Explore: The Worthy Lamb

• The Explore the Bible Lesson for August 9 focuses on Revelation 5:1-14.

We live in times of rapid change. I recently read a particular phrase that seems to describe our context well: “cultural climate change.” Our cultural climate now changes swiftly and sometimes violently. Consequently, some rather effective models for doing the ministry of the local church now are in danger of going extinct.

One of the chief characteristics of cultural climate change, whether lost people know it or not, involves the search for a savior. Americans in today’s environment particularly a penchant for looking to finances, technology and sexuality as potential saviors. Believers, however, ought to remember only one Savior is worthy to be named Lord and King. Consider also, in John’s day and time, many non-Christians looked to a variety of idols, including the Caesars, for divine help and salvation. John spoke into the milieu of cultural opinion under great inspiration from the Holy Spirit that only Jesus is qualified to be the Savior. Our search for a sovereign and graceful King ends with Christ.

In this lesson, we will discover John’s wonderfully encouraging writing concerning the search, discovery and honoring of the only true Lord. We are reminded believers can rejoice in the redemption provided by faith in Jesus. Jesus is the only salvation for the world.

The Search (5:1-4)

Revelation 5 opens with another commanding scene in the throne-room of God. God holds an unopened, two-sided scroll with seven seals. In John’s day, a seal indicated official business. A seal also would have authenticated the authority of an official document. A majority of scholars understand the scroll, then, to be a complete and authentic record of God’s will for the world. We could rightly interpret the scroll to contain God’s plans for redemption and judgment. 

A figure worthy of disclosing the scroll’s message was sought without initial success. No one in the heavenly setting was even worthy to open the scroll, much less read it. In fact, we learn no one “under the earth” could open and read the scroll. This meant no one in all of the created order could be located. Incidentally, the word “worthy” in the original Greek means more than “good enough.” To be worthy went beyond moral qualities. No one could be found who met the standard. John wept at the disappointing news, as he apparently figured no one could fulfill God’s final plans. He did not see a way out of the predicament. Such a word serves as a reminder that not even our best works can make us right with God. We need a Savior. Who is such a savior, and where can he be found?

The Discovery (5:5-7)

John next, after an encouraging conversation with a heavenly elder, encounters the Lamb, a startling and awestriking character who we know is Jesus. Isn’t it interesting that the elder called Jesus “the Lion of the tribe of Judah,” while John called him the Lamb? The contrast occurred purposefully. The fierce and overcoming Lion is also the Lamb who shed his blood for our sins. In fact, John was quite taken with this image of the Lamb, using it 27 other times in Revelation. The term harkens us back to the Passover and to Isaiah’s messianic prophecies (Isaiah 53). Jesus alone is qualified to execute God’s eternal plan for judgment and redemption. There is no other name by which men and women can be saved. Salvation is found in no one else (Acts 4:12).

Notice also the Lamb had seven horns and seven eyes, symbolizing God’s power and presence respectively. Jesus then took the scroll from God since Jesus was and is the only one capable of fulfilling God’s redemptive plan (Matthew 5:17-20). When a person discovers Christ, he/she has found the ultimate answer to human existence.

The Honoring (5:8-14)

A worship service breaks out in heaven at the appearance of the worthy Lamb. Notice the creatures worship Jesus for a few important reasons, namely that Jesus was killed on the cross for us, and Jesus purchased the faithful from every corner of the earth with his blood. The term “bought” indicates Jesus purchased our freedom from slavery to sin by dying on the cross. We must be careful at this point not to suggest the doctrine of universal salvation. Those who recognize their redeemer and worship Christ can only do so because they have been saved by grace through faith. Believers can rejoice in the redemption provided by faith in Jesus.