Text: Isaiah 53:4-12, Revelation 5:1-14
To give ear to the prophecies of Isaiah and John today—it stirs my heart with worship! To read about the “already” of the spotless Lamb being crushed, and believe with faith in the “not yet” of that same Worthy Lamb doing what “no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able” to do (Revelation 5:3), causes the Holy Spirit in us to breathe prayers of praise for the truth that we’re reading.
It makes us want to close our eyes and attempt to imagine the unimaginable beauty of that moment when Jesus Himself will stand before the throne with the appearance of a slaughtered lamb and open the scroll, while heaven and earth acknowledge—the worthy Lamb has come at last.
Revelation really knows how to drop the mic, doesn’t it?
The scene in Isaiah, on the other hand, we can picture it happening as we read it. At least a little. That’s because between then and now—between the time of Isaiah’s prophecy and this moment we sit here today with leather-bound or smartphone versions of God’s Word in our hands—what Isaiah said would happen happened! The Lamb of God was pierced for our transgressions. Jesus Christ was led like a lamb to the slaughter before John’s very eyes!
While we can believe and even imagine the unfolding of Isaiah’s prophecies because we have a firsthand narrative of the actual events, John’s prophecy in Revelation is a bit more difficult to picture. None of us has seen Heaven! This prophecy is not yet fulfilled. And yet, to read about it causes us as believers to exhale an, “Amen, come Lord Jesus!”
Here we are—you and I and this poor, fallen world, smack in the middle of the Already and the Not Yet. We believe with faith that the Lamb of God was crushed for us, and we believe with hope in the truth of God’s Word, that that same Lamb is worthy and will open the scroll in Heaven and break its seals and look into it at just the right time, and ransom people for God. And He—our Jesus who was dead and rose for us—will appear and every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them will say all together:
“To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb
be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!”
– Revelation 5:13b
Amen, come Lord Jesus.
For an added layer of worship during this sweet season of adoration and expectation, we’ve created a Spotify playlist for Advent 2014! You can find the complete SheReadsTruth | O Come Let Us Adore Him playlist at this link, or listen to today’s track on the player below. Enjoy!
We talked about Christ’s sacrifice at church this morning. Sheep in the Old Testament did not come willingly to be sacrificed. They kicked and resisted with all their strength (sounds familiar to us doesn’t it?) but Jesus, the perfect Lamb went to the cross in perfect obedience. He himself said that no one could take away his life, but he chose to give it up freely. He is our perfect example of sweet surrender and obedience to the will of the Father. Worthy is the Lamb that was slain!
I’m so grateful for all the time studying Isaiah. I didn’t realize how fully prophesied Jesus was. Amazing. Thank you.
I think because the prophecy of the second coming in Revelation is so big, so unique, and so unlike anything we've ever known it is easy to be a skeptic or to have doubt. And don't you think, the people of the Old Testament, when they received the prophecy of Jesus' birth, of the child coming to save humanity, had some of the same doubt? And yet, the prophecy was fulfilled.
Let us have faith and believe in the second coming and prepare ourselves for the day of judgment, bathing ourselves in light and distancing ourselves from the darkness.
This was what I needed to read. Thank you
Jesus, forgive me for not worshiping you in Spirit and in Truth. You became the lamb who was slain for us, not based on how worthy we were, but based on Your never-changing love for us. Forgive me for not accepting your gift of grace with worship and thanksgiving, but instead focusing on how worthy I may or may not be to accept it. What pride! Change me, Lord Jesus.
Thank you, Jesus, Lord God, for being both the judge and the advocate. I praise You, that even when we're in sin we can run to Your arms, repenting of our sin and trusting that you are both the light that eliminates darkness and the water that cleanses us completely. May we rely more and more upon You, Lord God! May we all sing, with every other being in existence, "To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb
be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!" (Revelations 5:13b). Amen!!
Be so blessed today, my dear friends! I truly do love all of You!
Thank you so much for this comment!
Amen!
Worthy is the Lamb!! Is anybody else amazed that “He did not open His mouth?” It states it twice in Isaiah.
Wow!!! Constantly overwhelmed by my Savior.
As a kid, the book of Revelation wasn't really discussed much in my church. My parents also glossed over it when I'd asked about it, saying it was simply about the end of this world. That used to terrify me as I'd sit in my bedroom and read through it on my own. And let's be real, there are some strong images and events described in Revelation.
But Revelation shouldn't be a terrifying book- and it's not to me any more. Yes, there are some terrible things that will come. But more importantly- most importantly- Christ will come. We can believe it with confidence because He has already fulfilled Isaiah's prophecy along with other prophecies that foretold of Him. His return is foretold in Recelation. He will ransom His people. It all will be finished once and for all. That is hopeful, not terrifying. Glory to Him!
You expressed my thoughts exactly! How incredible to see God's consistency and faithfulness- his promise of salvation and hope for man kind through Jesus' first coming and for His people through Jesus' second coming. Revelation should be read and studied as another advent.
He loves us so much and we did so little for that love. I am always in aw of that. I also, really like how the bible calls Jesus the Shepard while he was on Earth. (as he was/is) and once he sacrifice for our sins was made, he became the lamb. The precious lamb So beautiful.
Worthy is the Lamb who was slain for my sins!! Life can be hard and it's a struggle for me to stay afloat mentally sometimes with work, but knowing this truth makes it easier to maintain on a day to day basis. I am not worthy yet he gave his life. Where can anyone find that kind of love?? I am awaiting His return!
P