The final book of the sacred canon begins with the words, “The revelation of Jesus Christ” (Rev. 1:1). The Greek word translated “revelation” is apokalypsis from which we get the term, “apocalypse”. For many, this term brings to mind violent images of devastating destruction. This is unfortunate, for the term is a hopeful term. It means “to manifest, unveil, uncover, and lay bare.”

The “apocalypse” of Jesus Christ is not about wholesale destruction; it is about the unveiling of spiritual realities. God allows us to see the “reality” behind reality – the unseen behind the seen. We are given the opportunity to “go behind the scenes.” The veil between heaven and earth is removed and we are allowed to peer into heaven’s deepest mysteries.

And what we see, quite simply, is Jesus.

This is, after all, the revelation of Jesus Christ. It is not the revelation of the Beast, the Antichrist, the False Prophet, or any other entity. (If we used many popular end-times books and movies – including the hugely successful Left Behind series – as our guide, we would assume that the Antichrist is the “star” of the Revelation. But Antichrist is not explicitly mentioned by name even once in the entire book.) The object (or better, subject) of “the revelation” is Jesus Christ. And this gives us great hope, just as it imparted great hope to its original readers.

The Revelation was written during a time of great ecclesiastical persecution. The Roman Emperor Domitian pressed his claims of divinity more than all his predecessors. Though worship of deceased Emperor’s was common, Domitian was the first Emperor to demand worship while he was still alive. His favorite title was Dominus et Deus noster, translated, “our Lord and God.” Obviously, faithful Christians could not assent to this, and thus they were unable to give the Emperor the homage he demanded. This led to massive persecution.

It is in this historical context that the Revelation was given. The author’s main point was not to write a detailed history of future events, but to provide comfort and encouragement to suffering believers. The believer’s problem was simple: How can Christ really be king when opposition to Christ’s people is so great?

For this reason, John refers to a throne over sixty times in the Revelation. But the throne he focuses upon is not a Roman throne, but God’s throne. In the midst of pagan persecution, God continues to reign.[1] It is God’s sovereignty, not the antichrist’s reign (or any other power of evil, for that matter) that is the focus.

God’s Throne (Revelation 4)

John’s first vision begins with a beautiful and majestic vision of God’s glorious throne. John’s description merges many Old Testament images. The throne (Rev. 4:2) and living creatures (Rev. 4:6-7) combine Isaiah’s vision in the temple (Isaiah 6:1-8) and Ezekiel’s vision of God’s glory chariot (Ezekiel 1).[2] The gems used to describe God’s appearance draw attention to the awesome beauty emanating from the throne. The rainbow around the throne (Rev. 4:3) reminds the reader of God’s covenant made with all creation through Noah (Gen 9:8-17). The thunder and lighting (Rev. 4:5) recall the terrors of Mt. Sinai at the giving of the Law (Exo. 19:16-25). The “sea of glass like crystal” (Rev. 4:6) highlights the sheer magnificence of the throne. Marva Dawn invites us to “[i]magine the reflection of the heavenly throne’s brilliance from such an expanse of icy glass!” The sea of glass also serves two other functions: (1) it reveals the immeasurable distance between John and the throne, and (2) it represents the powers of evil and chaos smoothed over as glass in God’s presence. In other words, the chaotic powers that overwhelm God’s people are no threat to God. The sea vanishes altogether in Revelation 21:1.

Finally, the twenty-four elders (Rev. 4:9) represent the people of God. Unlike Isaiah’s terrifying experience of coming apart at the seams in God’s presence (“Woe is me, for I am undone”), the Elder’s experience no shame or fear, but rather delight in God’s glory, giving honor and thanksgiving to God. They worship God and declare God worthy. Why? Because God is the Creator of all things: “You are worthy… for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created” (Rev. 4:11). All creation exists because of God’s will.

The Scroll and the Lamb (Revelation 5)

In his vision of the heavenly throne, John sees “a scroll written on the inside and on the back, sealed with seven seals” (Rev. 5:1). It was unusual to write on both the inside and the outside of a scroll. This indicates the fullness and completeness of the scroll’s contents. The seven seals draw attention to the security and secret of the contents.

The scroll represents God’s divine will and purpose – God’s plan unrevealed and unexecuted. A glimpse into the scroll’s contents is necessary in order to “unveil” the mystery of God.

At this point in the vision “a mighty angel proclaim[s] with a loud voice, ‘Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?’” (Rev. 5:2). The thunderous voice projects throughout the entire universe. The question is simply, “Who is worthy?”

Who is worthy? Are the Roman Emperors worthy? The Greek philosophers? The religious leaders? The scientists? Celebrities? Now is the chance for anyone who feels worthy to unveil the mystery of God’s will to step forward and announce their qualifications.

The response is deafening… in its silence! “And no one in heaven [the angels or elders] or on earth [humans] or under the earth [the dead or devils] was able to open the scroll or to look into it” (Rev. 5:3). The angel’s universal proclamation is answered by universal silence. A chilling hush pervades the cosmos. The universe is so still that you could hear a pin drop.

No one is able to respond. No one is worthy. The unveiling must be cancelled.

