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1. The Preparations for the Enthronement (Revelation 5:1-6)

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The Slain Lamb: None of these interpretations and expositions comes from the report of John on his vision of the Lamb of God. He saw and described nothing else than a little lamb. On this symbol many traditions, the feelings, knowledge, and faith of John are focussed. But in his description of the Lamb of God he emphasizes one feature starkly: It seemed as if the lamb had been slain or choked to death. A big scar on the throat arising from the slaughter cut disclosed that the Lamb of God had been bled completely dry. That was the most important thing of the little lamb for John. Its sacrifice had been accomplished. The sacrificial blood of the holy and blameless lamb had reconciled the world to God (1 John 1:7; 2:2). The hymn of the German lyrical poet Paul Gerhardt which begins as follows, "Ein Lämmlein geht und trägt die Schuld der Welt und ihrer Kinder" (a little lamb goes and carries the iniquity of the world and of its children) ought to be learnt by heart and sung by us in a worship attitude!

The risen Lord Jesus had rebuked the church leader in Ephesus, because he had abandoned the love he had first. Yet the slain Lamb of God shows us what "first love" means, namely to commit oneself completely to God in devoted love and holiness and be prepared to offer up time, money and even the whole life for other, often unworthy people.

The Lamb of God prevailed over the eagerness for power and the proud of man by the love, holiness and power of its heavenly Father. It triumphed over sin and remained holy and without iniquity. Therefore it was worthy so as to loose the seven seals and open the scroll.

PRAYER: O Holy One, we thank You and magnify You because Your Anointed One bore the sin of the world and justified us by His atoning death. His shed blood cleanses us from all sin. Without shedding of His blood there is no salvation. We give thanks to Him and to You for the slaying of Your Lamb.

QUESTION:

46. What does the slain Lamb of God signify?

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