The final triumph of the Lamb will occur at His second coming when He will return to earth in power and majesty to judge his enemies in the battle of Armageddon, condemn the Antichrist and false prophet to the lake fire, have the devil bound and incarcerated in a sealed pit, save a remnant of Israel and the nations, and establish His reign of peace on earth. Many of these great eschatological events are described in Revelation, and one would presume that John would have given preference to royal titles to describe Christ in His exalted position as God and King – but he refers mainly to Him as the Lamb.
The basis for Christ’s victory and supremacy is found in the first of the seven feasts, which is His capacity as the Lamb of God who gave His life to save lost humanity by bearing the death penalty for their sins on the cross, thereby delivering them from the power and claims of the Evil One. In Revelation, He is described 26 times as the Lamb. Other names and descriptions are also used, but His position as Lamb dominates in this final book of the Bible.
It is appropriate to conclude this book with a few excerpts from Revelation in which Christ’s position as Lamb is emphasised, as well as His related offices as the Firstfruits and High Priest:
The firstborn from the dead. The message of Revelation comes from “Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever” (Rev. 1:5-6). He is the faithful witness in all things, past, present and future, who washed us in His blood and offers us a great and wonderful future in His kingdom. He is the firstborn from the dead, and because of this we know that we are serving a living Christ who existed before everything else, and who also holds the end of everything in His hands. He wants believers to take notice of the fact that He is “the First and the Last, who was dead and came to life” (Rev. 2:8). He died on behalf of us and came to life again, thereby conquering the last foe, death. All who believe in Him will not suffer loss through the death of the body, but will rise from the dead and live forever in God’s kingdom.
The whole world will see Him coming. “Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him” (Rev. 1:7). During the past two millennia, the disciples of the Lamb were sent out into the entire world to preach the gospel of salvation to all nations. When He comes back in glory as Judge and King of kings, every eye will see Him and all people will be held accountable for their lives – specifically with regard to their relationship with Christ as Saviour. After the terrible judgements of the Day of the Lord, the surviving people from all nations will mourn for Jesus and confess their sins. Among them will also be a godly remnant of Israel, “who will look on Him whom they have pierced, and mourn for Him” (Zech. 12:10). The mourners from all nations will be saved and enter the Millennial kingdom of the Lamb (Matt. 24:29-30; Zech. 14:16).
He will appear in royal and priestly apparel as Judge, King and Priest. His glory will be great, His knowledge perfect, His insight unrestricted, His judgements severe, and His mercy boundless. In his visions on the future, John saw “One like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band. His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes like a flame of fire; His feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace, and His voice as the sound of many waters” (Rev. 1:13-15).
The Lamb is in the midst of His church and knows all their works. Through His disciple John Jesus sent messages to His church on earth: “These things says He who holds the seven stars in His right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands: I know your works” (Rev. 2:1-2). He knows all our actions and even the most hidden thoughts and intents of our hearts, and will judge us accordingly.
The saints will glory in the shed blood of the Lamb through which they were saved and cleansed, and acknowledge that He is worthy to open the scroll of God’s judgements upon the wicked. “Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has prevailed to open the scroll and to loose its seven seals ... Now when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb ... And they sang a new song, saying: You are worthy to take the scroll, and to open its seals; for You were slain, and have redeemed us to God by Your blood out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, and have made us kings and priests to our God; and we shall reign on the earth” (Rev. 5:5, 8-10). The Lion from the tribe of Judah, Immanuel (God with us) who was incarnated in the royal family of Israel, first appeared on the scene in the form of a lowly servant and Lamb of God to offer Himself as a propitiation for the sins of the world. Only He has a God-given right to judge all people who despised God’s offer of salvation, and will therefore open the scroll to judge the wicked. The power of the kingdom of darkness will be utterly broken. Those who belong to the Lamb will glory in the fact that He has redeemed them with His blood. They will be co-heirs of the kingdom of the Lion of Judah who will reign from David’s throne in the city of the great King. From these facts it is evident that the Lamb who was born in Israel has a worldwide mission and also a worldwide kingdom. The seven feasts of the Lord, therefore, also have a worldwide application and a New Testament fulfilment.
The tribulation saints will wash their clothes in the blood of the Lamb (Rev. 7:14). Although they will die as martyrs (Rev. 6:9-11), they will prevail against the Antichrist spiritually by virtue of the power given them by the Lamb: “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death” (Rev. 12:11).
The judgements of the Lamb will result in a terrifying tribulation on earth. When devastating earthquakes and other natural disasters strike the earth, people will know that these are divine judgements because they have rejected the Lamb of God’s offer of salvation: “I looked when He opened the sixth seal, and behold, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became like blood. And the stars of heaven fell to the earth, as a fig tree drops its late figs when it is shaken by a mighty wind. Then the sky receded as a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island was moved out of its place. And the kings of the earth, the great men, the rich men, the commanders, the mighty men, every slave and every free man, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains, and said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! For the great day of His wrath has come, and who is able to stand?” (Rev. 6:12-17). The wrath of the Lamb awaits all those who wilfully sided with His enemies, and they will find themselves in the “seven awful days” of divine judgements after the rapture. “How shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation?” (Heb. 2:3).
