Chapters
1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10  11  12  13  14  15  16  17  18  19  20  21  22  23  24  25

The Lamb, And The Lambkin
(Revelation 21:22-27)
Chapter 23

"I saw no temple in the city, for the Lord God Omnipotent (Himself) and the Lamb (Himself) are its temple.  And the city has no need of the sun nor of the moon to give light to it, for the splendor and radiance (glory) of God illuminate it, and the Lamb is its lamp."                                                                                                           (Revelation 21:22-23, Amplified).

"The revelation of Jesus Christ... TO a people, IN a people, WITH a people.  It is a revelation OF HIM, albeit also of a people who share and manifest His glory, in UNION with Him.

There is a beautiful progression relative to the "Lamb" found in the Scriptures, beginning with the animal which is slain for an offering, to that which was personified in Jesus Christ, and then ultimately shared by those who become One in Him.

1). A lamb for a man.

"And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock, and of the fat thereof.  And the Lord had respect unto Abel and his offering."  (Genesis 4:4).

It was an individual sacrifice, one lamb for one man.  Can had also brought an offering, of the fruit of the field, and his offering was rejected, nor was he covered by Abel's offering.  Each man was on his own, to make his offering to God. This principle has never been cast aside, it still holds good, even though there has been a change in the offerings and their coverage, still that which applies to all, must be personally experienced, believed in individually, and received accordingly.

2). A lamb for an household.

"Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for an house."  (Exodus 12:3).

Israel was about to be delivered from Egypt, and as the commands were given for the Passover observance, it was to be a lamb for an household.  A man would offer one lamb for the covering of his whole family, and all of those within his gates.  The head of the house was responsible for all the house, and to make sure the lamb was provided.  The father of the home was the priest of the home, and he could spread his coverage to all of his family, claiming the protection and blessing of God for all.

As Paul once instructed the jailer, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, AND THY HOUSE."  (Acts 16:31).  He did believe, and was "baptized, HE AND ALL HIS straightway."  It is true, there comes an hour when each one in the household must also personally experience a committal of their faith in God, believe in the lamb offered for them.  If they go out from that household, they are assuming the responsibility once held by the head of the house.  But as long as their feet are under their father's table, so to speak, they do come under the coverage of his ministry and blessing-- he well stands before God for them.

This is also symbolically seen in spiritual matters today, when God apprehends an individual to become as a "lamb for an household," and for a time they are the only one who believes, receives, and walks on with God in a deeper way, while their life is given as an offering for their family, and they pray and believe for the hour when their entire household will come to Christ, and receive of His life.  Sometimes it is the wife, or a child of the home, and we marvel how God apprehends just one, purges and purifies them, and they stand out alone in the whole family, to be a lamb for that particular family.

It is a marvellous calling, but a difficult one, to be sure, to become that trail-blazer, to walk alone, unsupported by the rest of the family in their desire to press onward into the fulness of Christ-- to believe the truth, and to cast aside the errors of tradition and man's carnal creed.  We gaze in wonderment at the uniqueness of God's handiwork in such a life, but we see that in a "minor" fulfillment, there is indeed a lamb for an household, and HE is the one who prepares and sustains that lamb in sacrifice.

There is the blending of another principle here, for we also read that "if the firstfruit be holy the lump is also holy."  (Romans 11:16).  When God draws out one to become the FIRSTFRUIT of that household, it indicates that the whole household has been marked, set apart unto salvation in due time.  A firstfruit always indicates that there is a greater harvest to follow.  The time element remains with God, but eh fulfillment shall come.

3). A lamb for a nation, Israel.

"Caiaphas, being the high priest that same year, said unto them, Ye know nothing at all, nor consider that it is expedient for us, that ONE MAN should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not.  And this spake he not of himself: but being the high priest that year, he prophesied that JESUS SHOULD DIE FOR THAT NATION: and not for that nation only, but that also he should gather together in on the children of God that were scattered abroad."  (John 11:49-52).

