The Lamb Slain From The Foundation

THE LAMB SLAIN FROM THE FOUNDATION

Rev. 13:8

INTRODUCTION

A. HUMOR

1. I heard a funny story about the dangers of falling asleep in church. One man said,

2. “I fell asleep in church. Then I heard someone say, ‘Stand Up!’ So I stood up and people began to clap. Then the Pastor said, ‘Who else will give $2,000 to the church?’”

B. TEXT & TITLE

1. Tradition says the Apostle John was arrested by Caesar and sentenced to be boiled in oil. Just as he was about to be pushed in, a bolt of lightning struck the cauldron and knocked it over. Thinking the gods saved him, Emperor Domitian feared killing John, so he exiled him to the rocky island of Patmos

2. As John sat alone on the island, he was suddenly filled with the Spirit and began to see a vision of the resurrected Christ. Jesus said, “Do not be afraid: I am the first and the last, and the Living One; and I was dead, and behold, I am alive for evermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades” Rev. 1:17-18.

3. Then John was caught up into Heaven and saw visions of the future and the past. One statement is my theme this morning, from Rev. 13:8; “...the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.”

4. We’re going to look at Jesus’ sacrifice on Calvary and find it didn’t just happen 2,000 years ago, but before time began.

5. The title of this message is “The Lamb Slain From the Foundation.”

I. THINGS THAT ARE TO HAPPEN IN THE MOST DISTANT FUTURE ARE TO GOD AS FACTS ALREADY ACCOMPLISHED

A. BEFORE TIME BEGAN

1. How amazing that the Savior is spoken of, even in eternity past, as "the Lamb." This is appropriate, since a lamb as the symbol of innocence, gentleness, and submission; qualities which the blessed Redeemer is most characterized by.

2. “...the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.” Rev. 13:8. Kittel’s TDNT Greek reference set says the phrase “katabole kosmos” “expresses the divine action as pre-temporal,” or pre-time. So, in the mind of God, Christ was slain before time began!

3. WE think of the crucifixion of Christ as occurring about 2,000 years ago, but Rev. 13:8 declares it occurred while Christ lived alone in the solitudes of eternity, before anything physical existed.

4. GOD’S PURPOSES ARE UNFRUSTRATABLE. Christ's death was by God's "determinate counsel," and after millions of ages it was accomplished. What God has purposed WILL come to pass.

B. SELF-SACRIFICING LOVE IS AN ETERNAL THING

1. Christ’s death predates the universe. Self-sacrificing love is a rare thing to us, but it’s fundamental to the nature of God.

2. Every life that breathes, every plant that blooms, every star that shines, is a gift of love. Everything created works, lives, and dies for the good of others. All things live in interdependence.

3. This eternal principle of self-sacrificing love must be in us before we can be saved. Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me” Matt. 16:24. John said, “Whoever does not love, does not know God, because God is love” 1 John 4:8.

C. THIS PLANET WAS CREATED TO BE THE THEATRE OF GOD'S REDEMPTIVE LOVE TO MAN. THAT REDEMPTION IS NO AFTER-THOUGHT

1. God never conceived our redemption as a reaction to the fall; instead, God’s redemptive action anticipated the sad mistake that would later come. God foresaw our fall from eternity and ordained the remedy from eternity.

2. God could NOT create a sentient being with a free will which would not eventually choose to sin; yet God saw that it was better to create, than to not create.

3. Don’t think there was no cost to God. God’s own Son had to die a cruel death to pay for the penalty for our sin.

4. Even the angels couldn’t learn the character of God without a demonstration of His character. Paul said, “[God’s] intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms” Eph. 3:10 – meaning that the angels finally learned of God’s self-sacrifice, love, and mercy when He redeemed His human church!

II. THE BLOOD OF JESUS IS SPEAKING

A. THE TEMPLE & ATONEMENT IN HEAVEN

1. The Bible makes clear that the earthly temple is a copy of the Temple in Heaven (Heb. 9:24). The earthly tabernacle/temple Moses was to make, he was repeatedly told, “see to it that you make [it] according to the pattern which was shown you on the mountain” Ex. 25:40; 26:30; 27:8; Heb. 8:5). Moses saw something in Heaven he was to make an earthly copy of.