“Say to the Daughter of Zion, ‘See, your king comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’” Matthew 21:5 (NIV)
I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw seven golden lampstands, and among the lampstands was someone “like a son of man,” dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest. His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters. In his right hand he held seven stars, and out of his mouth came a sharp double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance. When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Revelation 1:12-17 (NIV)
Our amazing Savior brings together the stunning mingling of lion-like strength and lamb-like gentleness. Though the lion and lamb are diverse, they each have peculiar excellencies. The lion excels in strength, voice and majesty. The lamb in gentleness and meekness and is servant like in its provision of wool for our clothing as well as good for food and suitable to be offered as a sacrifice to God. Christ is compared to both – as His “diverse excellencies” meet together in our Savior – indeed, lionlike strength and lamblike gentleness.
Christ came as the fullest and deepest revelation of God to man – to see Him is to see the Father. And He is to be seen and valued above all – as the Pearl of great price. Furthermore, He is to be our greatest pursuit and One, I might add, which takes a lifetimes and throughout eternity as well. We never reach an end. The more you know of Him, the more you know you don’t know. The vastness of His being, the depth of the riches of His wisdom and knowledge are beyond tracing out causing the Apostle Paul to proclaim: “For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever! Amen.” (Romans 11:36).
Then one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.” Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing in the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. He had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. He came and took the scroll from the right hand of him who sat on the throne. And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.” Revelation 5:5-8 (NIV)