December 18, 2019
. . . in the midst of the throne . . . stood a Lamb as though it had been slain, . . . Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice: “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain To receive power and riches and wisdom, And strength and honor and glory and blessing!” REVELATION 5:6, 11–12
There are two more glimpses of Mary’s little Lamb I want to show you. The first one is the Lamb in victory. In Revelation chapter 5, the apostle John had a glimpse into glory. He saw the throne of God, and then he noticed, in the right hand of the One sitting on the throne, a book sealed with seven seals. This seven-sealed book is the title deed to the earth, the heavens, and the netherworld. It represents the right to rule.
John saw that there was no one who could break the seals and open the book, and because of this he began to weep. One of the elders, however, said to him, “Do not weep. Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has prevailed to open the scroll and to loose its seven seals” (v. 5). Now when John looked, he saw not a lion but a lamb (v. 6). The word used here for lamb is a special word, for it literally means “little lamb,” that is, a pet lamb. This is Mary’s little Lamb. What an amazing picture of the glorified Jesus!
John also saw a slain Lamb (v. 6), bearing the marks of the nails with which He was crucified. He will bear these marks forever. When we go to heaven, we will see those nail prints in His hands. Jesus is not only a small Lamb and a slain Lamb, He is also a standing Lamb (v. 6). He laid down in death in a grave, but the grave could not hold Him. He stood up in resurrection, and He is standing in heaven today, making intercession for us.
This Lamb is also strong. He has “seven horns.” In the Bible, horns are emblematic of power. This Lamb is omnipotent. He is also a searching Lamb, having “seven eyes” that speak of omniscience. And then Jesus is the sovereign Lamb. Verse 7 says that He came and took the book out of the right hand of Him who sat on the throne. He alone is worthy to open it. This is the Lamb in victory. The second glimpse I want to show you is of the Lamb in majesty (Revelation 5:8-14).
The song of the glorious heavenly beings is offered to Mary’s little Lamb. Join me this Christmas season in saying with the heavenly hosts, “Worthy is the Lamb—exclusively, exceedingly, eternally worthy!”
Spend a few minutes worshiping the Lamb of God. Sing quietly together the final line of the Christmas carol “O Come, All Ye Faithful,” adding these words, “For He alone is worthy, Christ the Lord.” Sing carols together or go caroling.
Take advantage of the related activities and resources at ExperienceChristmas.org.
I try to unplug each morning with Jesus with just my rocking chair, my Bible, and a pen.
Having a secret place is very important because I know that Jesus is always there waiting for me. I know where I can find Him! His presence is everywhere, but there are places where it is so thick you can cut it with a knife. You may not even have a front porch, but there is a secret place for you as well. God’s invitations are for anyone who will respond. There is no more important request than the one found in Psalm 27:8: “My heart has heard You say, ‘Come and talk with Me.’ And my heart responds, ‘Lord, I am coming.’”