“And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?” And no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look into it, and I began to weep loudly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to look into it. And one of the elders said to me, “Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.” And between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders I saw a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain, with seven horns and with seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. And he went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who was seated on the throne. And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.” 

‭‭Revelation‬ ‭5‬:‭2‬-‭8‬ ‭ESV‬‬ 

The Lion and the Lamb. I don’t know how many songs I’ve heard utilizing this descriptive imagery. A lot. So much so that it’s easy to just hear the words, song along and not at all think about what is being sung. 

Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah: the majesty, the fierce strength, the raw power. When we approach our Lord, it is right to draw near with a sober understanding that, as C. S. Lewis wrote of Aslan, “He is not a tame lion.”  He is gloriously untamed and unbound by our whims and fancies. When you come face to face with a Lion, you change to accommodate Him. When he roars, you get low real quick! 

So many of us have a very neutered view of God. Some have even bought into the notion that He needs us! Let me be perfectly clear; He does not. He needs nothing. He is completely self sustaining, fulfilled in the eternal co-existent relationship of the Trinity. No, God has no need for you or me. 

How much more beautiful is it then that He wants us? 

We have nothing to offer this King of kings, this Lion of Lions. And yet, He chose to create us because He wanted us. He did it knowing the cost. He did it knowing that we would rebel. He did it knowing that most would reject Him throughout their whole lives, all the way to the gates of Hell. But for those of us who would, He endured all the pain of the cross, all the rejection and rebellion of humanity, even our own sin even after we professed devotion to Him. By rights, by nature, we should have been eaten, but the Lion of Judah, has chosen to endure it all because the Lion loves us. 

Tomorrow, we’ll talk about the Lamb.