September 21 Life Nourishing Lamb

Revelation 7:15-17 “Therefore, they are before the throne of God
and serve him day and night in his temple; and he who sits on the throne will spread his tent over them. Never again will they hunger; never again will they thirst. The sun will not beat upon them, nor any scorching heat 17 because the Lamb, who is in the center of the throne, will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of life-giving water. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”
 
BECAUSE the New Testament repeatedly refers to Jesus as the Lamb, we readily accept this image. We understand he is the sacrificial Lamb, who has died on a cross, now risen and ascended to heaven. But let’s consider how difficult this would for a culture that herded sheep. They raised sheep to one day slaughter them for their meat and to have a sacrifice to God. Sheep, too, are essentially helpless to care for themselves. A lamb has no mind of its own, eager to follow other sheep even if it is to destruction. Shepherds are necessary to keep sheep alive. Even today om the Mideast and as we’ve just returned from Mongolia, sheepherding is vital to many livelihoods. The Jews would know too of Isaiah 53:7b he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth.
    Yes, we can understand the lamb as a sacrificial animal. But how does the image of Jesus as a lamb correspond with Jesus as the Lion of Judah? Why would the Father show Jesus as a Lamb, not the Lion, at the center of heaven’s authority?
    Consider the lamb as an ongoing revelation of God’s extravagant love for you. Jesus, the Lamb, reminds the redeemed that God has given himself entirely to suffering, sacrifice and death, so you would not suffer sin’s condemnation. The Lamb reminds us Jesus has walked earth’s roads, faced scorn and unbelief. He has been mocked, threatened and afflicted. The Lamb knows your needs, your sufferings and your joy. Without him, you are helpless. Jesus can come in power and glory one day as the Lion of Judah because he has been the Lamb, silent before his accusers, accepting the sacrificial altar.
    See, also, the image of a tent to shelter you. God has promised this also in Isaiah 33:20 Look upon Zion, the city of our festivals; your eyes will see Jerusalem, a peaceful abode, a tent that will not be moved; its stakes will never be pulled up, nor any of its ropes broken.
    The Lamb fees you the Bread of Life. You will drink living water. Hunger, thirst and discomfort will be in the past because the Father has sacrificed the Lamb.
    The apostle Paul also wrote God demonstrating strength through weakness: 1 Corinthians 1:27 But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 28 He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things — and the things that are not — to nullify the things that are, 29 so that no one may boast before him.  
    The Lion of Judah is also the Lamb. It is of God’s character to serve his beloved creation in humility and sacrifice.
 
Prayer: You chose humility and weakness to make us pure before you in heaven, Jesus. Thank you for your humble, eternal and protective love. Amen.