THE LAMB AND THE LION

As a member of the Body of Christ, I have already received an immeasurable amount of grace (unmerited favor) from God. I was drawn to Christ by the Father (Jn. 6:44). I was convicted of my sin and my need of a Savior by the Holy Spirit (Jn. 16:7-11). I was given the ability to believe the Gospel (Eph. 2:8-9); the Gospel which says that Jesus died, was buried, and rose again according to the Scriptures for me (1 Cor. 15:1-4). I was born again by the will of God in the power of the Holy Spirit (Jn. 1:13; 3:5-8). I have become a new creature; one who is reconciled to God by Jesus Christ (2 Cor. 5:13-19). God has begun changing me into the likeness of His Son, and has given me the will to please Him (Phil. 1:6; 2:13; Rom. 12:1-2). He will finish the task as I enter into His presence (Rom. 8:29; Phil. 2:13; 1 Jn. 3:2). He is the God of Grace!

On top of all that, He has allowed me to understand the mystery that Christ would make two appearances on earth, rather than one (Mk. 4:11; Rom. 11:25; 16:25; Eph. 3:9). I know what the Old Testament prophets and the angels of God did not know (1 Pet. 1:10-12). At His First Coming, Jesus was called the "Lamb of God Who takest away the sin of the world" by John the Baptist (Jn. 1:29), and Paul called Him "our Passover" (1 Cor. 5:7). Because I understand the mysteries of God, I am able to recognize that the first three Feasts of Israel, occurring in the first month of their calendar, represent the First Coming of Christ (Passover, Unleavened Bread, and First Fruits).

I know that the last three Feasts, which are celebrated in the seventh month, represent His Second Coming (Trumpets, Atonement, and Tabernacles). And, I also understand that the feast celebrated between the first three and the last three, the Wave Offering, which involved two loaves of leavened bread, represents the Church which is made up of sinners saved from both the Jews and the Gentiles. God's grace has changed my ignorance and opened my understanding.

Jesus truly was the Lamb slain before the foundation of the world (Rev. 13:8). But the Book of Revelation has another name for Christ. It represents His Second Coming to rule for a thousand years with a rod of iron (Rev. 19:15; 20:1-6). This name for Christ is "The Lion of the Tribe of Juda" (Rev. 5:5). It not only identifies Him with the nation of Israel and the tribe of Judah, it signifies His royalty and kingship. But Christ, being the humble servant of God that He is, only allowed Himself to be called by this name once in all of Scripture. On the other hand, He is referred to as "the Lamb" twenty-seven times in Revelation alone.

I cannot explain why God would choose to save me. As an atheist, I should have been the last one He would transform into His child, but God is no respecter of persons (Acts 10:34). God wants everyone to repent and come to saving faith in Him through Christ Jesus (2 Pet. 3:9). God's grace is for everyone who will accept it. Turn to God (repent), trust in Jesus, and accept God's offer to adopt you as His child. You will not regret it, I promise!