The Lamb Looking Slain

Then 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. He went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who sat on the throne. And 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. And 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. You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth.” Revelations 5: 6-10

As John is wiping tears from his face, trying to understand the nature of his heavenly savior he sees Jesus carrying in his countenance, gate, demeanor and visage the one who is freshly slain. The work of blood of Jesus Christ is always imminent and immediate. Something is imminent when it can happen at any time and something is immediate when it is happening right now. The application of the blood of Christ is always both. It is always available and is always received now. Heaven is not subject to time. When a soul is saved, it is saved by a Jesus that is slain now not just then. His salvation is in time and not just in history. He is there with us! Jesus is there, slain at the altar call, slain at the bedside, slain where ever a soul calls on him to be saved. He is not referencing something he did for the soul, but something he is doing for the soul now. John and the elders see this and worship God who is always working on behalf of the men and women he created.

Jesus approaches the Father as only He can but interestingly, He does so with 24 elders carrying the prayers of God's people. Time affects heaven in this manner. It adds newly saved souls and prayers of believers who recognize they add nothing to the work of Jesus Christ on earth. Jesus 's blood and his alone purchases persons from every tribe language and nation. The glory of the prayers is their grand diversity. The intercession of the saints is to point the blood of Jesus who alone is worthy to be slain.

We as a kingdom of priest can carry a burden to be slain. We hear it in the words of the Apostle Paul. “For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, those of my own race.” Romans 9:3 Paul knew that he was not worthy. He called himself the chief of sinners. The most mature of saints recognize their sin before a holy God. They also look forward to a day when sin will have no dominion over them. A day when mortality puts on immortality and we live and reign with Jesus forever. Men are not alone in this desire. The angels join us as they joined Jesus in John's visitation to heaven. Concerning this salvation the Apostle Peter tells us the “Even angels long to look into these things.”

“Then 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. In 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!” Revelations 5: 11-12 These angels are joined by the creatures of every physical and spiritual environment. They come from heaven, earth, from life under ground and within the sea. All of them give honor to Jesus who rules with power, wealth, wisdom and strength.

Then 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!” The four living creatures said, “Amen,” and the elders fell down and worshiped. Revelations 5: 13-14