Two pictures of Jesus: a roaring, majestic, powerful LION and a powerless, bloody LAMB.

So, which one of these picture would you think was revealed to John in his vision as sitting on the throne in heaven?

Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing at the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. The Lamb had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. (Revelation 5:6)

When we come to God for help, do we picture a bloody lamb who looks like it has been killed? Or do we visualize C.S. Lewis’ Aslan?

Nearly 20% of lambs die before weaning, with 80% of deaths occurring in the first 10 days. The top causes of death in lambs are starvation, hypothermia from cold stress, respiratory disease, and scours. A lamb is the most defenseless of creatures. It is so weak, it must be protected by its mother—and even this is not enough. They both need a shepherd.

And yet, the lamb is on the throne in heaven—not the King of Beasts. This does not make sense: a powerless creature as a symbol of power, as a representation of The King, as the one who reigns over all.

The lamb on the throne turns our worldview on its head—which is the purpose of the whole gospel story. In the world, the strong and fierce holders of power are the rulers. But we are talking here about the Kingdom of God, in which:

• the weak are strong and the strong are weak.
• you have to let go in order to have.
• you give to receive.
• those who lower themselves will be lifted up.
• you lose yourself to find yourself.
• you surrender to prevail.
• and you die to yourself so that you can find life.

This is our Savior. The Lamb is our King. And we who live in the Kingdom of God the Lamb, follow in His footsteps.

²⁵ Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. ²⁶ Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, ²⁷ and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— ²⁸ just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Matthew 20:25-28)