Experiencing, Enjoying, and Expressing Christ (4)
Message Four
The Lion-Lamb
THE EXTRACT OF THE OUTLINES
Scripture reading:
Rev. 5:5 And one of the elders said to me, Do not weep; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has overcome so that He may open the scroll and its seven seals.
Rev. 5:6 And I saw in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures and in the midst of the elders a Lamb standing as having just been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.
I. The book of Revelation is a picture of Jesus Christ; the twenty-two chapters of this book are a single portrait portraying and depicting Jesus—1:1-2, 5. (Monday)
II. “Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has overcome”—5:5a:
A. The lion is a symbol of Christ, portraying Him as a strong fighter against the enemy, as revealed in Genesis 49:8-9.
B. As the Lion of the tribe of Judah, Christ overcame and defeated the rebellious Satan, the enemy of God, and as the redeeming Lamb, He took away the sin of fallen man—Rev. 5:5-10.
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III. “I saw in the midst of the throne…a Lamb standing as having just been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth”—Rev. 5:6; 1:4; 3:1: (Tuesday)
A. In chapter 5 is the scene in the heavens after Christ ascended there; as the Lion, He is the Fighter against the enemy; as the Lamb, He is the Redeemer for us—5:5-6.
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B. The Lord has seven horns; horns signify strength in fighting; Christ is the redeeming Lamb, yet He has horns for fighting—v. 6b; Deut. 33:17. (Wednesday, Thursday)
C. Christ as the redeeming Lamb has seven observing and searching eyes for executing God’s judgment upon the universe to fulfill God’s eternal purpose, which will consummate in the building up of the New Jerusalem—Rev. 5:6; Zech. 3:9; 4:7, 10.
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IV. “The seven Spirits of God”—Rev. 1:4; 3:1; 4:5; 5:6b: (Friday)
A. Revelation 1:4 speaks of “the seven Spirits who are before His throne”; in essence and existence God’s Spirit is one; in the intensified function and work of God’s operation, God’s Spirit is sevenfold—vv. 4-5.
B. Today we need to see and experience the sevenfold Spirit, the intensified Spirit, the Spirit of recovery—vv. 4-5.
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V. “They sing a new song, saying: You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, for You were slain and have purchased for God by Your blood men out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation”—5:9: (Saturday)
A. The song here is new because the Lamb whom it praises had just been slain—v. 9.
B. In the whole universe no one is worthy to open the mystery of God’s economy but Christ, the overcoming Lion and the redeeming Lamb; Christ is the only One qualified to unveil and carry out the mystery of God’s economy—vv. 5-10.
OPENING WORD OF THE PROPHESYING MEETING
Reading the verses in each day.
Reading the main points in the outlines.
Pray-reading the verses:
And one of the elders said to me, Do not weep; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has overcome so that He may open the scroll and its seven seals. And I saw in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures and in the midst of the elders a Lamb standing as having just 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 scroll out of the right hand of Him who sits upon the throne—Rev. 5:5-7.
Word of Appetizer
The book of Revelation is a picture of Jesus Christ, portraying and describing what this Jesus is.
In the book of Revelation, we should see only one person—Jesus Christ—because this book is the revelation and unveiling of Jesus Christ. The main character in Revelation is Christ as the Lion of the tribe of Judah. In Revelation 5:5-10 we see that we can experience and enjoy Christ as the Lion-Lamb. Christ is the Lion of the tribe of Judah, who has overcome and defeated Satan, the enemy who rebelled against God, and He is the redeeming Lamb, who has taken away the sin of fallen man; thereby He has removed the hindrances to the fulfillment of God’s will, with the result that He is worthy to open the scroll concerning God’s economy.
Spiritual Burden
In the entire universe, no one is worthy to open the mystery of God’s economy except Christ, the overcoming Lion and the redeeming Lamb.
