LAMB & LION (JESUS) – Rev. 5:5-6

 

 

1)      In the two verses just heard, we have two very different pictures of the Lord.

a)      In the 5^th verse of Rev. 5,there is an “elder” who refers to Jesus as a “lion.”

b)      Then John presented Jesus as a “lamb” in verse 6.

 

2)      Lions and lambs are two very different creatures.

3)      It is harder to imagine two creatures with a more different kind of disposition.

4)      A lion commands respect; it is powerful, has a lot of strength, confidence, and no fear.

5)      Lambs are weak, not respected, not known for their intelligence, and fear many other animals.

6)      Jesus Christ is pictured as both a lion and a lamb.

7)      Today we want to look at the Lord from both perspectives.

a)      We begin with the image of a lamb.

b)      Jesus came and His coming to earth was not like a lion.

c)      John wrote this in Jn. 3:17 – READ.

d)      Jesus could have come to this earth as a lion.

e)      Jesus specifically said this was not His mission.

f)        Certainly John the Baptist did not view Jesus as a lion like judge.

g)      Jn. 1:29 says the Baptist cried, “Behold the lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world.”

h)      Jesus came to help men overcome sin, not punish people for their wrongs.

i)        Throughout the New Testament we find an emphasis on Jesus’ initial appearance being lamb like.

 

8)      When Paul wrote to the young preacher named Timothy, he offered some encouragement.

9)      In the first chapter of First Timothy, Paul said he was the “chief of sinners.”

10)  Paul was the worst, but God had saved him.

11)  Paul was an example.  1 Tim. 1:15 presents the thought with these words - - READ.

12)  Paul was a specific example of what we find in Jn. 1:29.

13)  Jesus is a lamb to take away sin.

 

14)  As a lamb Jesus was humble, gentle, and oh so kind.

15)  It was as a lamb that Jesus said, “come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden.”

16)  It was the lamb quality that allowed the Lord to be persecuted without cause.

17)  Even Jesus’ entrance into the world was more like a lamb than a lion.

18)  Jesus slipped into this world without all the fanfare of a king’s newly born son.

19)  When Jesus left, His departure was also like a lamb.

20)  A lion will fight to the death, but Jesus did not fight.

a)      During His earthly life Jesus said, “I lay down my life” (Jn. 10:15).

b)      Then He said this again in Jn. 10:17.

c)      John reminded Christians of these words in 1 Jn. 3:16.

d)      Jesus behaved as a lamb and this fulfilled prophecy.

e)      Isaiah 53:7 says “He was afflicted, yet He opened not his mouth.”

f)        He was brought like a lamb to the slaughter but He did not open His mouth.

 

21)  Jesus was beaten, mocked, spit upon and crucified but He like a lamb He died without a struggle.

22)  Lambs are among the humblest and innocent of all God’s creatures.

23)  Even now the lamb like nature of the Lord is evident.

24)  In many ways Jesus allows people to make a choice for sin.

25)  Many are allowed to disregard and trample His name without paying a noticeable consequence.

26)  There are still those who mock Him and His people.

 

TO MANY, JESUS WAS A LAMB AND HE CONTINUES TO BE A LAMB.  HE WAS A GOOD MAN WHO DID MANY GOOD THINGS, AND THAT IS ABOUT ALL THERE IS TO THE STORY.
     GOD SAYS THERE IS MORE; THERE IS A SECOND PART TO THE EXISTENCE OF JESUS.  WE FIND THIS ADDITIONAL INFORMATION IN THE FIRST CHAPTER IN ACTS.

 

a)      As a lamb, Jesus died, He was buried, and He was raised on the third day.

b)      He went back to heaven.  From there He did not send an immediate judgment upon unbelievers.

 

2)      In many ways Jesus is still like a lamb, but this role with respect to the unsaved is limited.

3)      Acts 1:11 – READ.

4)      Jesus came and heaven has promised that He is coming back.

5)      For the Lord’s first coming, He was like a lamb.

6)      When He returns, it will not be as a lamb.

a)      When the Lord returns again (and we do not know when that time will be), it will be for judgment.

b)      His second coming will demonstrate His power and authority.

c)      One of the early New Testament letters was the Thessalonian correspondence.

d)      These Christians were having some difficulties with the Lord’s final coming.

e)      Paul wrote to them and said this in the first chapter of the second letter:

f)        2 Thess. 1:7-9 – READ.

 

7)      It is impossible to read these verses and see the image of a lamb.

8)      Christ will certainly be gentle with His people (verse 10), but here the emphasis is on harshness.

9)      Like a lion, Christ will devour, consume, and punish the unsaved.

10)  In the Bible a “lion” is referred to about 90 times.

11)  This creature symbolizes leadership.  We often think of the lion as “king of the jungle.”

