F O O T H O L D
READING
97 THE LION AND THE LAMB
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PRAY Make the whole earth -
and my life - be filled with your glory.
(Psalm 72:19).
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READ Revelation 5:1-14.
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THINK What can we learn from
this passage about praise and worship?
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FOCUS 'A scroll . . .
covered with writing . . . sealed with seven
seals' (1). One commentator
has called it, 'a book of destiny,
the Author of which is God.'
'Breaking the seals' and 'opening
the scroll' stands for human
history, and 'opening' stands for
being in charge of what
happens.
The 'lion' reminds us of
jesus' supreme strength; his kingly
authority and his victories.
This conqueror is called 'the Lion
of Judah' - he is the
fulfilment of Genesis 49:9. But John saw
not only a lion; he also saw
a lamb, which speaks of Jesus'
supreme sacrifice on the
cross. It recalls the Passover lamb
whose blood was the means of
deliverance: the sacrificial lamb
who takes away sin (John 1:29)
and the picture of Isaiah 53. What
was the Lamb able to do that
no one else could? Why?
There is another word
picture and this is explained for us: in
verse 8 we are told what
'incense' stands for; did you notice
what it is?
Then we read of the elders
joining in a hymn of praise of Jesus
Christ, which is taken up
and re-echoed by the whole creation (9-
13). Their words show just
how wonderful they think Jesus is.
they are all about him and
what he has done. Does your worship
share the same glad note of
thankfulness and joy?
Just think, if Jesus'
victory is so great that he is the
controller of the future,
cannot we trust him with the care of
our lives in the present?
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PRAY Make verses 9 and 10
your prayer today.