He is the overcoming Lion who defeated Satan for God; He is the redeeming Lamb who took away sin for us; only Christ is qualified to open and carry out the mystery of God’s economy; we need to realize that Christ is worthy to open the seven seals of the secret of God’s economy; the Lord’s worthiness in this matter is universal and immeasurable; Christ is worthy of our praise and even of our entire life.
Concluding Word of the Prophesying Meeting
The Revelation of the Truth
The book of Revelation is a picture of Jesus Christ; all twenty-two chapters are a picture portraying and describing this Jesus.
“Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has overcome.”
“And I saw in the midst of the throne…a Lamb standing as having just been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.”
The Experience of Life
Revelation 1:4 speaks of “the seven Spirits who are before His throne”; today we need to see and experience the sevenfold Spirit, the intensified Spirit, the recovering Spirit.
In Revelation 1:4-5, The Spirit is included; grace and peace are also dispensed to the churches from The Spirit; this indicates that for God’s move, The Spirit is desperately needed to counteract the degradation of the church.
Practice and Application
“And they sang a new song, saying, You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, for You were slain and have purchased for God by Your blood men out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation.”
In the entire universe, no one is worthy to open the mystery of God’s economy except Christ, the overcoming Lion and the redeeming Lamb; He is the overcoming Lion who defeated Satan for God; He is the redeeming Lamb who took away sin for us; Christ is worthy of our praise and even of our entire life.
PROPHESYING TOPICS—TWELVE TOPICS PER WEEK
Day 1
T1 The Entire Twenty-two Chapters of Revelation Are a Picture of the Lion of the Tribe of Judah (Rev. 5:5)
(Please illustrate that the Lion signifies Christ, portraying Him as a strong warrior against the enemy.)
T2 In His Ascension, Christ Is the Lion-Lamb (Rev. 5:5-6)
(Please illustrate that to us, the Lion is the redeeming Lamb; but to the enemy, the Lamb is the victorious Lion.)
Day 2
T1 Experiencing and Enjoying Christ as the Lion-Lamb (Rev. 5:6-7)
(Please illustrate that Christ is the Lamb to accomplish God’s redemption and the Lion to fight for God’s kingdom.)
T2 If We Love the Lord, He Is the Lamb to Us; but to Those Who Do Not Love Him, He Is the Lion (Rev. 5:6-7)
(Please illustrate why Christ must also be the Lion.)
Day 3
T1 Christ Is the Redeeming Lamb with Seven Eyes for Inspecting and Searching (Rev. 3:1)
(Please illustrate from experience that when we come to the meetings of the church, we are under a particular kind of inspection.)
T2 Daily Welcoming Him into Our Entire Being to Purify, Judge, Cleanse, and Purge Us (Rev. 1:9, 11-12)
(Please illustrate that the more we allow the seven Spirits to cleanse us, the more He will shine through us, and this shining is the testimony of the church.)
Day 4
T1 The Building Stone Has Seven Eyes; the Lampstand Has Seven Lamps (Zech. 4:2; 3:9)
(Please illustrate that both the stone and the lampstand are Christ; the stone is for building, and the lampstand is for shining and giving light.)
T2 The Lion—the Lamb—the Stone (Zech. 3:9; 4:10)
(Please illustrate that the Lion destroys the enemy, the Lamb redeems us, and the Stone builds God’s house.)
Day 5
T1 For God’s Move, The Spirit Is Urgently Needed to Counter the Degradation of the Church (Rev. 1:5; 4:5)
(Please illustrate the difference between the order of The Triune God in Revelation and the order in Matthew.)
T2 In Essence and Existence, the Spirit of God Is One (Zech. 4:2; Rev. 4:5)
(Please illustrate that in the intensified function and work of God’s move, the Spirit of God is sevenfold.)
Day 6
T1 Only Christ Is Qualified to Open the Mystery of God’s Economy (Rev. 5:5)
(Why is Christ fully qualified and positioned to open the mystery of God’s economy?)
T2 Christ Is the One Who Has Received the Authority to Govern the Entire Universe (Rev. 1:1, 6-7)
(Please illustrate that Christ is the real ruler of all the nations in the heavens and on the earth.)
