an angel asks John in verse 2, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and break the seals?” But, John can’t find anyone. So, he becomes emotional and weeps bitterly. We know God holds the future in our heads. But, when we are hard pressed on every side, in our minds we ask the same questions that the early church Christians had, “Why me? Does God have a plan for this?” No one can answer this question. But, there is good news! The seals are now broken and the scroll is wide open! Now John is invited to see the One who opens the scroll and break the seals.

Christus Victor

He sees Christ Victor. In verse 5, one of the elders says to John, “Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.” So John looks up to see this triumphant lion, but to his surprise what he sees instead is a Lamb, looking as if it has been slain (6). It is crucial that we recognize the contrast between what John hears (“the Lion”) and what he sees (“the Lamb”). Both images are the “true face of Christ.” Yes! Christ Jesus is indeed the Lion of Judah. He is the son of David, the Messiah and God Almighty. He is able to save us by his almighty power. He reigns with God and is equally worthy of our praise and worship. But at the same time, Jesus is the Lamb of God. To be precise, Jesus has willingly become the Lamb of God. He has saved us, not by his almighty power, but by his sacrificial death. In verse 9 four living creatures give praises to Jesus, “You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation.” When we say “Jesus is the Lamb of God,” we tend to think that this Lamb is powerless and vulnerable. But that’s not the case for Jesus. In fact, the reverse is true. In verse 6 the Lamb is described as follows: “He has seven horns and seven eyes.” Here the seven horns symbolize Jesus’ almighty power. The seven eyes signify his perfect knowledge. Jesus, the slain Lamb, is indeed almighty and all-knowing God. But, this Jesus has conquered the world not through his power and knowledge, but through his suffering and death. In Revelation Jesus redefines the nature of power. This power of love transforms us. Jesus is the Lion and the Lamb.

Psalm 22 is called a messianic Psalm. In this Psalm David detailedly prophesies the passion of Christ. Jesus’ suffering on the cross is described in this way: “I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint; my heart is like wax; it is melted within my breast; my strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to my jaws; you lay me in the dust of death. For dogs encompass me; a company of evildoers encircles me; they have pierced my hands and feet-- I can count all my bones-- they stare and gloat over me; they divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots” (vv.14-18, ESV). People mocked and said to Jesus, “If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross. Show your power! Then, we will believe. He saved others; he cannot save himself.” Jesus was indeed able to come down from the cross right away and to show his power. But, he chose not. He endured the cross to the end to give us new life. By his blood Jesus purchased us, while we were of no use whatever to him. We change, we are transformed not by force, but by love. When we taste and see Jesus’ great love, we are drawn to him, and we worship him. At the end of the Psalm 22 David prophesies and sings like this: “All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the LORD, and all the families of the nations will bow down before him, for dominion belongs to the LORD and he rules over the nations” (vv.27-28).

Follow the Lamb

The vision of the Lamb is a call to worship the Lamb. And it’s also a call to follow the Lamb. When you see this Jesus, the slaughtered Lamb, you want to worship him and follow him wherever he leads. Jesus has conquered the world. And now he invites us to do the same (cf. Rev 5:10), not by power, but by death – the way of the cross. We conquer the world as we follow the way of the cross. Then, what does it look like? I think the story of Jim Elliot can help us understand what it means to conquer the world by following the way of the cross. Jim and four other missionaries attempted to evangelize unreached people, Waodani tribe, renowned for violence, in Ecuador in 1956. But all five of them were speared by a group of the Waodani warriors. At that time, the missionaries had guns with them but they didn’t use them. Instead, while they were dying, they said to the Waodani men in their language, “I am your friend.” After this, even more amazing thing happened. The wives and children of the missionaries decided to go and live with the Waodani people. And the tribe people asked them this question: “Why didn’t your husbands use their guns?” The wives answered, “Because they wanted to tell you the story of Jesus. He was abused, but he did not retaliate. He suffered, but he did not threaten, because he wanted to show you that there is a new way of life.” The wives and the children lived with the tribe for two years, teaching God’s word, God’s love and forgiveness, transforming their way of life forever. We win souls, we change the world, we conquer the world by following the way of the cross.

“Not My Will, But Yours Be Done”

We often think we would be happy if we follow “my way”, if we are in charge. We often think we must give up our happiness to follow Jesus and his way. But the truth is that His way – the way of the cross – is the only pathway to life, freedom, contentment, and joy (cf. Ps 37:4; Jn 10:10, 15:11).

Recently, I met one of my colleagues. He shared what God was up to among his church. The church was continually growing in numbers, their giving this year exceeded their budget by 25%, and they recently purchased another property for new ministry opportunities. As I was listening, I had to ask the similar questions that the early church Christians had: “Our church struggles. Do our struggles have any meaning?”, “Does God have a plan for this?” “What does God have in store for our church?” and so on. I became fretful and anxious. That same day another colleague gave me a book as a present. God spoke to me through that book. In the book John Ortberg asks his mentor what he, as a pastor, needs to do to help his church grow and be more effective at spiritual transformation. The mentor’s immediate response is, “You must live with deep contentment, joy, and confidence in your experience of everyday life with God.”[2] The question is “How can we live with deep contentment, joy and confidence?” Through following the way of the cross! Through saying “NO” to my way and saying “YES” to Jesus’ way. “Not my will, but Yours be done” in whatever context we are in. By this continues surrender, we become the happiest person in the world. We conquer the world.

Psalm 131

O LORD, my heart is not lifted up;

my eyes are not raised too high;

I do not occupy myself with things too great 

and too marvelous for me.

But I have calmed and quieted my soul,

like a weaned child with its mother;

like a weaned child is my soul within me.

O Israel, hope in the LORD

from this time forth and forevermore. 

Amen.

[1] “How to Conquer the World,” The Economist (Mar 6th, 2008)
[2] Lance Witt, Replenish (BakerBooks, 2011), 10.