Lamb of God

"Behold, a throne stood in heaven, with one seated on the throne. And he who was there had the appearance of jasper and carnelian, and around the throne was was a rainbow that had the appearance of an emerald...From the throne came flashes of lightning, and rumblings and peals of thunder, and before the throne were burning seven torches of fire, which are the seven spirits of God, and before the throne there was as it were a sea of glass, like crystal...'Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!"..."Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created." (Rev. 4:2-3, 5-6, 8, 11)

So is the holiness and majesty of God in His heaven! Where day and night praises come continually before the great and awesome throne of the eternal, unchangeable, all-seeing, all-knowing, all-powerful King!! In no way could we in our natural, fallen, sinful state come before such holiness and purity. There was no way we could make ourselves pure enough, perfect enough, to come before this throne. For centuries, sacrifices had to be made by priests for sin, to cover over the peoples filthiness before God. The world cried out for a Redeemer!! So God, in His great wisdom and love, at the perfect time, sent His Son from this awesome place of worship and glory and angels...to earth.

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made....And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us..." (John 1:1-3, 14)

"Though he was in the form of God, [he] did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross." (Phil. 2:5-8)

God became a helpless human baby, in the womb of a young virgin, Mary. He chose to come and dwell here with us. To experience the sorrow, the pain, the suffering. To become a servant. Why? In order that He might bridge the vast expanse of sin, and bring us to God!!! He came to live perfectly, to die in our place, taking the wrath of God that WE deserved upon Himself. He came to bring glory to God.

"Then I saw in the right hand of him who was seated on the throne a scroll written within and on the back, sealed with seven seals. And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, 'Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?' And no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look into it, and I began to weep loudly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to look into it. And one of the elders said to me, 'Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.' And between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders I was a Lamb standing as though it had been slain...And he went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who was seated on the throne. And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and twenty-four elder fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. And they sang a new song, saying, 'Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation'...'Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!'...'To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and light forever and ever!'"

There would be no Lion of the tribe of Judah, no worthy Lamb. We would not have access to the throne room of God, if Christmas hadn't happened. We would still be lost in our sins, with no offer of salvation extended to us, if God hadn't come to earth and dwelt among us as a human being. There would be no hope of a second coming of Christ in glory, if Jesus hadn't come the first time in humility and servitude. He is WORTHY!!

"Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (Phil. 2:9-11)

It is still beyond my comprehension why God would do this for ME. God who sits enthroned in heaven with angels to sing His praise, fully sufficient in Himself. Why would he send his precious Son to DIE on the cross for a dirty, sin-stained human being...not even a speck in the expanse of the universe? Oh but I'm so THANKFUL He did!! During a Christmas fellowship with several dear like-minded families this evening, a little girl sang this beautiful hymn that expresses so well the wonder of Christmas:

"I cannot tell why He, the King of Heaven,

Should leave the peace of all eternity,
Why God Himself should lay aside His splendor,

To leave the Father's side and come to me.
But this I know: our silence filled with singing,

And all our darkness fled from heaven's light
When Christ the Lord, so human, yet so holy,

In love was born a child for me that holy night.

"I cannot tell why He, the Joy of Heaven,

Should give Himself to suffer for my sin,
Why Holy God should love me in my shamefulness,

Why He should die to draw my soul to Him.
But this I know: that Christ the Lord is risen,

And praise His name, He's risen now in me!
Because He lives, I'll rise to life eternal!

He took my guilty heart, and I'm forever free!

"I cannot tell when He will rule the nations,

How He will claim His loved ones as His own;
And who can tell the holy jubilation

When all His children gather 'round His throne.
But this I know: all flesh will see His glory,

And skies will burst as all creation sings.
The Son will rise on one eternal morning

When Christ the Savior of the world is Lord and King!"

"I Cannot Tell" written by Ken Bible; inspired by William Y. Fullerton