The Lion or The Lamb?

November 27, 2016

Louie Giglio takes us through the history from Genesis to Revelation to show us how Jesus is the Lion of Judah who is the Lamb who was slain and took away the sins of the world.

Key Takeaway

We may not know exactly everything that will happen in the future, but we know how it all plays out. Revelation shows us what is to come, that Jesus is both the Lion and the Lamb, and we need Him to be both.

Revelation 5:1-4

John, who also wrote the Gospel of John, saw a scroll and wept because no one who was around him was worthy to open it. This scroll was the unfolding of the final chapters of the plan of God to demolish and put away sin and the devil forever. It would usher in the permanent rule and reign of Jesus and a forever that we are a part of.

Revelation 5:5

The Lion of the Tribe of Judah goes all the way back to Genesis. Abraham was given the covenant of a land, a people, and to be a blessing to all nations. He had Isaac, who had Jacob (later named Israel by God). Jacob had twelve sons who would become the 12 Tribes of Israel. The 4th son was named Judah and in Genesis 49:8-12, Jacob blesses him and references him as a lion cub and states that the scepter will never leave his house. So when the sons became tribes, it was the Tribe of Judah who was given the plot of land that included Jerusalem and were the first tribe to take land. Their emblem was a lion. Jesus comes from this line. John is told to SEE the Lion of the Tribe of Judah coming to open the scroll.

Revelation 5:6

John SAW a lamb that looked like it had been slain. This is powerful imagery. When Pharaoh would not let God's people go, He instituted a series of plagues. The last one was the death of the firstborn son. That night, the angel of death came over the land and passed over the houses that had the blood of a sacrificed lamb without defect on the door. This is where the celebration of Passover originated and is still celebrated today. So, the people of God were spared the death of their firstborn sons. When John saw the sacrificial Lamb coming to the center, it was greatly significant. Keep in mind, John also recorded in his Gospel account, John the Baptist recognizing Jesus and saying, "BEHOLD the Lamb of God who comes to take away the sin of the world!" (John 1:29)

Notice that when we are close to Jesus we can see what's always been right in front of us. That is why God is constantly saying look, see, behold.

Don't get confused by the symbolism. In the economy of God, horn always means power and might. Seven represents complete and perfect. Eyes signify insight, wisdom, and understanding. The seven spirits are the Holy Spirit given to the churches. So what John is seeing before him is a complete vision of the Lord Jesus Christ, perfect in power, perfect in wisdom, and perfect in the power of the Holy Spirit.

Revelation 5:7-14

Heaven is going to be a party! Music crosses all cultural lines, so it's no surprise that it is a song that brings together every tribe, nation, and tongue to praise the One that purchased back to God with His blood.

There are also, even at this very moment, 10,000 x 10,000 angels (that is to say a number so large we can't fully grasp it) that have been created to sing and praise. They know one thing and one thing only: adoring the risen Lion of Judah, the Lamb who was slain. Worship is always all about Jesus.

What does it mean to us that Jesus is both the Lion and the Lamb?

Lamb

1) The system is over, the Savior has arrived. There's no more working it out with God, it's been worked out finally by the saving work of Jesus.

2) We can take the weight off our shoulders of ever being perfect before God. Jesus is the only perfect, spotless Lamb.

3) Revelation 13:8 tells us that before the foundation of the world, the Lamb was slain. Before we knew our capacity to disappoint ourselves, God, and others; God knew. Part of free will is showing us what we are capable of and what we choose wrong. God knows this, but still allows freedom and makes a way of salvation. Christ was slain before we ever fully knew that we needed Him. God is always looking out for us.

Lion

1) Do not mess with the Lion. We love Him as the lamb, full of grace and mercy, but we need to remember He is also King of Kings and Lord of Lords. His roar ripped over Heaven and created the cosmos, shook all of Hell, and made the demons tremble. He is not on a leash or in a kennel. He is King.

2) He gives us His name! Call on Jesus and call out on the name of Jesus of Nazareth because in Him is power and authority.

“

“Then he isn’t safe?” said Lucy.

“Safe?” said Mr. Beaver. “Don’t you hear what Mrs. Beaver tells you? Who said anything about safe? ’Course he isn’t safe. But he’s good. He’s the King, I tell you.”

