And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion
Revelation 14:1
The apostle John was privileged to look within the gates of
heaven, and in describing what he saw, he begins by saying, "I
looked, and, lo, a Lamb!" This teaches us that the chief object of
contemplation in the heavenly state is "the Lamb of God, which taketh
away the sins of the world." Nothing else attracted the apostle's
attention so much as the person of that Divine Being, who hath
redeemed us by His blood. He is the theme of the songs of all
glorified spirits and holy angels. Christian, here is joy for thee;
thou hast looked, and thou hast seen the Lamb. Through thy tears
thine eyes have seen the Lamb of God taking away thy sins. Rejoice,
then. In a little while, when thine eyes shall have been wiped from
tears, thou wilt see the same Lamb exalted on His throne. It is the
joy of thy heart to hold daily fellowship with Jesus; thou shalt have
the same joy to a higher degree in heaven; thou shalt enjoy the
constant vision of His presence; thou shalt dwell with Him for
ever. "I looked, and, lo, a Lamb!" Why, that Lamb is heaven itself;
for as good Rutherford says, "Heaven and Christ are the same thing;"
to be with Christ is to be in heaven, and to be in heaven is to be
with Christ. That prisoner of the Lord very sweetly writes in one of
his glowing letters--"O my Lord Jesus Christ, if I could be in heaven
without thee, it would be a hell; and if I could be in hell, and have
thee still, it would be a heaven to me, for thou art all the heaven I
want." It is true, is it not, Christian? Does not thy soul say so?
"Not all the harps above
Can make a heavenly place,
If God His residence remove,
Or but conceal His face."
All thou needest to make thee blessed, supremely blessed, is "to be
with Christ."
