The Story Line-Messiah

for the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of the
water of life, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.” Revelation 7:17 NRS
There is no question that, the human race having sinned, the Son would become incarnate and
give his life for his creatures (1 Pet 1:20). But exactly how he would do that is not spelled out in
the early books of the Old Testament. He would be the “seed” who would crush the Serpent’s
head (Gen 3:15; Isa 6:13); he would bring blessing to the race (Gen 49:10); he would be a
dawning star in the world’s darkness (Num 24:17-19; he would be the prototype of all Israel’s
prophets (Deut 18:15-19).
But it was only when Israel demanded to be given a king so they could be like all the other
nations that the particular manner of the Son’s work began to emerge. He would be the “anointed
one” (meshshiach), the true king. “You wanted a king? Here, have a few, but even the best of
them (like Asa, Hezekiah, and Josiah) will be ‘fatally’ flawed. They will, like all the ancient
Near Eastern kings do, claim to be shepherds of their people, but like those others, they will
exploit the flock rather than care for it, and when it is all over, they will all die.”
But in Jesus, true kingship will be seen. Yet, he will not look like a king. There will be no palace,
no royal robes, no crown. Instead, we see a “shepherd” who will lays down his life for the flock.
Now we have a king for whom the function of kingship, empowering his people, is more
important than the accoutrements of royalty. And when, like all those others, he die, he will rise
again!
How important is his dying for his subjects? Notice how he appears at the end of the Book. He is
on the throne, he has the authority to open the seals on the book of the world’s destiny. But in
what form does this king appear? The form of a lamb with its throat cut, with its lifeblood
streaming down its chest. The lamb slain from the foundation of the earth. Praise his name.