The Lamb in the Midst of the Throne — Roy Hession

The Vision of Revelation 4 and 5

And I want to read to you from Revelation 4 and Revelation 5. They are two chapters which are very much linked together. And are the basis of this great and glorious book of Revelation. We've had the first three chapters.

Then we're given a wonderful vision of Jesus himself. Every feature of which is full of significance to us. And then he gives to John letters to send to the seven churches of those days. Each with a very stretching message, a revival message to each of those churches.

And it's not until chapter 4 and chapter 5 that the book proper begins. The first three are preliminary. Now we come to the very heart of it all, or the beginning of it. After this we read, I looked and behold a door was opened in heaven.

And the first voice which I heard was it there as of a trumpet talking with me. Which said, come up with her and I will show thee things which must be hereafter. And immediately I was in the spirit and behold a throne set in heaven.

And man sat on the throne. And he that sat was to look upon like a jester and a sardine stone. And there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald. And round about the throne were four and twenty seats.

And upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white garment. And they had on their heads crowns of gold. And out of the throne proceeded lightnings, thunderings and voices. And there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven spirits of God.

And before the throne was a sea of glass, like unto crystal. And in the midst of the throne and round about the throne were four beasts, four living creatures, full of eyes before and behind. And the first living creature was like a lion and the second like a calf.

And the third had the face of a man and the fourth was like a flying eagle. And the four living creatures had each of them six wings. This seems to take us back to Isaiah 6. It is exactly what Isaiah saw.

You might have thought that that was a special vision that Isaiah had laid on to his benefit. It wasn't at all. It had been happening all the time in heaven. And it's still happening wherever in Revelation.

And it's still happening today. And the four living creatures had each of them six wings about him. And they were full of eyes within. And they rest not day and night saying, Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God Almighty which was and is and is to come.

And then those living creatures did glory and honor and thanks to him that sat on the throne who liveth forever and ever. The four and twenty elders fell down before him that sat on the throne and worshiped him that liveth forever and ever.

And cast their crowns before the throne saying, Thou art worthy O Lord to receive glory and honor and power for thou hast created all things and for thy pleasure they are and were created. And so it is chapter four gives the vision that John saw and he saw first of all the vision of the creator.

Worship of God as Creator

And the worship which is accorded in heaven to God as the creator of all things. And at this very hour that worship from the same living creatures is going on in heaven. But we continue to chapter five and here we have not the vision of the creator but if you please something far greater, the vision of the redeemer.

And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book, a scroll written within and on the back side sealed with seven seals. And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book and to loose the seals thereof.

The book as the greater chapters explain is really God's program for the putting down of evil and the establishing of his kingdom on the earth. And is no one to be found worthy to break those seals and open the book and read it and administer it.

What a terrible thing if evil is always going to be on the throne and truth always lying in the street. Is there none worthy to take this book, break its seals and administer its program. And I wept much because no man was found worthy to open the book and to read thereon.

And one of the elders said unto me, do it not. Behold the lion of the tribe of Judah, the root of David has prevailed to open the book and to loose the seven seals thereof. And so he looks expecting to see a lion.

He has been told the lion of the tribe of Judah has prevailed. And I beheld and lo in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures and in the midst of the elders stood not a lion but a lamb.

As it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes which are the seven spirits of God sent forth into all the earth. And he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne.

And when he had taken the book, the four living creatures and four and twenty elders fell down before the lamb having over one of them hearts and golden vials full of odours which are the prayers of saints and they sung a new song saying thou art worthy to take the book and to open the seals thereof for thou wast slain and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, tongue and people and nation and hast made us unto our God kings and priests and we shall reign on the earth.

And I beheld and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and 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 that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honour and glory and blessing and every creature was in it which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea and all that are in them and heard I saying blessing and honour and glory and power be unto him that sitteth upon the throne and unto the lamb forever and ever and the four living creatures said amen and the four and twenty elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth forever and ever.

