In addition to Jesus’ birth, life, death, and resurrection, the historical of Jesus’ ascension into heaven and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost are two more great redemp­tion events with unending gospel significance. In confirmation of these gospel events, John in Revelation 5, sees a vision of the ascended Lord in heaven on the throne as the Great Saviour King who has all authority and power to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof. To open that book, as commentator William Hendriksen says, “means not merely to reveal, but to carry out (all) of God’s (gospel) plan!” Jesus Christ, the crucified and exalted Saviour of sinners is indeed, the Lion of the tribe of Judah ... (who) has prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof. When John looks and sees this One who would take the book, he tells us in verse 6, 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.

Salvation from the Triune God⤒🔗

What grand gospel truths this verse and its context tell us, both concern­ing the ascended Saviour and the Holy Spirit! Revelation 5 makes very plain what we find throughout the Bible, namely, that our deliverance from sin is of the Father, through the Son, and by the Holy Spirit. How beautiful is the way all three Persons of the Trinity are represented in this passage! Verse 6 shows the Holy Spirit being sent forth from the Father and the Son as third Person of Trinity for the advancement of God’s missionary plans and works.

Notice too, how the Holy Spirit is linked very closely with the Saviour, spe­cifically with the crucified and risen Saviour. How is Jesus described here? As a Lamb as though it had been slain. And John saw this Lamb standing. Both Jesus’ standing and Jesus’ appearing as One who had been slain are given in a verb tense in the Greek that emphasizes the endlessly lasting benefits and power of His once-for-all sacrifice. John’s Spirit-inspired description of the exalted Saviour in heaven proclaims and confirms the Saviour’s ongoing interest in seeing His saving work come to complete fulfillment. Jesus stands in the throne room in heaven to fully complete the gospel ministry as Saviour of sinners, assuring that everything will come to pass exactly as detailed in this book, taken from God the Father’s hands.

Depiction of the Holy Spirit←⤒🔗

In what way will Jesus Christ as exalted Saviour fulfill His gospel ministry and cause His church and kingdom to be built and established forever? It is by the Holy Spirit driving home through the Word the gospel message of Jesus Christ the Sav­iour. This is for our encouragement. Just look at the way the Holy Spirit is described in symbolic language. He is depicted as having seven horns and seven eyes of the Lamb, which we are told are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth. This is a symbolic description of the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit is sent forth from the crucified, resur­rected and triumphant Saviour from the throne room in glory, and He is sent out as One who Himself is like the seven horns and seven eyes of the Lamb, Jesus Christ. Horns in the Bible represent strength and power. The number “7” in Scripture is a number suggesting com­pleteness or perfection. The seven horns thus represent the perfect power of the Holy Spirit as the Agent of the Lamb of God. The Lamb of God, appearing here as He had been slain, is represented as all-powerful in His min­istry through the Person and work of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit is described as the seven eyes of the Lamb, meaning that He is all-seeing and all-knowing, with the seven eyes representing the perfection and fullness of the Spirit’s insight, knowledge and wisdom.

Where the Spirit is Sent←⤒🔗

We should not miss the added detail, which tells us what place the Holy Spirit is sent. (He) is sent forth into all the earth. This means, as seen also in the book of Acts, that the Holy Spirit is sent forth to all peoples, in every place on earth, accordingly as God supremely directs and pleases. The verb “sent forth” in the Greek is in the perfect passive verb tense, meaning He has been sent out and is continually being sent out by the ascended Saviour and His Father in heaven. The Holy Spirit is sent forth for the calling and gathering in of sinners unto salvation through Jesus Christ till all of history is fulfilled, until all the elect are brought in, the last seal is opened and the final day is come, when the eternal realm begins.

The whole book of Acts shows us that the Holy Spirit is sent forth and ministers with tremendous gospel power and prom­ise. He is the divine missionary Agent of the Triune God. How great and absolutely necessary for our salvation is the Person and work of the Holy Spirit! (See 1 Cor­inthians 2 and 12:3.) The Holy Spirit is charged with the holy work of applying the salvation of the Lord Jesus Christ to the hearts and lives of sinners.

The Spirit’s All-Sufficiency←⤒🔗

Is He sufficient for the task to work in the sinful minds, hearts and wills of spiritually darkened, depraved, blind, stubbornly resistant, dead sinners? Oh, just consider what Scripture says about the Holy Spirit, who has al­mighty power, omniscient insight and understanding! Never is there a case that is unknown or too difficult for the Holy Spirit to penetrate. Never is there a case too hard for Him to handle. As described here by seven horns and seven eyes, and seven Spirits of God, there is no such thing as an impossible case with the Holy Spirit.

When we consider the description of the Holy Spirit in Revelation 5:6, what hope we may have in this age of Pentecost for many more to be added to God’s church and kingdom! (See also the Canons of Dort, chapter 3/4, Articles 11-17, which beautifully describe the work of the Holy Spirit in applying salvation.) The inspired pic­ture in our text declares in summary form that the Holy Spirit, like the Father and the ascended Saviour in their respective roles, is full of amazing, awesome, gracious, saving power.

What should be our response? Take note of only these two applications, which also relate to the whole book of Revelation.

Prayer Response←⤒🔗

First, Revelation 5:6 should lead us to much and fervent prayer to God. Do we pray as we should for the visita­tion and ministry of the Holy Spirit in our own lives and in that of others? John was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day when he received the book of Revelation from God. He was in the Spirit, meditating on God and His gospel in and through Christ and praying for God to work with saving power and to remember, increase and preserve His Church, even in those evil times. In the Book of Acts as well as the time lead­ing up to Pentecost, and with each filling and powerful working of the Holy Spirit ever since, there was the fervent prayer to God from His people. Without the Holy Spirit accompa­nying the Word and driving it home to the heart, there is no initial fruit, no growing fruit and no lasting fruit of salvation. No man can say that Jesus is Lord, but by the Holy Ghost (1 Cor. 12:3). What reasons there are, espe­cially in our day, for prayer to God for the ministry of the Holy Spirit!

Do you realize the need in your heart and life to pray much and often for the Holy Spirit and His ministry? Je­sus says in Luke 11:13, If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him? How this verse calls us to ask God for the Spirit’s minis­try in our lives and the lives of others. How we need to be led initially and continually in true faith and repentance, which the Holy Spirit works by means of the Scriptures, the sword of the Spirit (Eph.6:17).

Our text indicates that the Holy Spirit is all-knowing and therefore no sinner’s case is surprising to Him and there is no case that is impossible for Him to change and trans­form. The fact that the Spirit is sent into all the earth puts no limits to our pleading for the Holy Spirit and His min­istry! Who have you lately brought before the Lord in prayer, asking the Holy Spirit to work in his or her heart and life in a gracious glorious way as the divine Agent from the throne room in heaven? Revelation 5:6 ought to motivate us to increasing prayer to God for the Holy Spirit’s initial and ongoing gospel ministry in our own lives, in our families, in our churches, and throughout the world. This vision was given in John’s day to prompt and promote more fervent prayer to the Triune God. May it still do so today!

Praise Response←⤒🔗

Secondly, Revelation 5:6 in its setting should also lead God’s people to respond with hearty praise to God. In the verses following, John tells us that he saw heav­en and earth break forth in jubilant prais­es to God for His greatness as the Triune God and Saviour having accomplished the fullness and completeness of His salvation for sinners in Christ Jesus. What reason we have, therefore, to praise the Lord when we view the faithful covenant God, made known as the exalted Lion of the tribe of Judah, whom John saw standing in the midst of the throne as a Lamb as it had been slain!

When we consider the full gospel of the Triune God for undeserving, helpless sinners, how unspeakably great is the God of our salvation! There is endless reason to praise Him more and more. The chapter from which our text is drawn shows what the special focus of our praises should be and will be when we are filled with the Holy Spirit. When it is well with us, and we know the convert­ing work of the Holy Spirit in us and for us, our repeated testimony and song will be: Worthy is the Lamb that was slain...

As we focus this month on the ascension of Jesus into heaven and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit ten days later, may these gospel facts so bless us that we daily send forth true prayer with hearty praise and holy purpose before the LORD, the Triune God of our salvation. May He, by means of His people’s Spirit-worked prayers and praises be pleased to draw many sinners unto Himself, before His second coming, while it is yet the day of grace.