THE LAMB WINS

I saw an unusual sign on the front of a church building recently. It read simply: “The Lamb Wins.” It’s a strange idea. A lamb is a small, weak animal—often the first to be picked off by wolves or wild animals, and the least likely to win anything! Yet “the Lamb wins” is exactly what Revelation shows us. Jesus came to earth as “the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (JOHN 1:29).

He came humbly as our sacrifice, to die in our place. He was “led like a lamb to the slaughter” (ISAIAH 53:7). Yet we see His true strength in John’s vision (REVELATION 19:11-16). Jesus was not our Lamb because He is weak, but because He chose to take our place on the cross. “Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honour and glory and praise!” (5:12).

Jesus came as a Lamb. He will return as the Judge of the world. To Him will be “praise and honour and glory and power, for ever and ever!” (V.13) as He fulfils all the prophecies about God’s King throughout the Bible (SEE DANIEL 7:12-13).

But the reign of God’s King will not come peacefully. The imagery of Revelation 19 is full of God’s fierce power and His terrible judgement. In that day the world will hold a great rebellion against God (REVELATION 19:19), but they will be destroyed in a moment (V.21).

Completing the picture . . .

The Day of Jesus’ return is scary to read about. But the Bible is clear that the judgement is for the “destruction of the ungodly” (2 PETER 3:7)—or in other words, the people who absolutely refuse Jesus. They do not and will not accept the Lamb as their “sin offering” (LEVITICUS 4:32). Anyone who rejects this salvation must face God’s wrath for themselves (SEE JOHN 3:18,36). Whereas “whoever believes in him is not condemned” (V.18)—there is no judgement for us to face; the Judge is on our side as the One who has already taken our judgement on the cross.

The Bible also tells us that God isn’t rushing to bring this final Day, because “he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance” (2 PETER 3:9).