Interesting to observe that there is a Spirit that accompanies the office, not dependent upon the man filling that office.  So Caiaphas, being the high priest that year, was anointed by the Spirit to prophesy concerning the death of Jesus, that it should be ONE MAN FOR THE WHOLE NATION, which was the nation of Israel, and not limited to those gathered in the geographical boundary of the nation, but for all those children of God, the Israelites which were scattered abroad throughout all nations.

While it is true that "God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son," for the whole world, and the whole world He shall receive reconciled to Himself again, yet specifically Jesus Christ was sent to a nation, to become the Lamb for that nation.  And it will require a further revelation of "the lamb" in a full company, ere we shall see the whole world brought nigh to God.

Just as each individual in the household must needs come to believe in the lamb offered for them, so also each individual in the whole nation must come to believe, personally, experientially.  But that this shall be so, we read, "And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Zion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob."  (Romans 11:26).

The whole nation-- in the land, and scattered abroad, thus to include both the circumcision (law keepers) and the uncircumcision (those who forsook the law, and became like the heathen nation among whom they were scattered). "That He might reconcile both unto God in one body, by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby."  (Ephesians 2:16).  Even as was prophesied, when Ezekiel took the two sticks, one for the house of Judah, and one for the house of Ephraim (the ten northern tribes), and joined them together as one stick, as a prophecy of the time when both kingdoms would be joined together in one kingdom unto the Lord, to be His people. (Read, Ezekiel 37:15-23).

There are natural fulfillments, and spiritual fulfillments, but both are assured, for the Word of the Lord is given, and it shall come to pass.  A lamb was given for the nation, and all that nation shall be brought into the fulness of His life and salvation.

4). A lamb for the world.

"The scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed. -- Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made.  He saith not, And to seeds, as of man; but as of one, And to they seed, which is Christ."  (Galatians 3:8,16).

There is a rule followed in the Greek, that where the identifying article the " is missing, it is speaking of quality, not identity.  Such is the case here, where it refers to the seed, which is Christ. There is no identifying article to make it "THE Christ," and thus it bespeaks of QUALITY-- to embrace the whole enchristed company of which The Christ is the Head.  All anointed by the same Spirit, for "he that is joined to the Lord is on Spirit."  There is a SEED through which all nations shall be blessed, it is a seed singular, because of that ONENESS which fulfills John 17:23, "I in them, and Thou in Me, that they may be made perfect in one." For as one body hath many members, "So also in Christ. For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body."  (1 Corinthians 12:12-13). This is the UNION that must BECOME, be fully realized, that God might have a LAMB-COMPANY through whom His salvation shall be ministered to all the world.

"And Abraham said, My son, GOD WILL PROVIDE HIMSELF a lamb..."  (Genesis 22:8).  Here is one of the most precious prophetic utterances ever given. A lamb is needed.  We have the wood and the fire, but where is the lamb? For Abraham's present need God provided a ram, caught in a thicket, and the sacrifice was made.  But this only prefigured that greater day, when God would PROVIDE HIMSELF-- not provide for Himself, but literally GIVE HIMSELF-- "To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself."  (2 Corinthians 5:19).

"Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us."  (Matthew 1:23).  To be a Lamb for the nation, yes, but the need is greater than just one nation, and so He is still in the process of providing a lamb for them all.  Jesus Christ is the HEAD of the body, 'for in all He shall have the pre-eminence."  (Colossians 1:18).  But the Head also must have a BODY-- so unto Him is added the rest of the firstfruits company.  Thus we saw Him, "A Lamb stood on the mount Zion, and with Him an hundred forty and four thousand." This is the company that ministers His life to the whole world. To see such a company does not magnify man, nor take away from Christ, for they are all totally conformed to HIS IMAGE, and partakers of HIS DIVINE NATURE.

There are two Greek words which have been translated as Lamb. "Amnos" is used but four times, and always exclusively of Jesus Christ.  All Old Testament types and shadows looked forward to their fulfillment in this Lamb of God.  And all ministry which is yet to come is based up this sacrificed Lamb.  There is nought that needs to be added to His offering-- it was once, and it was FOR ALL. "For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the Just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God."   (1 Peter 3:18).  HE IS...

"The Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world."  (John 1:29).

