March 30 2025, Sunday School Lesson

Worthy Is the Lamb

Lesson Text: Revelation 5:1-5; 11-14

Related Scriptures: Genesis 49:8-12; Isaiah 11:1-10; Revelation 5:8-10; 6:1-17; 8:1-5

TIME: about A.D. 96

PLACE: from Patmos

Golden Text “Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever” (Revelation 5:13)

Introduction

The Lamb wins. The simple three-line slogan was all that was featured on the sign erected by the small Methodist church in Prague. It was Novem 27, 1989 – the day that Communist domination came to an end in Czechoslovakia. Until then the harassed Christian community had been permitted no publicity at all; even the displayed title Church was forbidden on the outside of the building. Now the message was movingly evident to the passerby: ‘The Lamb Wins.’ It was not that victory at last arrived. The theology of the little poster was exactly right. Christ is always the winner. He was winning, even when the church seemed to lie crushed under the apparatus of totalitarian rule. Now at the last it could be proclaimed!”

What was true for the embattled saints of Eastern Europe under communism was also true for the first readers of Revelation. They were being persecuted by Rome. From the beginning, true Christians have suffered for their faith, and as we approach the end of the age, persecution will intensify.

LESSON OUTLINE

I. LION OF JUDAH – Rev. 5:1-5

II. LAMB OF GOD – Rev. 5:11-14

QUESTIONS

1. What is the significance of the “right hand” (Rev. 5:1)

2. Describe the “book” seen by John. What do the seven seals indicate?

3. Do we know who the “strong angel” was (vs. 2)? What does scripture teach about angels?

4. Why was John weeping?

5. Why is Christ called the Lion of the tribe of Judah?

6. Why is Christ called the root of David?

7. Why is Christ alone worthy to open the seven seals?

8. What is the significance of “ten thousand times ten thousand” angels (vs. 11)?

9. Who else joined in with praise to God and the Lamb?

10. How long will praise to the Lamb continue? In what way is this important to us?

ANSWERS

1. The right hand was often used in performing oaths; so this is the likely reason for the book being in the “right hand” (cf. 1:16-17; 10:5-6)

2. The book (or scroll) that John saw was sealed with seven seals. Throughout the Apocalypse number seven is quite significant, indicating completeness.

3. While some have suggested that the “strong angel” was Gabriel, no indication is given concerning the identity of this angel. That he was “strong” implies that there are ranks and varieties of angels, which can be inferred from other texts as well (Dan. 10:13; Jude 1:9).

4. To have been called to heaven only to be disappointed because the future could not be revealed was difficult for John to accept.

5. This designation hearkens back to Genesis 49:9, where Judah was called a “lion’s whelp.” Likewise, Jacob prophesied in his blessing of the patriarchs that “the scepter shall not depart from Judah” (vs. 10), indicating that this tribe would supply royalty to the nation of Israel and, ultimately, the true King of Israel, Jesus Christ. The angel who appeared to Mary before Jesus birth confirmed that Christ was the fulfillment of that prophesy: “He shall reign over the house of Jacob forever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end (Luke 1:33). Since the lion has long been recognized as the king of beasts, it is appropriate that the King of kings (Rev. 19:16) is depicted as a lion.

6. Another phrase drawn from the Old Testament is the “Root of David” (5:5). Isaiah 11:1 says, “There shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots.” According to the prophet, “with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove wit equity for the meek of the earth; and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked” (vs. 4). These very phrases are used in the New Testament concerning the Second Coming (II Thess. 2:8; Rev. 2:16; 19:15).

7. He alone was successful in opening the sealed scroll for He alone is worthy to do so. “Christ has conquered once and for all. Paradoxically, this decisive victory over Satan and death was accomplished on the cross. He conquered by an act of total self-sacrifice. The result is that he alone is worthy to open the scroll of destiny both to reveal and carry out the final dissolution of all forces set in opposition to the eternal kingdom of God’.

8. Similar to how we use “myriad,” the term was frequently used by the Greeks to represent a number beyond human comprehension.

9. Joining the heavenly chorus in praise to the Lamb of God, “every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea” (vs. 13) renders adoration to the Heavenly Father and to the Lamb.

10. We note that this praise was being rendered “for ever and ever” (Rev. 5:13). Eternity will not be long enough to praise God, from whom all blessing flow, not the least of which is eternal salvation through the “Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world” (John 1:29).