Lamb and Shepherd

The Lamb guides the Kings and Nations of the Earth to the City of New Jerusalem as part of his mission of redemption.

Paul described the proclamation of “Christ crucified” as God's “wisdom and power.” The proposition that God overthrew Sin, Satan, and Death through the execution of an impotent Jew from an insignificant village was contrary to the “wisdom of this world.” Even the spiritual “powers and principalities” did not understand and therefore sealed their doom by crucifying the very one whom God would appoint as the “Lord of Glory.”

Jesus will consummate his victory when he returns and populates the Holy City, “New Jerusalem.” This hope is portrayed in several ways, and we find a graphic illustration in the image of the sacrificial “Lamb” who brings this redemptive process to a dazzling conclusion by “Shepherding the Nations” to “New Jerusalem.”

[Photo by POOYAN ESHTIAGHI on Unsplash]

His goal in subjugating His enemies differs radically from human understanding and expectations. Just as his contemporaries did not understand him, we fail to comprehend how the “Slain Lamb” reigns.

In the vision of the “Rider on the White Horse,” Jesus wears a robe “sprinkled with blood,” but it was bloodstained before he engaged in combat with the “Beast from the Sea.” To whom did the blood belong, and how did it get there?

This “Rider’s” only weapon was the great “sword” that “proceeded out of his mouth,” the “Word of God.” Rather than a bloodied blade on his belt, on his thigh was written,“ King of kings and Lord of lords.”

Jesus is the “Word of God” sent to “judge and make war in righteousness,” not in rage or through vengeful violence. His “army” was “clothed with fine linen, white and pure” with no weapon in sight. His “sword” was used “to shepherd the nations,” not to crush them.

The “Lamb” did not annihilate the “Nations” or the “Kings of the Earth.” Both groups appear in New Jerusalem where the “nations” will walk in the Lamb’s light, and the “Kings of the Earth will bring their glory into” the City.

Rather than the aftermath of a great slaughter, a life-giving river will flow from the Divine Throne bordered on either side by the “Tree of Life,” and “its leaves were for the healing of the nations” - (Revelation 21:24-26, 22:1-4).

Jesus is the “Ruler of the Kings of the Earth” who redeems men from every nation with his shed blood and makes them a “Kingdom of Priests.”  This statement uses past tense verbs to describe things achieved through his Death and Resurrection. Even before his return, the “saints” reign with him as “priests,” not soldiers, conquerors, or petty tyrants.

Instead of slaughtering their persecutors, these royal “priests” mediate his light to a dark and dying world. They “overcome” and reign as he did - by self-sacrificial service, perseverance in testimony, and martyrdom when necessary - (Revelation 1:4-6, 3:21, 12:11).

It was the self-sacrificial “Lamb” who “overcame” through his death, and therefore he reigns supreme over all things. He fulfills his Messianic role as the redemptive “Lamb” who shepherds his people, including “nations” and “kings.”

If Jesus is the “Ruler of the Kings of the Earth,” what kind of king would he be if he allowed Satan to conquer the “nations” for all time? Is he not the one who overcame and now “Shepherds the Nations”? What shepherd would allow a predatory beast to slaughter his flock? - (Revelation 12:5, 19:15).

The term “nation” is fluid in its application - used negatively and positively. The “Beast from the Sea” was granted authority over men from every “nation, people, tongue, and tribe.” More often, it is stated that the “Lamb” purchased “men from every nation, people, tribe, and tongue,” and he, therefore, reigns over his redeemed people - (Revelation 5:6-10, 7:9-17, 13:7-10).

At times, the “nations” are victimized by the “Dragon” and his vassals. “Babylon” is condemned because “she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.” She, “by her sorceries, deceived all the nations.” How could Jesus “overcome” and “Shepherd the Nations” if he allowed the Devil to keep his ill-gotten gains? - (Revelation 14:8, 18:3, 18:23, 20:3-8).

In the end, the “Nations” and their “Kings” are found populating “New Jerusalem” giving honor and glory to the “Lamb.” This happy result was predicted in the Book:

• “Who shall in any way not be put in fear, O Lord, and glorify your name, alone, full of lovingkindness; because all the nations will come and do homage before you, because your righteous deeds were made manifest?” - (Revelation 15:4).

• “The nations of them which are saved will walk in the light of it: and the Kings of the Earth do bring their glory and honor into it… And they will bring the glory and honor of the nations into it” - (Revelation 21:24-22:4).

HIS REAL ENEMIES

The “Lamb” has four “cosmic” enemies - the “Dragon,” the “Beast,” the “False Prophet,” and “Babylon.” Men who ally with Satan by giving allegiance to his “Beast” have their names excluded from the “Book of Life.” The term applied to human opponents of the “Lamb” is the “Inhabitants of the Earth.” They will face the “Hour of Trial that will try the Inhabitants of the Earth.”

The martyrs “underneath the altar” in the Fifth Seal pleaded with God to avenge their blood on the “Inhabitants of the Earth,” the same group that rejoiced over the deaths of the “Two Witnesses” - (Revelation 3:10, 6:9-11, 8:7-13).

This group consists of unrepentant men who submit to the “Beast” and embrace its “Mark.” They are identified as the men “whose names were not written in the Book of Life.” Despite the “plagues” sent to correct them, they refused to “repent of their idolatries.”

The “Inhabitants of the Earth” are the men who consciously oppose the “Lamb” at every opportunity. They have rejected the redemption offered by Jesus Christ, a salvation that was achieved at an unbelievably high price - (Revelation 3:10, 6:10, 8:13, 11:10).

The “Inhabitants of the Earth” are never presented in a positive light, and no member of this group is found in the “New Jerusalem,” however, the “Kings of the Earth” and the “Nations” do become citizens of the Holy City.

“New Jerusalem” will descend to the Earth, not to become the home of a tiny “remnant” who make it by the skin of their teeth, but to be inhabited by an innumerable multitude of men from “every nation, tongue, tribe, and people” - (Revelation 7:9-17).

The “Lamb” does not redeem the “nations” by oppression or military conquest, but through the perseverance, priestly service, and testimony of his “saints,” those who overcome the Devil by “the blood of the Lamb, the word of their testimony, and because they loved not their lives even unto death.”

In Revelation, the term “witness” often means martyrdom. Just as the “Lamb” redeemed his brethren by his self-sacrifice, so his disciples reign with him on the Earth by bringing the Good News of his Kingdom through their priestly service, sacrifice, and “Testimony,” even at the cost of their own lives.

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SEE ALSO:

• The Royal Shepherd - (The Lamb’s reign commenced with his death and resurrection, and since then, he has been shepherding the nations toward New Jerusalem)

• Ruler of Kings - (The Faithful Witness, Jesus Christ, now reigns supreme over the Kings of the Earth, and even over his enemies - Revelation 1:4-6)

• Sovereign Over All Things - (Messianic promises from the Psalms are applied to the PRESENT reign of Jesus who possesses all authority in Heaven and on Earth)