”

C.S. Lewis

Discussion Questions

Do you think of the lion and lamb as contradictory?
In Revelation 5, what does the scroll represent?
Can you explain why Jesus is called the Lion of the Tribe of Judah?
Why is Jesus referred to as the Lamb of God?
In the main text of Revelation 5, Pastor Louie brought to attention how scripture often says to look, see, and behold. Do you know or can you locate any other Bible references?
Describe the complete vision of Jesus that John saw. What do the 7 horns, 7 eyes, and 7 spirits represent?
What are the angels doing at the Throne of God? Can you even imagine this?
What is worship's objective?
What do you appreciate about Jesus being the Lamb according to Pastor Louie's description?
What about the Lion stirs your affections toward Jesus in Pastor Louie's explanation?

Scripture References

The Scroll and the Lamb

1Then I saw in the right hand of him who sat on the throne a scroll with writing on both sides and sealed with seven seals. 2And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming in a loud voice, “Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?” 3But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth could open the scroll or even look inside it. 4I wept and wept because no one was found who was worthy to open the scroll or look inside. 5Then one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.”

6Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing at the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. The Lamb had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. 7He went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who sat on the throne. 8And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of God’s people. 9And they sang a new song, saying:

“You are worthy to take the scroll

and to open its seals,

because you were slain,

and with your blood you purchased for God

persons from every tribe and language and people and nation.

10You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God,

and they will reign on the earth.”

11Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders. 12In a loud voice they were saying:

“Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain,

to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength

and honor and glory and praise!”

13Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, saying:

“To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb

be praise and honor and glory and power,

for ever and ever!”

14The four living creatures said, “Amen,” and the elders fell down and worshiped.

8“Judah, your brothers will praise you;

your hand will be on the neck of your enemies;

your father’s sons will bow down to you.

9You are a lion’s cub, Judah;

you return from the prey, my son.

Like a lion he crouches and lies down,

like a lioness—who dares to rouse him?

10The scepter will not depart from Judah,

nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet,

until he to whom it belongs shall come

and the obedience of the nations shall be his.

11He will tether his donkey to a vine,

his colt to the choicest branch;

he will wash his garments in wine,

his robes in the blood of grapes.

12His eyes will be darker than wine,

his teeth whiter than milk.

The Plague on the Firstborn

1Now the

Lord

had said to Moses, “I will bring one more plague on Pharaoh and on Egypt. After that, he will let you go from here, and when he does, he will drive you out completely. 2Tell the people that men and women alike are to ask their neighbors for articles of silver and gold.” 3(The

Lord

made the Egyptians favorably disposed toward the people, and Moses himself was highly regarded in Egypt by Pharaoh’s officials and by the people.)

4So Moses said, “This is what the

Lord

says: ‘About midnight I will go throughout Egypt. 5Every firstborn son in Egypt will die, from the firstborn son of Pharaoh, who sits on the throne, to the firstborn son of the female slave, who is at her hand mill, and all the firstborn of the cattle as well. 6There will be loud wailing throughout Egypt—worse than there has ever been or ever will be again. 7But among the Israelites not a dog will bark at any person or animal.’ Then you will know that the

Lord

makes a distinction between Egypt and Israel. 8All these officials of yours will come to me, bowing down before me and saying, ‘Go, you and all the people who follow you!’ After that I will leave.” Then Moses, hot with anger, left Pharaoh.

9The

Lord

had said to Moses, “Pharaoh will refuse to listen to you—so that my wonders may be multiplied in Egypt.” 10Moses and Aaron performed all these wonders before Pharaoh, but the

Lord

hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he would not let the Israelites go out of his country.

2Abraham was the father of Isaac,

Isaac the father of Jacob,

Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers,

33the son of Amminadab, the son of Ram,

the son of Hezron, the son of Perez,

the son of Judah, 34the son of Jacob,

29The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!

8All inhabitants of the earth will worship the beast—all whose names have not been written in the Lamb’s book of life, the Lamb who was slain from the creation of the world.

11It is written:

“ ‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord,

‘every knee will bow before me;

every tongue will acknowledge God.’ ”

Louie Giglio

Louie Giglio is the Visionary Architect and Director of the Passion Movement, comprised of Passion Conferences, Passion City Church, Passion Publishing and sixstepsrecords, and the founder of Passion Institute.