Are you noticed of course that when this second chapter, this chapter five speaks of God not as creator now but as redeemer the worship according to him, according to, according to him as redeemer is infinitely greater than that according to him as creator that first chapter there is also thou hast created all things but all heaven goes wild with joy and worship when they see the creator has become the redeemer worthy is the lamb that was slain and has redeemed us you see to create he has only got to speak but to redeem he had to bleed and heaven has not gone over it yet there is still a maze to plumb the depths of love divine.

And that worship is going on right now. And sometimes a faint echo of that worship comes from us there our highest moments our happiest moments when somehow we are linked with that vast sea of worship going on there.

So chapter four and five God the creator the worship according to him God the redeemer God in the gospel of his son hath all his mightiest deeds out done. Now I want to pick out a little phrase from the first of those chapters and then a little phrase from the second in chapter four verse two.

The Throne as the Symbol of God's Authority

And behold the throne was set in heaven. That's where we saw the first part of the vision indeed to be uttered the spirit of behold a throne that's the first word behold a throne. Whenever men in Bible times were given a vision of God nearly always they saw the throne.

Their throne is the symbol of authority. And the fact that this is such chosen emblem to be revealed that men see God in any degree means that the heart of deity is authority. The chief thing about the Godhead is that he has the right to rule the creatures whom he has brought into being and the universe that he has made for his pleasure they were and are created.

And the picture of the throne always speaks of God's right to rule God's authority over us. And if I was a missionary going to a tribe that had absolutely no knowledge of God at all I think very soon I'd have to come to the picture of a throne.

The first thing that God would know that there is a God who created. And this God has the right to rule those whom he has created. This shows us what sin then really is. Sin isn't merely doing something inconvenient that hurts other people.

Sin isn't something doing something not quite ethical. It is nothing less than rebellion against the authority of that throne. And the one upon the throne not only does it show us what sin really is it also shows us what repentance is.

Repentance then is nothing more than returning to the authority once again of that throne and the one upon it. I return to this authority in those matters where I rebelled against it and chose to go my own way.

That is how it was with the prodigal son he returned to his father not merely geographically he returned to the loving but none the less firm authority of his father from which he rebelled he was bending so to speak that stiff necked eye to the loving authority of that father from whom he had departed.

And in case you think that's rather harsh may I remind you that there was and still is a rainbow round about the throne. There's a rainbow round about the throne against which you have rebelled and gone your own way.

And a rainbow is a symbol of grace undeserved grace. It was a symbol when it was first given that I will not anymore curse the earth with a flood. And round about the throne symbolizing God's divine authority over us.

There's a rainbow you're going to return when you repent to the loving gracious authority of that love. And it cannot but mean infinite good for you. The ways of rebellion are always the ways of misery.

Thank God. There's a rainbow round about their throne to which you are invited to return in penitence. That then is the first word I pick out of these chapters the one from chapter four the chapter that speaks of God as creator.

Here it is behold a throne to rule those whom he's created. And if they're not willing thus to be ruled that is the extent of their sin. If for that they'll be brought into account at the end. And it is to that rule they may voluntarily return.

And there's something about the sweetness of that rainbow round about the throne. But then in the next chapter we're given a little more of a picture. And in verse six he says. I beheld. And there in the midst of the throne stood a lamb as it had been slain.

The Lamb in the Midst of the Throne

And the words I select out of that verse are simply these. In the midst of the throne a lamb. But a lamb as he thought he was going to see. And certainly not a tiger. But in the midst of that throne which symbolizes God's authority over everyone there stands a lamb.

And the lamb we know is the meekest and gentlest of any creature. I live in a farm. My son is a doctor who somehow comprises in his spare time to run a farm and raise lambs. And I tell you spring is a lovely time.

As we look out of our window we see these sweet creatures. Newly born lambs skippy but so gentle. I've never yet seen a lamb try and snap at another. You can do what you like to a lamb. And it doesn't retaliate to take a lamb to the slaughter.

I've never tried it. I'd hate to do it. I think it would be the easiest thing in all the world. It would look up into your eyes and just let you do it. They tell me it's very different taking pigs to the slaughter.

