The names of Jesus in the book of revelation – Part 28
Emeritus Prof. Mercy Olumide
“The wrath of the Lamb” (6:16) will come to those who have rejected His redemptive sacrifice as the Lamb of God (6:15-17).
The “seven horns” represent the power and strength of a ruler (1 Ki 22:11; Dan 7:24); for “seven spirits,” see Rev 4:5).
“seven spirits of God” (4:5). The seven spirits of God represent the presence of the Holy Spirit at the throne of God.
The language may come from the sevenfold expression of the Spirit in Is 11:2.
The Holy Spirit is like a burning fire filled with judgment against sin and with God’s purity (cf Is 4:4; John 16:8).
“Worthy is the Lamb,” (Rev 5:12). Gk axios means “worthy, valuable, right.” The title “the Lamb” is used for Jesus 28 times in Revelation and is the major symbolic image for Him in the book.
Jesus is the worthy Lamb because His sacrificial death on the cross “taketh away the sin of the world” (John 1:29).
His marks of having been slain signify His worthiness to be praised for His power, wealth, wisdom and strength and to be ascribed honour, glory and praise by all of heaven (5:11-12).
He alone is worthy to take the scroll of earth’s future destiny from the hand of Him who sits on the throne, to break its seals and to disclose its contents (5:6-8).
His worthiness at this point comes not from His eternal deity but from His great act of redemption as the Son of Man (“for thou wast slain,” 5:9).
Jesus will be loved and worshiped for all the ages to come because of His humble lamb-like death on the cross (cf. Phil 2:6-11).
John identifies Jesus as “The Lamb of God”
“The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (Jn 1:29)
“Lamb of God.”
Jesus is the Lamb provided by God to be sacrificed in the place of sinners (cf. Ex 12:3-17; Is 53:7).
By His death, Jesus provided for the removal of the guilt and power of sin and opened the way to God for all in the world.
Lamb of God: An overview
Lamb of God Title specifically bestowed upon the Lord Jesus by John the Baptist (John 1:29), “Here is the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”.
The title is found earlier than the NT but not with the specific meaning found there. Jer. 11:19 and Isa. 53:7 point to a prophetic significance of the Lamb.
It is in the NT, however, that the term finds its distinctly Christian significance to refer to Christ as the Lamb who atoned for our sins.
The source of the expression is to be found in the important place that the “lamb” occupies in the sacrifices of the Jewish people.
A lamb was used for sacrifice during the annual Passover (Exod. 12: 1-36) as well as in the daily sacrifices of Israel (Lev. 14:12-21; Heb. 10:5-7).
On the Sabbath the number of the offerings was doubled, and at some of the great festivals a still larger number were laid upon the altar (Exod. 29:38; Num. 28:3,9,13).
All this would be familiar to John the Baptist, being a member of a priestly family.
The lamb of the Passover occupied a prominent place in the mind of a devout Israelite, and when John spoke the words of John 1:29, the Passover was not far off.
The sacrificial use is clearly in view in the words of the Apostles Paul (1 Cor. 5:7) and Peter (1 Pet. 1:18).
Email: mercyolumide2004@yahoo.co.uk www.thebiblicalwomanhood.com Mobile: +234 803 344 6614; +234 808 123 7987.
Related
0 Comments
We will review and take appropriate action.