The Eternal Lamb

The concept of the Lamb is woven throughout Scripture, and is an extremely important component in the revelation of Jesus Christ, the Messiah, in God’s Word.   This concept can be found from Genesis to Revelation, but what especially caught my attention was the fact that Lamb of God, over and over again, is taught so many times in the Bible (Over 100 times) and, in the book of Revelation itself (27 times).  When God repeats a term again and again we should note this and study it.  I totally maintain that to ignore something that God stresses is to subtract from God’s Word as taught in Revelation:

Revelation 22:18 For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:

Revelation 22:19 And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.

Now the book of Revelation begins with a promise for those who do follow the teachings in the book of Revelation:

Revelation 1:3 Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.

And between this blessing and the two warnings, the term Lamb is used 27 times in the book.  I believe God wants His people to be aware of the Lamb, the Only One worthy to accomplish the Father’s will.  John the Baptist knew the teaching of the Lamb of God throughout the Old Testament.  As John sees Christ approaching the river where John was baptizing he proclaims:

John 1:29 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

I. The Book of Genesis, teaches the concept of the Lamb of God in the form of an innocent substitute from the very beginning without mentioning the word “Lamb”.  Genesis is a book of very few words.

A. The teaching of the Lamb begins with the concept of an innocent substitute

Genesis 2:21 Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them.

B. Adam and Eve obviously taught their sons:  Cain’s offering was not an innocent substitute as taught by the “coats of skins”

Genesis 4:3 And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD.

Genesis 4:4 And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering:

Genesis 4:5 But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell.

C. Chapter 22- A heavy-hearted Abraham heads up Mount Moriah (The same mountain tin which Christ was crucified) with his “only begotten son” (Hebrews 11:17) to obey God

1. When they arrived at the top of the mountain Isaac speaks to his father:

Genesis 22: Ge 22:7 And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the Lamb for a burnt offering?

2. Abraham’s answer is revealing:

Genesis 22:8 And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a Lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together.

3. Just as Abraham is going to lower the knife, he is stopped and they look and see a Ram caught in a bush.  The ram was sacrificed in the stead of Isaac… Why? Because as we shall learn Christ is the Lamb Who will be sacrificed 2000 years later on that very spot to take away the sins of this world.

D. In the book of Exodus God tells Moses, while the Israelites were still in Egypt during the plagues to make the month that they were in the first month of the year in Israel, and God said:

Exodus 12:3 Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a Lamb, according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for an house:

1. This lamb was to be without spot or blemish, and a first-year male kept until the 14th day….

Exodus 12:6 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.

Exodus 12:7 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 12:8 And they shall eat the flesh in that night, roast with fire, and unleavened bread; and with bitter herbs they shall eat it.

Exodus 12:9 Eat not of it raw, nor sodden at all with water, but roast with fire; his head with his legs, and with the purtenance thereof.

Exodus 12:10 And ye shall let nothing of it remain until the morning; ….

2. God’s plan is unfolding as He states:

Exodus 12:12 For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the LORD.

Exodus 12:13 And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt.

3. I Corinthians 5 talks about this Passover, leaven as sin, and of Christ as our Passover Lamb:

I Corinthians 5:7 Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us: (Lamb)

4. This is, of course, a beautiful picture of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, the innocent substitute for the sins of mankind that separates man from God.

E. Isaiah 53 portrays the Messiah as a Lamb:

Isaiah 53:7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a Lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.

F. Peter also talks about this Lamb:

I Peter 1:18 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;

I Peter 1:19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a Lamb without blemish and without spot:

I Peter 1:20 Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,

I Peter 1:21 Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.

II. But the Book of Revelation itself talks about this Eternal Lamb after He has been slain – and talks about Him by naming Him the Lamb 27 times!  The only One worthy in heaven.

A. In chapter 5, we find John in heaven weeping.  Why was John weeping?

Revelation 5:4 And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon.

1. But one of the elders told John:

Revelation 5:5 And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.

2. But what does John see?  Not a lion, but a….

Revelation 5:6 And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.

3. Now, as the Lamb takes the book, all heaven falls down before Him:

Revelation 5:8  And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints.

4. How do they worship Him?

Revelation 5:12 Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.

Revelation 5:13  And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.

B. Chapter 6 – Christ is the Lamb Who opens the seals:

Revelation 6:1 And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see.

1. What is the reaction of the Kings of the earth?

Revelation 6:15 And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains;

2. What did they say?  Were they on earth aware of the Lamb?

Revelation 6:16 And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide

Revelation 6:16 And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb:

 

 

 

C. Chapter 7 – John sees 144 K Jews 12K from each tribe participating in some kind of revival the redeemed stand before Christ the Lamb:

Revelation 7:9  After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;

1. They were praising God on the throne and the Lamb for their deliverance:

Revelation 7:10 And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.

2. Who were among this Multitude? – Redeemed washed in the blood of the Lamb

Revelation 7:14 And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

3. They truly knew the Lamb.

Revelation 7:17 For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.

D. Chapter 12 – We see the sun clothed woman and Satan Killing the remnant,

1. How did they overcome Satan?

Revelation 12:11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.

2. And they are preserved by a miracle from God:

Revelation 12:14  And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.

E. Chapter 13 – John sees two beasts terrorize the Earth

1. The first beast comes out of the sea – How does he affect the people of the Earth?

Revelation 13:4 And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?

Revelation 13:8 And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.

2. The second beast comes out of the earth – False lamb

Revelation 13:11 And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a Lamb, and he spake as a dragon.

Revelation 13:12 And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.

F. Chapter 14: A Lamb and the 144 K

1. They had the Lamb’s Father’s name on their foreheads

Revelation 14:1 And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father’s name written in their foreheads.

Revelation 14:4 These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb.

2. What happens to the people who follow the false lamb?

Revelation 14:10  The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:

G. Chapter 15 – He is the Lamb of which heaven sings – They sing to Moses and the Lamb

Revelation 15:3  And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvelous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints.

H. Chapter 17 – Christ is the Lamb that will overcome – Lord of Lords and King of Kings

Revelation 17:14 These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.

I. The High Mountain of Bliss –

1. The Marriage of the Lamb at the Second Advent

Revelation 19:7 Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.

2. The Marriage Supper of the Lamb

Revelation 19:9 And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.

J. New Jerusalem called the Bride (For its inhabitants) the Lamb’s wife

Revelation 21:9  And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb’s wife.

1. The wall had 12 foundations named after the 12 Apostles of the Lamb

Revelation 21:14 And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

2. Christ is the Lamb, along with God Almighty is the temple of New Jerusalem

Revelation 21:22 And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it.

3. Christ is the Lamb, is the Light of New Jerusalem

Revelation 21:23 And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.

4. Christ is the Lamb who has the book of life – No one enters this city unless their name is in it

Revelation 21:27 And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life.

 

 

K. Christ is the Lamb on the throne with God Almighty from which the river of the water of Life flows

Revelation 22:1 And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.

Revelation 22:3 And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him: