The dramatic narrative of the Revelation narrative presents a peculiar theology of “conquest” and redemption that has profound implications for the church’s mission. Revelation 5:9 encapsulates a critical shift from the ancient Passover to a global narrative, affirming that the scope of Christ’s kingdom is as boundless as humanity itself.
Victory Through Sacrifice: The Logic of Conquest
Revelation 5 unfolds with a dual affirmation: Christ has conquered and is thus worthy to open the scroll (5:5). Verse 9 reinforces the point of 5:5: He is proclaimed worthy precisely because He was slaughtered (5:9). This is a radical inversion of the world’s logic. The slain Lamb triumphs. His sacrifice unlocks the mysteries of God’s plan for the universe. The path to sovereignty is carved through the act of being slaughtered, an echo of the Passover Lamb whose blood signaled deliverance for Israel.
The Passover Reimagined: A New Exodus
John’s vision reinterprets the Passover, placing the entire world in Israel’s place. It’s a vision where every nation stands on the brink of Egypt, awaiting deliverance. Yet, true to the original Passover narrative, redemption hinges upon allegiance to the Lord, symbolized by the blood smeared across the lintels of Israelite homes.
Now, it’s the blood of Christ, the ultimate Lamb, that marks the redeemed. This isn’t a passive redemption; it’s an active, chosen allegiance to the Lamb’s authority and mercy.
The Missional Question: Proclaiming to the Nations
The passage raises the question, “Who will tell the nations of this redemption?”
Just as Moses was called to proclaim a message of warning and hope, so also, we have an urgent word. Revelation 5 is a clarion call for the church to engage in a mission that is less about geographical boundaries and more about declaring the cosmic reign of Christ.
The mission is not an optional add-on; it is the natural outflow of acknowledging the Lamb’s victory and worth. To neglect this is to show indifference to Christ’s all-encompassing kingdom, effectively narrowing its vast domain to a preferred subset of our making (e.g., cultural, political, ethnic).
Why is Christ worthy?
Revelation 5:9 gives three reasons why Christ is worthy to take the scroll and open it seals.
1. Christ was slaughtered such that he ransomed for God saints from every tribe and language and people and nation.
2. Christ has made them to be a kingdom and pre-serving our God.
3. They will reign on earth.
These three reasons are given as the basis for why Christ is worthy to take the scroll. This logic should not be ignored, or has significant implications, not only for worship but also for the church’s mission.
Missions as Kingdom Declaration
The mission, according to Revelation 5, is about heralding the reign of Christ, the victorious Lamb. The missional endeavor is not a mere campaign; it’s an affirmation of the Lamb’s worthiness to receive the reward of His suffering—the redeemed from every corner of the earth.
Missions, thus, is an integral expression of the reality of Christ’s kingdom—a kingdom not confined by cultural or national lines but a reality that subsumes all.
Redemption’s Endgame: A Kingdom of Priests
The goal of this ransom, this divine redemption, is not a removal of God’s people from the world, akin to the exodus from Egypt. Instead, it’s about the redeemed reflecting Christ’s reign within the world, embodying His priesthood, and illuminating the nations with His light. The church is to be an outpost of heaven, a community of priests serving the King, enacting His rule on earth as it is in heaven.
Living Out the Light
The mission is not simply about salvation from darkness; it’s about living as bearers of light. The church, as a priestly kingdom, is called to reflect the light of Christ in every cultural milieu, to every people group. As priests, Christians are mediators of this new covenant, witnesses to the world of the new reality inaugurated by Christ’s sacrificial victory.
Embracing the Worldwide Kingdom
Revelation 5:9 presents a theological vision that necessitates an active response. The church, in its missional calling, is to announce and live out the victory and worth of the Lamb who has conquered. This mission is a profound engagement with the world, a calling to serve as a royal priesthood, reflecting the reign of Christ in every action, every relationship, and every cultural engagement.
It is here, in the midst of a world akin to Egypt, that the church is to shine forth the light of the Lamb, guiding the nations to the protective and redemptive blood of Christ, the King of kings.
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