And they tell me that in those barns where they're killing the pigs of course that's the old fashioned way before they were taken off to some big factory. And it's done scientifically. But in the days when there was a barn where the pigs were slain there was a rumpus going on the air knew what was coming.

But in those barns where the lambs were led to the slaughter all was silent. And it's a wonderful picture of gentleness of meekness of the surrender of rights. And this is the chosen name and picture of Jesus in the midst of the throne where stands the lamb.

Now he was led of course to think he was going to see a lamb. The angel said to him the lion of the tribe of Judah hath prevailed to open the book and to loose the seals. And when he saw expecting to see a lion up there instead he saw a lamb.

Actually both figures are true of Jesus. The lamb shows that he's overcome and gotten to himself the victory. But the lamb shows the way in which he's overcome by weakness of old himself. You wouldn't know it is so old you hardly even see it in England.

Now by weakness and defeat he won the mead and crown trod on his toes beneath his feet. By being the lion speaks of victory. The lamb the way in which he achieved the victory it's the victory of humility.

It's the victory of grace. And that's the word I bring you in the midst of the throne is a lamb and Jesus is called a lamb and he's shown on the throne. And there are two reasons for this. The first reason is likely to convict us.

The second designed to comfort us. As I've said a lamb is a creature of gentleness weakness weakness even. And Jesus is called the lamb because that describes his character. He was made the way we read as a lamb to the slaughter.

They found it so easy they'd come prepared to arrest him with swords and staves. Instead of him seeking. Jesus of Nazareth said I'm here. And they turned back and said who do you want? Jesus said I've told you before here I am.

And you know that phrase comes again and again in the New Testament. He gave himself for us. Actually in the Greek there's a word which isn't often added and translated. He gave himself up. You know what it is when a man gives himself up to the police gives himself up to those who are chasing him.

That's what Jesus did. They didn't need any swords and staves because they were dealing with a lamb. He's called the lamb because that's his character. He himself said I am meek and lowly in heart. And meek is one man.

A man is not a person who answers back or fights back or stands up for his rights. I know the word says a man is as meek as a lamb but get him to the stew. But Jesus said I'm going to be me actually get him to the phone not to the stew, ultimately when he was reviled he didn't revile again.

When he was threatened. He didn't answer back but he simply committed his cause to him and let them do it. He didn't say how dare you treat me like that. I insist you treat me with the respect due to my position.

No he didn't you see because he was the lamb. Had he not been the lamb he would have quoted a day long before he came to Calvary. And this phrase, this picture betrays his character and that's the reason why he's extremely especially in the book of Revelation.

When you see him they'll be amazed. Glory, he's always called the lamb. Now don't get the idea of a look-through lamb if you like, it's a nickname. Now screw the children nicknames for some of their teachers there's a hitch, quiet, the something's coming in heaven.

They say the lamb's coming. And invariably these nicknames are given to them because of some characteristic which they highlight. This is certainly true about this beautiful man that Jesus bears, the lamb.

He was the one who loved his enemies who blessed those who cursed him who forgave those that would lay him to the cross even before they asked him if he forgave. This is the one who occupies the throne.

You got it? The throne speaks of authority right to rule. And now we see the one in the midst of the throne exercising the authority of the throne is called the lamb. And that in turn conditions the demands that the throne makes upon you.

It's not a lion in the midst of the throne not a tiger, not a cat but a lamb. And I want to tell you that makes the commands from that throne far more searching and far more convicting than that. If it was a lion or a tiger on the throne I might do alright because I can be a lion.

I can be a tiger when I'm roused I can tell you I can. And if there's a tiger in the middle of the throne that allows me to be a tiger. But there's not a tiger in the midst of the throne. There's a lamb.

And that's the one thing naturally I can't claim to be anything but and I don't think you can. And that's who it is on the throne it's a lion. And that conditions what that throne requires of you which you have not been able to respond to.

The reason why you are called upon to be no more proud but to humble yourself is because it's a lamb in the midst of the throne and he humbled himself. The reason why you are called to forgive your enemies is because he was the lamb and he forgave his.