"Behold the Lamb of God!"  (John 1:36)

"Like a Lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened He not His mouth."  (Acts 8:32).

"A Lamb without blemish and without spot."  (1 Peter 1:19).

The other Greek word for "lamb" is "arnion" and means: a little lamb, a lambkin.  It is the only world used in Revelation.  and once in John 21:15, when Jesus told Peter, "Feed My lambs."  In this instance it obviously has reference to the followers of Christ.  That such a world has been used to refer also to Jesus Christ as "the little lamb," produces two thoughts: first, that it identifies Him with mankind, as He "made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men."  (Philippians 2:7), and secondly, that it makes from for all of those who share in "the fellowship of His suffering, being made conformable to His death,"  (Philippians 3:10), so that they become a part of the CORPORATE LAMB, which gives its life to bless others.

Never is the sacrifice of Christ to be compared with what we might offer, as we give ourselves "a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God,"  (Romans 12:1).  His sacrifice is uncomparable, supreme, totally sufficient in itself, with nothing added.  His sacrifice is not to be compared, but to be SHARED.  We share in its fellowship, we share in its out-giving, we share in its ministry. In the same manner Paul writes that "we are laborers together with God." (1 Corinthians 3:9).  God's working does not need us! "His work is perfect."  (Deuteronomy 32:4). But He graciously and lovingly includes us in His working, that we might be blessed.  So also we shall be allowed to share with Christ, in becoming part of that SEED which blesses all nations.

It is written, "Saviors shall come up on mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau; and the kingdom shall be the Lord's." (Obadiah 21). There is a uniqueness in this oneness in the Saviour, so that the total identity is HIS, even though we all can become members of His body-- a body that bears HIS NAME.  He has, and is begetting after His own kind, and thus THE SAVIOUR is producing those which shall be "saviours."

Now we read that "The Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple." Of this temple we read, "Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone;..."  (Ephesians 2:20). while "ye are the temple of the living God." (2 Corinthians 6:16).  The "Lord God Almighty"  takes care of our Lord Jesus Christ-- that is who HE IS, and so when it adds, "and the Lamb" it reaches out to include all those who form this "lambkin company."

then it reads on, "And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof." Certainly the glory of God will lighten it-- Jesus said, "I am the light of the world; he that followeth Me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life." (John 1:9).

But He also said, "Ye are the light of the world.  A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.  Neither do men light a candle and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.  Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." (Matthew 5:14-16).

HE IS the Lamb of God, and joined to Him is a lambkin company.  All the qualifications of The Lamb must now be found in this people of His purpose. "Behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves." (Luke 10:3).  Not to be devoured by the wolves, never! But to fulfill that glorious ministry, "as though God did beseech by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God." (2 Corinthians 5:20).

Freely, gladly, joyfully Jesus Christ faced the hour of sacrifice, pouring out His life, that it might be diffused and spread over the whole earth.  Now God's elect are being brought to the same consecration, so that they give everything, for the joy of beholding His life quicken those around them.  Willing to spend and be spent, until HIS LOVE THROUGH THEM has conquered all, and creation is restored into perfect harmony with its Creator.

There is a work that is totally of The Christ, finished at Calvary, which does not have to be re-enacted or duplicated.  He gave His life for the world.  Now, this lambkin company, which is join to Him, having received of that life, can freely share it with others.  Calvary demonstrated to the world that God is reconciled to the world.  Now the ministry of the lambkin is to beseech the world that God is reconciled to the world.  Now the ministry of the lambkin is to beseech the world to be reconciled to the God who is already reconciled to them.  He has already forgive their sin, and He will not impute sin to their account, nor charge them with guilt.  what is forgiven is forgiven.  Now man needs to be emptied of his rebellion towards God, and be reconciled to the God who already loves him.

The Lamb beautifully took care of all the world on God's side towards, man, and the lambkin will have a glorious ministry from man's side, to bring things back to God.  "Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God; Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament." (2 Corinthians 3:5-6).

It is a glorious witness to the effectiveness of the work of the Redeemer, that He can bring forth a corporate lambkin, through whom He shall continue to reveal the riches of His grace toward men.  One in The Lamb, they are to His praise!