Revelation 5:6 says, “And I beheld, and lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.” In this verse we are transported to a future scene in heaven where all the redeemed (seen symbolically in “the elders”) are gathered around the throne of God. It is the One “in the midst” Who demands our attention and we have no doubt that the “Lamb” is none other than our blessed Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. The apostle John BEHELD Him, which means he GAZED upon Him, and it will be our privilege to “gaze upon the Lamb” forever and ever.

Notice, it speaks of “a Lamb as it had been slain.” Why did John use that language? I have no doubt that John remembered what John the Baptist said in John 1:29, “Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.” Throughout the Old Testament a lamb was slain and its blood was shed as a sacrifice for sin and in these words the Baptist was proclaiming that Jesus Christ would be the ultimate sacrifice for sin. Hebrews 9:26 tells us that He “put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself” (NKJV). Of course this sacrifice took place upon the cross where His enemies “pierced His hands, His feet, and His side” (see Psalm 22:16 and John 19:34). In John 20: 25 we see Thomas, who doubted that Jesus had been raised from the dead, saying “Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.” A week later Jesus appeared to Thomas and said, “Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing” (verse 27). It would appear that Thomas simply LOOKED and seeing His scars he proclaimed, “My Lord and my God!” (verse 28). He still bears the scars in His hands, feet, and side and every time we BEHOLD HIM we will be reminded of what it cost Him to redeem us and to bring us to glory. This, in turn, will cause us to worship Him in song, as we see in Revelation 5:9, “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.”

John goes on to say in our verse that the Lamb had “seven horns and seven eyes.” Though Jesus was a “lowly Lamb” when He died for us on the cross, He is now seen as the One Who is OMNIPOTENT and OMNISCIENT. The word SEVEN in Scripture speaks of PERFECTION; HORNS speak of POWER; and EYES speak of WISDOM, so here John saw that the Lamb had perfect power and perfect knowledge. Then John adds, “which are the seven Spirits of God sent out into all the earth.” Just as He was endued with the power and knowledge of the Holy Spirit was He was here on earth (see John 3:34), so He will reign over the earth in perfect power and knowledge by the Spirit of God. The words “sent out into all the earth” also reminds us that He is OMNIPRESENT, for He is everywhere at the same time. (246.5) (DO)