They wronged him. Nobody even asked him to forgive them. But even as they inflicted the blow he was ready to forgive them. And because it's a lamb on the throne it conditions what that throne requires of you which you have not really given him.

You think I command you to love others. It's because he loves others. It says God is love. And he that knows that love is love knows not God. But he that abides in love dwells in God and God in him. God is love.

Now you think I normally think that that means God is love for me. It is. But that's not the context in 1 John 4. If you read that chapter it occurs twice. Once put negatively, once positively. And the whole context is God is love for the other fellow.

And if you don't love that other fellow if you hate his guts if he irritates you if you criticise him you don't know God but God loves him. He knows his faults better than you do gave his son for him, he loves him.

But I don't. And I have to tell you there is nothing quite so searching as to see there is the land in the midst of the throne. And what that throne dispenses is the rule of the land. And I don't think you have seen it.

If you had seen it you couldn't act and react as you do to others even in the sanctity of your home and in the church, as you do without being convicted. The way in which we act and react and never have a final conviction shows that we don't see there is a lamb on the throne, we are quite sure there is a lion and a tiger on the throne.

Now he won't stand for that. Will he? He would not people, he would not be treated like that. And if you think he is like that it gives you liberty to be like that too. I want to suggest that very largely we have gone on the assumption there is a tiger or a lion or a cat in that throne who reacts in the way we know those creatures do.

And if that's the one on the throne it gives you perfect right to do the same to others and to do it in his name even until the Holy Spirit takes you and shows you there is a lion in the midst of the throne where we make his love to narrow by false limits of our own and we magnify his strictness with a zeal he wouldn't own, you see there is a lion in the midst of the throne.

God's Concern for the Oppressed and the Wronged

There is a very powerful verse in psalm 50. This psalm tells us that the things that God does not convict us of are the things he does. He says I am not going to convict you for not having brought enough sacrifices.

And then your religious obligations as you think they should be, I am not buggered about that. I have got all the lands, I have got all the cattle of a thousand hills. I am going to convict you of something deeper.

And then in this some of the sort of things that we do ignorant of the fact there is a lion in the midst of the throne we play with moral standards. We bend them to our convenience. We give to the other according as he gives to us.

We answer back, we defend ourselves. We nourish hard and bitter feelings. And man is sin even if it is only for a moment. In fact sometimes being human we don't seem to have any ability to choose someone does something to you straight away.

You react. Your power of praise comes afterwards when you can repent, but we don't repent so often. And the only explanation is we don't see there is a lion in the midst of the throne, and this verse in Psalm 50 says these things hast thou done and I kept silence.

Thou thoughtest that I was altogether such and one as thyself but I will approve thee and set them in order before my wise man. That's what it is deep down. You think God is like that. You think God is a sort of Hitler and it enables you then to be Hitler.

In turn you think I am altogether such and one as thyself, but I am not. There is a lion in the midst of the throne. And this book of Revelation has an extraordinary phrase a little further on when it talks about the wrath of the lion that sounds like a contradiction in terms if the lion is so gentle and gracious and loving and beneficent how can you talk about the wrath of the lion if because he is the lion that he is concerned when you long and hurt that other one that he loves.

The fact that he is a lion demonstrates a wonderful thing. That he is always on the side of the poor and needy. There are so many things he is concerned about the father. There has always been a lion in the midst of the throne.

Do you know the sermon of the mount of the old testament. It's in the book of verse 19 that's the old testament passage. It's always been like this. This isn't something merely for the old testament. This is God as he always has been.

It was only fully revealed in Jesus that he always had been. And I see in the book of verse 19 this sermon of the mount passage, verse 14 thou shalt not curse the dead nor put a stumbling block to fear the blind.

For thou shalt fear thy God. I am the Lord. You mustn't curse the deaf. They can't hear what you are saying. That's what that means. Talking about people that have their back. They can't hear it, nor put a stumbling block to fear the blind, they can't see how you are taking advantage of their blindness.

You never do it. I am the Lord. You say, what sort of a God is this. This doesn't sound about the deaf and the blind. There is a lion in the midst of the throne. Verse 18. Thou shalt not avenge nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people.

But thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. For I am the Lord. I am the lion in the midst of the throne. There are commands about when you when you make a loan to a poor man and you take his garments as a pledge against the loan.

You are specially told to return that garment to him before night and it is clothes. It is nothing which he is going to live. And he will cry to you and I the Lord will hear. Who is this is concerned about situations.

There is a lion in the midst of the throne. And I could take up isles showing you that even in the Old Testament there is a lion. This one is concerned for the widow and the frivolous and those who wrong the stranger in their midst.

And again that you shall fear me because there is a lion in the midst of the throne. Take the case I said about this wrath of the lion. You know the thing that David did. It says displeased the Lord. That is putting it mildly.

You know the situation. I am talking about Uriah and the Sheba and so on. Why? Merely because he was unethical. Because he was concerned for that common soldier Uriah whose wife while he was away at the war.

And it was because there was a lion in the midst of the throne that David was called to book. That lion was concerned for the doing wrong. Down to that lion serving man. Remember the place where there was a famine in the days of David three years year after year.

And David at last realized this was God speaking to him. He couldn't be accounted for merely on bad weather conditions. And he inquired of the Lord and the Lord said it is for Saul and for his bloody house because he slew the Jubilees and his predecessor Saul had wronged a minority the Jubilees to whom they had made solid pottage and kept many of them to serve them seized their farms at a zeal for the children of Israel.

For so good God talking to Saul he would never hear. But now is a man who can. And although David didn't do the wrong he was in a position to put it right. And thus it was that the reigns hailed for three years in succession they were in famine.

Why? Because of the lamb in the midst of the throne he saw the wrong done to the Jubilees. And therefore it is very touching to see him as the lamb for us. It is very searching for us to see him as the lamb for somebody else.

And for that reason he has sometimes his own dear children on the net. They will incur the displeasure of the lamb. And a wrong has been done. A dirty deed has been done. A hurtful word spoken he sent somebody to their bed going in tears.

They are ministers. I know to their eyes they cry themselves to sleep. It is a type of recruitment that a congregation is afforded. And I want to tell you there is a lamb in the midst of the throne and the whole congregation can sometimes incur the displeasure.

The Lamb's Sacrifice and Redemption

This picture of a lamb in the midst of the throne is a searching picture. I am no lamb. Naturally I have been on the mat before God. I have been lacking in love and care many concern for myself. And because I am concerned for myself I can wrong others and neglect others.

But you know I wouldn't have it otherwise that there should be a lamb. Frankly I don't want him to let me off. I have come to know that being on the mat before God is always a blessed place when I am willing to face the lamb.

But there is another reason why Jesus is called the lamb in Scripture. Not only because that describes his character but because it pictures redemption. All the Old Testament pictures of redemption and forgiveness are associated with the lamb.

The Israelites were saved and from judgment and the Passover night when the firstborn in every house died among the Egyptians. But only those over whose house was the blood of the lamb sprinkled was the firstborn saved the lamb.

And then the various offerings were codified in the book of Leviticus. The lamb, the lamb, either from the sheep or the goats was always figuring there that blood that was sprinkled once and there upon the mercy seat and the holy of holies by the high priest.

It was the blood of the lamb and man. I want to tell you it means everything to you that there is a lamb in the midst of the throne. And I will tell you if it searches you that that should be so if you are prepared to admit it is true or he shows you it comforts you even you.

Even to you, even to me there is a lamb in the midst of the throne. There is a great hymn of Isaac Watts. One of his verses says this Jesus my great high priest offered his blood and died. My guilty conscience seeks no sacrifice beside his powerful blood did once atone and now it pleads before the great hallelujah.

There is a lamb in the midst of the throne. And I may grieve to him and hurt others. But if I prepare to admit how wrong I am I want to tell you his dead end is appointed. And right now this very moment there is a lamb cry as mostly as I am told.

Keep on quoting these hymns. I wish you knew them all. Five bleeding wounds he bears received on Calvary. Those poor effectual prayers they strongly plead for me, forgive them all. Forgive they cry. Nor let that ransomed sinner die.

