The primary vision of the Revelation of Jesus Christ is in chapter 5, where we are introduced to the only person who is found worthy to execute God’s plans for creation. This figure is introduced to John as “the lion of the tribe of Judah.” However, when John turns to catch a glimpse of this figure, he sees a “lamb standing as if it had been slaughtered.”

The shocking dichotomy between what John is led to believe what he will see – a lion – and what he actually sees – a slaughtered lamb – is the main thrust of the vision. But most of us Christians just fail to see it or refuse to acknowledge it. What do I mean?

The ‘lion of the tribe of Judah’ was obviously a hoped for figure. While the lion was the symbol of the tribe of Judah, the title as we see in the Revelation of Jesus Christ is not encountered prior to this in any extent primary source.

It is quite likely that the early church used the epithet for Jesus so as to provide hope during times of persecution. The epithet would have reminded the suffering Christians that Jesus was from the tribe of Judah and the link with the lion would have given hope. After all, the lion is well able to hold its own against pretty much any foe. So it is likely that the title ‘lion of the tribe of Judah’ became common currency within the early church and was used especially during periods of persecution.

All these expectations would have arisen in John’s mind when he was asked to see the lion of the tribe of Judah. He would have been expecting to see Jesus as the great warrior who would set everything right.

But John never sees this lion. I need to repeat that because we Christians seem bent on rejecting exactly what John saw. John never sees this lion. What John is told is that all the hopes he had pinned on the lion of the tribe of Judah are fulfilled completely and only in the lamb that was slaughtered. What John is told is that the only one with the authority to set things right is not a lion but a lamb. What John is told is that he needs to redefine what he understands by conquest and power. For the way of conquest and of wielding power is not that of a lion but that of the lamb. The primary thrust of the vision of chapter 5 is that the way God triumphs over his enemies is the way of the lamb. The vision of chapter 5 is therefore to get the reader to reject the old way of defining conquest as envisioned by a lion and embrace a different way to conquer.