When the Lamb reveals His kingdom on earth after His second coming His marriage supper will be celebrated here on earth, thereby showing His bride to the world, who will reign with Him. “Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready. And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. Then he said to me, write: Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!” (Rev. 19:7-9). Paul also eagerly looked forward to this day: “When Christ, Who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory” (Col. 3:4). In the same way in which the Jews were taught to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles every year, thereby looking forward to the coming of the Messiah, we should also have a prophetic expectation of the coming of Christ and the revelation of His kingdom. “Do not despise prophecies” (1 Thess. 5:20).
For true believers, all suffering and pain will come to an end when the Lamb makes all things new, including a new heaven and a new earth; but for the wicked there will be everlasting pain and sorrows. “Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away. Then He who sat on the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And He said to me, Write, for these words are true and faithful. And He said to me, It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts. He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son. But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death” (Rev. 21:2-8). Those whose lives are permeated by the leaven of sin, being completely dominated by it, are still in “the bondage of Egypt” and are not on the journey of the liberated people of God who are on their way to the Promised Land.
Entrance into the New Jerusalem can only be gained through the Lamb. “And the city was pure gold, like clear glass. And the foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with all kinds of precious stones ... And the twelve gates were twelve pearls: each individual gate was of one pearl. And the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass” (Rev. 21:18-21). The city and street of the New Jerusalem are built of pure and transparent gold. The foundation stones of the wall are decorated with precious jewels that vary from crystal clear stones to deep red sardius, green chrysolite and sparkling blue sapphire. In the high walls that surround the city are twelve gates made of pearls – each gate is a single pearl. The idea of a tear is conveyed by a pearl, since its formation is associated with pain and suffering. When the oyster is injured, a shiny pearl is formed in the wound. When the feet and hands of the Lamb of God were pierced by rough nails and He gave His life on the cross, the gates of paradise were again opened to fallen humanity. On the merit of His tears and suffering He became a precious pearl to us, which in itself is a gateway to the New Jerusalem. Through Him we can enter into the kingdom of heaven and delight ourselves in the glory of the Lord.
The Lamb will be the light of the world, and also radiate God’s holiness and glory. “But I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. And the city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it, and the Lamb is its light” (Rev. 21:22-23). No temple will be needed in the New Jerusalem, since the temple service and all its furniture only played a preparatory role pending the coming of Christ. A bright light will shine from the throne of God and dispel all darkness. During the first coming of Christ He was also the light of the world, but people were offered the choice of following or rejecting Him. “And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil” (John 3:19). It will only be after the forces of darkness will have been obliterated by judging the wicked, condemning the Antichrist and false prophet to the lake of fire and binding the devil, that the light of Messiah will shine forth into all the corners of the universe, illuminating the lives of all people.
The Bible concludes with a final invitation to everyone to receive eternal life. “And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely” (Rev. 22:17). The Lord Jesus is the only water of life to a spiritually dying world, and invites all of us to partake of this water. As He has done while attending the Feast of Tabernacles in Jerusalem, he still invites all people to come to Him and drink of the water of life (John 7:37). “I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts” (Rev. 21:6).
In the light of Revelation’s solemn message it is all the more incumbent on us to purposefully study God’s plan of salvation for humanity, also as foreshadowed by the seven feasts. The point of departure is the sacrifice of the Lamb of God to take away the sins of the world. “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace” (Eph. 1:7). This gift has to be accepted in faith. Together with the surrendering of ourselves to Him, we should search our lives and then confess and forsake all the leaven of sin. Proceeding from there, it must become a way of life to be conformed to the resurrection life of Christ, as He alone can empower us to walk in newness of life. The enduing with power from on high was given on Pentecost when the Holy Spirit was poured out.
If we can testify of all these blessings, and have fully surrendered ourselves to walk in the Spirit, we should engage ourselves with the Great Commission of evangelising the world. While doing that, we should always be mindful of the fact that the dispensation of grace is drawing to a close, and soon the Feast of Trumpets will be fulfilled when the harvest of believers will be gathered in heaven. Down here on earth, the seven years of the tribulation period will elapse, causing untold suffering to millions of people who shunned the Lamb’s invitation to salvation.
At the end of the tribulation period, the Day of Atonement will be fulfilled when the Messiah will return, set His feet upon the Mount of Olives, save the remnant of Israel and the nations, and institute His reign of peace. The fulfilment of the Feast of Tabernacles will be the revelation of His kingdom!