Or again when Satan tempts me to despair and tells me of the guilt within after I look and see him there who made an end of all matches. Oh thank God. There is a lamb in the midst of the throne. The boy Isaac said to his family let the family back the wood.

But where is the lamb for the burnt offering. And with the hand uttered different words than you realize my son God will provide for himself a lamb for the burnt offering. And he's got him. And that burnt offering has anticipated all these terrible falling short that has had such terrible complications and hurt others that my friend in the midst of the most you've only got to put the blame where it belongs upon yourself.

And immediately the spirit will say behold the lamb behold the lamb. And he's in the midst of the throne. Had his blood not been part of love as the hymn says he never would have got to the throne. He'd taken with all sins on him.

How can such a lamb go back to heaven if there isn't power in the blood. And thus it is to atone. He entered into the holy place by his own blood. And there he is appearing in the presence of God for us.

I want to tell you there's no limit to the grace that's going to pour upon the penitent man. Jesus it is said not only to give the lesser but unless it's the less you're going to be the object of divine solicitude and grace.

Repentance, Assurance, and Access to God

When admitting the hard truth about yourself you go to him. You put your feeble claim in. But Jesus you're the lamb in the midst of the throne. And the father cannot turn his face away from him. This is how revival comes to the church.

Only because there's a lamb in the midst. If he's weak and lowly if he's belittled and old if he's full of mercy for others isn't he going to do that for you. When you take the place of the poor and needy he's on the side of the poor and needy.

But you haven't been in that place until half the night. And you see yourself so wrong. My dear friend let him confess that fact. You become endowed by that very confession a candidate to the one who's merciful and gracious to sinners.

And he's on your side. He takes up your case. He allows no one to lay charge against his elect. If of course they do it's ok. You disagree with him. You know sometimes I have an awful feeling. I act wrongly or speak to my wife in a rather abrupt way.

And that's the poor others. Oh I say what? Who do you think? And others heard it. This is the fellow that wrote Calvary. And you know how I got out of that? Not if they think I'm one big failure. If they think I'm a humbug they think the truth.

And if they come to say that to me I say you're dead. Right brother. Only I'm more so than you realise because God's already shown it me and I've become reconciled to it. And there's a sense in which you get peace with the blood of Jesus.

A sensitive conscience does. Some people's consciences aren't very sensitive. But a sensitive conscience gets peace by the blood of Jesus by being reconciled to the fact that they are a sinner. And being reconciled to that fact that it's all been taken care of in glorious fashion.

And you're given liberty and boldness to enter the holiest by the blood of Jesus. One of the great words in the epistle to the Hebrews is boldness. Sometimes it's translated confidence. Cast not away your confidence which hath great letter pens of award.

And the love of those having therefore boldness to enter the holiest. Same word. You have boldness with God. Then you know yourself to be what you are. There's a lamb in the midst of the throne ever living to make intercession spreading his wings and sharing his hands.

Becoming Like the Lamb

And when you cast that gaze of faith on that and say well thank you that is a fact then it isn't difficult to make things right where they need to be right. You've just received such abundant forgiveness from God.

You just want it to be completed by asking the forgiveness of whoever else it was that's been involved. And if they don't give the forgiveness and they take advantage of your apparent humility. Well I always said you were like that.

Now don't go back on it. You say that's what I'm saying. I always have been like that. Yes I think you are. That's exactly what I say. They almost get tired of saying it to you because you're saying it yourself.

And it's a little difficult for them not to give you forgiveness. Sometimes you aren't always met. You'd like to be met when you put things right. Could it be. You haven't gone the whole way in repentance.

Could it be. There's some bit you've retained saying I'm all right there. You've been really wrong. I've got to tell you you won't get a right reaction from that if you take wholly and solely the place of the sinner Lord.

I hope for that dear lamb from ever not to give forgiveness though. If they don't you've got it from God and you go on with him leaving God to work on that other half in due course and not complain that they haven't forgiven you so freely because you see your sin to be so grievous.