Lev Regelson - Light and Dark Images of Apocalypse

Lamb

The name of "The Lamb", that is repeated some thirty times in the Revelation, designates Jesus Christ as the man who sacrificed Himself to redeem us:

Jesus Christ the Lamb. Agnus Dei, Emory University, Pitts Theology Library.

“Thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation…” (5:9) .

For which reason St. John announces in his Revelation:

“Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing” (5:12).

Therein is all essence of Revelation: “One slained” is receiving power. The Apocalypse demonstrates the conflict between two worlds, two types of relations between personalities, two types of power and authority.

In the world of the Beast, the authority belongs to the butcher, in the world of God – to the victim. The Apocalypse thereby reveals to us the sense of the Gospel.

People with vestiges of pagan consciousness now and again consider the character of the gospel Jesus as too soft and weak, well-nigh feminine. Nothing could be further from the truth. Jesus is the possessor of the utmost courage of which man is capable, yet at the same time is the bearer of genuine power. That is simply such courage and such power. Pagans will never comprehend that until directly affected by this force:

“These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for He is Lord of lords, and King of kings” (17:14).

That authority was manifested on the Cross when Jesus Christ said of his butchers:

"Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do" (Luke 23:34).

And this word does not remain in vain, because He speaks as one that had authority: to denounce or forgive.

The forgiveness or curse that the victim utters upon his butchers, is of absolute power, for thus it is ordained by God. Only once in the New Testament, and precisely in the Revelation, there comes from the lips of the martyrs the verdict of condemnation. This occurs after the breaking of the Fifth Seal, when the souls of those "slaughtered for God's words" cry out to God:

“How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?” (6:10).

Indeed, something very strange and extraordinary must happen in the world for the usual entreaty victims make to forgive their butchers to yield to a cry for vengeance… It is told to them, that their requirement will be executed:

“And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled” (6:11).

By now we wonder what relationship may exist between the One who sits on the throne and the Lamb.

These two Persons often appear side by side. Thus the Lamb came to the One who sits on the throne (5:7)

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