Christ Redeems

KEY VERSE: “Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing.” —Revelation 5:12

SELECTED SCRIPTURE: Revelation 5:1-12

OUR Key Verse is an inspiring prophecy pointing forward to a time when the work of Jesus during his first advent will be universally understood and appreciated.

It was John the Baptist who first recognized Jesus as the Lamb of God. From the time Abel offered up a lamb in sacrifice to the Lord, this animal became a symbol in type, pointing forward to Jesus and the greater sacrifice he would offer. Noah offered a sacrifice after leaving the ark. (Gen. 8:20,21) Abraham was called upon to offer a ram (lamb) in place of his son, Isaac. A lamb was sacrificed at the Passover event, and afterward in keeping its memorial, by the nation of Israel. A lamb was the most frequently used animal in the services of the Tabernacle. Two were offered each day—one in the morning, and the other at evening, as well as the Atonement Day burnt offerings, and subsequent trespass and thank offerings of the people.

With the coming and sacrifice of Jesus, God no longer accepted typical sacrifices. It is also, apparent that those sacrifices of the past pointed forward to the sacrificial work of Jesus. The primary difference between the typical sacrifices and the antitypical’ is that the first consisted of animals which the offerers brought to the Lord—while the latter was the sacrifice of a human life and a human body, not those of others, but of one’s, own. “A body hast thou prepared me,” Paul quotes Jesus as saying. (Heb. 10:5) This was his human body, his flesh, which he gave for the life of the world.

Our text is a symbolic description of the messianic kingdom arrangement in which the authority of the kingdom is pictured by a throne. We are informed that this is the throne of God, and the lamb is shown as the central feature of God’s government. The lamb symbolism reminds us that first it was necessary for Jesus to be slain as the world’s Redeemer, to be led “as a lamb to the slaughter.” Now exalted to power and authority, it is this Jesus who died as the world’s Redeemer who will rule in righteousness and fulfill all the glorious messianic promises of blessing and joy given by God’s holy prophets, by Jesus, and by the apostles. Truly, Jesus is the world’s Savior!

The sacrifice of Jesus’ humanity was as a substitute for the forfeited life of father Adam, and is referred to by the Apostle Paul as a “ransom.” Here we have the philosophy of God’s great plan of redemption through Christ. It is through this arrangement that provision was made by Jesus’ death for rescuing the whole world of mankind from Adamic sin and death. Without making this provision, Jesus could not be the Savior of the world.

How wonderfully this reflects the true character of Jesus! The whole world praises the spirit of sacrifice on behalf of others, and recognizes its value in those who would rule over the people. All know the evils which result from a ruler seeking merely his own selfish interests. But Jesus proved that his viewpoint was the very reverse of this, for he willingly died for those who later were to become his subjects. In all the annals of history, no ruler, no statesman, no president, king, or emperor has ever matched Jesus in his spirit of devotion, first to God, and then to mankind.

Surely the world will be able to trust such a noble character when his long-promised kingdom has been established in the earth, and is functioning as a world government for the blessing of all the people!

We rejoice in considering the time when our text will be on the lips of all people.

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