【双语灵修】神的羔羊LAMB OF GOD
启示录 5:6
我又看见宝座与四活物并长老之中有羔羊站立，像是被杀过的，有七角七眼，就是神的七灵，奉差遣往普天下去的。
10月8日
神的羔羊
“我又看见……宝座之中有羔羊站立，像是被杀过的……” - 启示录 5:6
我家客厅里有一幅占了半面墙的大画，画中一头狮子和一只羔羊并排躺在一起。这是我母亲在1973年画的，那时她有两个年幼的儿子，而两个女儿也即将出生。
我常常注意到母亲画中这两只动物的姿态。狮子看起来顺服于羔羊，羔羊的小腿搭在狮子强壮的前爪上。狮子正视着羔羊，而羔羊则直视着观众。
我觉得这幅画抓住了《圣经》描绘耶稣时的那种神韵。在今天所读的经文中，耶稣既被称为狮子，也被称为羔羊。但其中一个形象明显占据主导。耶稣只有一次被称作“狮子”，却被多次称为“羔羊”（《圣经》其他篇章也是如此）。“羔羊”这个形象，正是我们最需要看到的耶稣的样子。
对于神在旧约时代的子民来说，羔羊的献祭预示着他们偿还罪愆。无辜的代赎者代替有罪之人而死。当施洗约翰将耶稣指给众人看时，他说：“看哪，神的羔羊，除去世人罪孽的！”（《约翰福音》1:29）
在十字架上，我们的救恩并非靠肌肉、牙齿或利爪成就，而是透过一位完美且温柔的祭牲所流的宝血成就的。
祷告
神的羔羊啊，我们爱你。主耶稣，求你用你的宝血洗净我们。感谢你那一次献上、便成全到永远的牺牲，偿还了我们的罪债。奉你的名求，阿们。
Revelation 5
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8
LAMB OF GOD
I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing at the center of the throne. . . . —Revelation 5:6
A large painting in my living room takes up half a wall. It portrays a lion and a lamb lying down together. My mom painted it in 1973, back when she had two baby boys and would soon have a pair of girls too.
I often notice the posture of those two animals my mom painted. The lion looks submissive to the lamb, and the lamb’s little leg rests atop the lion’s mighty forepaw. The lion looks squarely at the lamb, while the lamb looks straight at the viewer.
I think this painting captures something of how Scripture portrays Jesus. Jesus is called both a lion and a lamb in our Bible passage for today. But one image is clearly dominant. Jesus is called “Lion” only once. But there are several references to Jesus as “the Lamb” (and more in other Bible passages). The picture of “the Lamb” is the one we most need to see about Jesus.
For God’s Old Testament people, the sacrifice of a lamb signaled redemption for their sin and guilt. The innocent substitute died in the place of the guilty. When John the Baptist pointed out Jesus to others, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29).
On the cross, our salvation was not accomplished by muscle or teeth or claws. It was accomplished through the shed blood of a perfect and gentle sacrifice.
O Lamb of God, we love you. Wash us in your precious blood, Lord Jesus. Thank you for your sacrifice once for all to pay the debt of our sin. In your name, Amen.