Lion and The Lamb

Jesus is all-inclusive perfection and the sole Remedy for our every need. He is The Way (John 14:16) that leads us all to the intersection where Judgement and Mercy meet and where each one of us will ultimately bow; The Cross-Road where He is crux and center.  

As the Word, He spoke and Love beget and we became (John 1:1-4, Gen 1:26-28). As the Craftsman (Hebrews 3:4), He looked forward across the span of time and humanity, counted the cost and began to build. As the Cornerstone (1 Peter 2:7-8), He laid out in the vast nothingness and became the Foundation of our everlasting existence (Ephesians 2:20-22, Job 38:4-6). As the Rock of Ages (Isaiah 26:4), He became the very altar on which the price of our sin would be paid. As the Shepherd, He provided the offering that would become the embodiment of our pardon. As the Great High Priest (Hebrews 3:1) , He sacrificed Himself in our place to pay our penalty of death. As the All Consuming Fire (Deut 4:24), He fully subjected Himself to the fury of His own wrath until it’s passion was completely fulfilled.

The Way, our True Love, rushed headlong for the joy placed before Him (Hebrews 12:2). The very antithesis to the proud and lifted “I Will” of the defeated one (Isaiah 14:13-14).

“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.” (John 12:24) The victorious way of Jesus, The King of Heaven was reduction. Love came down (Philippians 2:5-11). Love always comes down (1 Cor 13).

Hannah Hurnard, author of “Hinds Feet For High Places” writes, “ Love is not a feeling. It is an overmastering passion—to cast ourselves down like a waterfall, in happy giving, asking for nothing in return except for the joy of doing so.”

Jesus could embrace the cross, because He first bent at the manger. He could enter the tomb because He first submitted to the womb. Because we could not; because of our stubborn, iniquitous pride and the rebellious curse. Because sin is chained as slave and righteousness is yoked with Freedom; and sin and righteousness cannot cohabitate; and He wanted to cohabitate (Luke 2:1-20).

Jesus, the Standard Bearer subjected Himself to His own Holiness that we might live free to know and be known by Him (1 Peter 2:24, Romans 6:6, Romans 8:2). The God of Mercy who is Heaven’s splendor and majesty, reduced Himself down to seed in the belly of an insignificant girl to identify with the hurt and humiliation of mankind (Matthew 1:18-25). He was delivered into a lowly manger as frail and scandalous flesh. This same One heard our groaning and broke the silence of a 400-year night with His newborn infant war-cry. This One knew even the very trees He breathed into being would induce agony as He foresaw the whole of His own creation turning against Him (Luke 22-23). The One who wanted us to come so fully alive that He reduced Himself to death, and exhaled His Spirit so we could breathe in life; so we could become born-again (Matt 27:50, John 3:3). Emmanuel, God with us, now lives by His Spirit in us (John 20:22).

“And the Spirit and the Bride say, ‘Come!’ ” (Rev 22:17).

And Jesus is listening. The War Cry will ring again. Love will come down again. The same One that came as the Lamb will be the same One who will next rend the skies and come like a Lion (Rev 5). He will not come this time in reduction, but in a powerful display of deliverance, destruction.
“Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay each one for what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.” (Rev 22:12-13)
How could we not bow in awe before such infinite mercy and fall prostrate before such immensely fierce justice? Some will bow everlastingly as children and some as everlasting conquered foes, but all will bow. It’s not a question of if, it’s a question of when. (Romans 14:11) Will we have bowed before the Lamb (John 1:29) and look with eager hope to the coming of the Lion roaring in power? (Hos 11:10)

King Jesus, who “testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!” (Rev 22:20)