When Jesus stood before the illegal Jewish court on the eve of his crucifixion, the Jewish leaders asked him a very important question. The testimony of corrupt witnesses had not been able to pin a crime on Jesus; so, they needed him to incriminate himself. Up to this point, our Lord had been strangely silent in the face of his accusers, like a lamb going to slaughter (Isaiah 53:7), but, when they asked Jesus if he were indeed the messianic king of Israel, he deliberately gave his accusers more than they needed to put him to death. It was a tremendously important moment in the history of the world and shows beyond doubt that Jesus deliberately chose to be crucified, just as he said he would. (John 10:17-18)

On the brink of his execution, Jesus announced that he will one day come again in glory as the divine Son of Man to execute God’s judgment on his accusers and the entire the world.

Below is Jesus’ response, as recorded by Matthew.

Then the high priest stood up and said to Jesus, “Well, aren’t you going to answer these charges? What do you have to say for yourself?” 63  But Jesus remained silent. Then the high priest said to him, “I demand in the name of the living God—tell us if you are the Messiah, the Son of God.” 64  Jesus replied, “You have said it. And in the future you will see the Son of Man seated in the place of power at God’s right hand and coming on the clouds of heaven.” 65  Then the high priest tore his clothing to show his horror and said, “Blasphemy! Why do we need other witnesses? You have all heard his blasphemy. 66  What is your verdict?” “Guilty!” they shouted. “He deserves to die!” Matthew 26:62-66 (NLT)

This was not the first time Jesus said such things. Earlier he taught his disciples about the coming end of all things, saying:

And then at last, the sign that the Son of Man is coming will appear in the heavens, and there will be deep mourning among all the peoples of the earth. And they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 31  And he will send out his angels with the mighty blast of a trumpet, and they will gather his chosen ones from all over the world—from the farthest ends of the earth and heaven. Matthew 24:30-31 (NLT)

This Son of Man, Jesus, certainly will come in the future as promised and as God’s representative to judge everyone who ever lived. He will thereafter rule over all creation. Jesus knew that he was and is this person, and he had enough faith that God would raise him from the dead that he sealed his execution by announcing it publicly while on trial. He gave them what they wanted because his first responsibility to his heavenly Father was to offer himself as the Lamb of God. He first died for our sins, but he will one day come again in glory for all the earth to behold in awe.

When the slain Lamb returns as the divine Son of Man, those who refused to come under his rule will encounter what the Bible calls the wrath of the Lamb.

To me this sounds contradictory, but that is only because we associate lambs with passivity and helplessness. In Jesus’ case, nothing could be further from the truth. Although he willingly laid down his life for his sheep in lamb-like fashion, this act of loving and courageous obedience to his Father should not be taken as weakness. No one took his life from him: he laid it down and subsequently powerfully rose from the dead, appeared to his disciples, ascended into heaven, and now sits at his Father’s right hand of power and authority, waiting for the time when he will return in great glory to rescue his faithful and bring terrible judgment on those who spurn his rule.

John the Apostle, in his Revelation of Christ, wrote:

Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, 12  saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!” Revelation 5:11-12 (ESV)  

The slain Lamb is the only one worthy to execute the judgments of God against God’s enemies.

That is because he is the Son of Man, the God-Man, who lived and died as a human in perfect sync with God’s Spirit and will and who rose again to reign as the Lord of Lords. His Lordship and his role as Judge harmonize perfectly. His judgments carry all the authority of God and will carry out God’s perfect wrath against sinful and rebellious people who live in animosity against God.

When he opened the sixth seal, I looked, and behold, there was a great earthquake, and the sun became black as sackcloth, the full moon became like blood, 13  and the stars of the sky fell to the earth as the fig tree sheds its winter fruit when shaken by a gale. 14  The sky vanished like a scroll that is being rolled up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place. 15  Then the kings of the earth and the great ones and the generals and the rich and the powerful, and everyone, slave and free, hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains, 16  calling to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who is seated on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, 17  for the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?” Revelation 6:12-17 (ESV)

When Jesus told the Jewish court that he was and is the Son of Man, little did they realize that he prophesied that one day they would stand before him in his court on the Last Day.

Those people who ruthlessly sentenced him to die a blasphemer’s death will face the wrath of the Lamb they slaughtered. How about you? Have you made peace with God’s Lamb? Today we have an amazingly gracious and merciful opportunity to acknowledge Jesus and all he did for us. We can receive the forgiveness he offers and life he gives.

Will you bow your knee to him today and receive his blessings? Don’t be among those who will face his wrath because they refused his generous offer.

Prayer

Jesus, thank you for dying in my place as God’s Lamb. I receive forgiveness for my many sins and the eternal life you give. I surrender my life to you and your purposes. I acknowledge that you are Lord of Lords and declare my allegiance to you. Help me to be your bold witness and invite others to take advantage of your gracious offer of reconciliation while there is still time. Amen.