Suddenly, a sound breaks the chilling silence – the sound of weeping! Overwhelmed by the silence, John “weeps bitterly” (Rev. 5:4). Why? In his words, “no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to look into it” (Rev. 5:4). No one is able to reveal God’s will.

John’s weeping is interrupted by one of the twenty-four Elders. His words are simple, “Stop weeping… Behold!” “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” (Rev. 5:5).

Two titles strike a chord with John: The “Lion” is the king of beasts, a symbol of strength (see Genesis 49:9-10). The “Root of David” alludes to God’s covenant with King David to provide a Messiah, a royal and godly king, to rule the world.

With these strong images stirring John’s imagination, John turns to look upon God’s promised Messiah, the fierce and mighty lion of God. But he is shocked to see only a lamb.[3]

We can imagine John rubbing his eyes in disbelief. His expectations have been completely overturned. He expected a fierce, conquering lion – he sees a bleeding lamb!

The Greek word translated lamb is not the usual New Testament word, amnos, but the diminutive, arnion. It emphasizes that this is a small, tiny lamb – it is a “little lamb”. We could paraphrase, “Lambkins,” “Lamby,” or my favorite, “Fluffy.”

It is Fluffy who “has conquered” (Rev. 5:5). Indeed, Fluffy bests the Beast – and all other powers of evil. God’s conquering Messiah does not triumph through violence, bloodshed, or political or military force, but rather, through self-giving love. The “Lamb stand[s] as if it had been slaughtered” (Rev. 5:6). It is the Lamb’s sacrifice unto death – Christ’s cross – that has won the victory.

This is an unexpected twist: the lion is the lamb.[4] The “unveiling” reveals that sacrificial love and gentleness are the way to victory. John is told to behold the power of God – the vulnerable, yet strong love, of the cross. Heaven’s symbol of power is a “little lamb.” Leon Morris writes, “It is striking and unexpected to have such an animal chosen to symbolize Christ... When earth-bound men want symbols of power they conjure up mighty beasts and birds of prey. Russia elevates the bear, Britain the lion, France the tiger, the United States the spread eagle—all of them ravenous. it is only the Kingdom of Heaven that would dare to use as its symbol of might, not the Lion for which John was looking but the helpless Lamb, and at that, a slain lamb.”

Worthy is the Lamb!

The lamb “took the scroll from the right hand of the one who was seated on the throne” (Rev. 5:7). This act triggers an explosion of praise that reverberates throughout the entire cosmos. With each round the praise extends and intensifies. The song of the lamb swells and crescendos until it fills the entire cosmos. The universal silence – so chilling just moments before – gives way to universal praise!

The praise begins with God’s redeemed (Rev. 5:9-10). They sing a “new song.” In the Hebrew Bible, “new songs” were written after the execution of great acts of deliverance. For example, God’s deliverance of Israel through the Red Sea brought forth a new song. The new song celebrates a new victory.

The victory is the redemption of all people. All national, political, cultural, and racial boundaries are transcended. The “Lamb of God… takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). The universal significance of the Lamb’s sacrifice demands universal recognition. This is the reason for missions. All people need to hear the good news! The Lamb has triumphed!

Countless numbers of angels join in the chorus (Rev. 5:11-12). Finally, all creation joins in (Rev. 5:13-14). All creatures that were silent are now heard praising. The universal question now has a definitive answer: “Who is worthy?” “The Lamb is worthy!” “Amen! This is so! This is gloriously true!”

Christ is the Key

At least three truths about Christ, the Lamb, arise from this vision:

First, Christ is the key to history. God’s plan is unknowable apart from Christ. The ultimate reason for this is that Christ is God’s plan. Christ is the only One who can unfold the mysteries of God’s will represented by the sealed scroll. The true meaning of history can only be discovered by focusing on the person and work of Christ. God’s will in creation (Revelation 4) is accomplished by the Lamb (Revelation 5).

Second, Christ is the key to God. The fullness of God’s revelation is found in the face of Christ. The universal worship of the Lamb is evidence of the full divinity of the Lamb. Only God is to be worshipped (Rev. 22:9), and yet here, as in other places in the Revelation, the Lamb is worshipped and praised. If we want to know God, the best place to begin is with the revelation of the Lamb.

Third, Christ is the key to power. It is not the Roman Emperor, False Prophet, or Antichrist who are on the throne. The Lamb is on the throne. How did the Lamb conquer? In the words of Barbara Rossing, “the Lamb of revelation became the victor not by militaristic power and slaughter but by being slaughtered.” Evil is defeated by suffering love. The slain lamb reminds us that victory comes through sacrifice – that we conquer with the Lamb by remaining faithful, even unto death, in self-giving love.

This kind of love rules the universe. Suffering saints can find comfort in the fact that suffering love is the greatest power in the cosmos. It cannot be defeated by any power, no matter how threatening it may appear. In the economy of heaven – whose reality is the basis for all reality – it is the “weakness” of love that topples the strong. Fluffy bests the Beast because the power of love is stronger than the love of power.

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© Richard J. Vincent, 2006