12)  Quite often in the Old Testament there is information about lions.

a)      Lions are pictured as “couching” (Gen. 49:9), creatures ready to pounce.

b)      This is exactly what we see in 2 Thess. 1.  Christ will be ready to come and He will come to pounce.

c)      A lion can “roar” (Judg. 14:5) and put fear into people.

d)      In a similar way the Lord will put fear into the unsaved and afflict them for eternity.

e)      2 Sam. 17:10 refers to a “lion’s heart.”

f)        Courage and bravery are part of a lion’s makeup.

g)      Jesus will not be afraid to face every single enemy, and He will defeat all opposed to Him.

h)      Christ has everything necessary to damn the unrighteous and preserve the saved.

i)        There are “old lions” that have lost their power (Job 4:11), but Jesus is not like one of them.

j)        One of the most interesting reference about lions is in the book of Job.

k)      Job said God hunted him like a lion (Job 10:16).

l)        Job felt like God was always ready to pounce on him.

m)    We may say a similar thing is true of the Lord.

n)      Christ will not let a single ungodly person escape when He returns.

 

13)  When I think about the lamb and lion descriptions, I am also reminded of Lk. 12.

14)  In verses 47 and 47 of Lk. 12, we read about people being “beaten with stripes.”

a)      The point is related to the end of time.

b)      Jesus will be a lion like judge, and He will punish the unsaved.

c)      The word translated “beat” is used elsewhere, and I will read 2 of these texts.

d)      The first is found in Lk. 22:64.

e)      Since there are only 24 chapters in Luke, chapter 22 is towards the end of the Lord’s life.

f)        Before Jesus went to the cross He endured some pre-cross suffering.

g)      One of the things that happened to Him is found in Lk. 22:64 – READ

h)      Jesus was hit on the face.  Luke’s word is the same term found in Lk. 12.

i)        As a lamb, the Lord was punished.  As a lion, He will take on the role of punisher.

 

15)  Another writer to use the word for “beat” is Mark (Mk. 15:19).

16)  Mark does not apply this term to the Lord’s face; He relates it to Jesus’ head.

17)  Jesus was hit on His face as well as the head.

18)  Mk. 15:19 – READ.

19)  Jesus will one day torture those who tortured Him (unless they have been forgiven).

20)  Many of the Jews wanted a lion for a Messiah.

21)  They were looking for someone to get them out from under Roman rule.

22)  Jesus was their lion, only He was not the kind of lion they wanted.

23)  Jesus first had to come as a lamb, and He was announced as a lamb.

a)      For the Hebrews, there should have been a clear message in this description.

b)      One of the big Old Testament feasts was the Passover.

c)      Many years before the Hebrews had been in Egyptian bondage.

d)      A death angel passed through the land and the “firstborn” of man and beasts were killed.

e)      Hebrews had their firstborn preserved by using lambs.

f)        These animals were killed and blood from these animals was put on the doorposts.

g)      Because of the blood, God “passed over” the Hebrew’s houses (Ex. 12:13).

 

24)  Along comes Jesus many years and people began to say, “the lamb of God.”

25)  That statement should have made people sit up and take notice.

26)  “Lamb” was not an idle description.

27)  1 Cor. 5:7 says Christ is our “Passover.”

28)  Jesus is the lamb which allows us to be cleansed from sin.

29)  If we refuse to respond to Him, we will one day meet Him as a lion like judge.

30)  You might find it interesting to take a fact and verify it for yourself.

a)      Jesus is referred to a “lion” only one time in the New Testament.

b)      Depending upon your translation, He is referred to a “lamb” about 30 times.

c)      All but three of lamb references are in the book of Revelation.

d)      Many look at Revelation and say, “we can’t understand it.”

e)      Others look to it for wild ideas about the future.

f)        Do a study of the word “lamb” in Revelation.

g)      You will be surprised at what John recorded.

 

31)  We are not told why the word “lamb” is used so often in contrast to the word “lion.”

a)      A general consideration of the New Testament suggests at least one explanation.

b)      By the time people meet Jesus as a lion, it will be too late.

c)      As a lion devours its prey, so the lion like Christ will destroy the unsaved.

 

32)  What our world needs is the lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world.

33)  This is the side of Jesus that is often stressed in the New Testament.

34)  This is also what many in the world stress, but this is where many stop.

35)  If we listen to many religious teachers, Jesus is all love, kindness and goodness.

36)  Jesus is only those things if we obey Him.

37)  Once the lost are in punishment, Jesus will be a lamb to His people.
He died for the saved, mediates for the saved, and will care for them forever.

38)  Someone died on our behalf; someone wants us to spend eternity with Christ.

39)  His name is Jesus Christ of Nazareth.  Do we know Him?  Have we obeyed Him?

40)  Have we been “washed in the blood of the lamb”?