Power
This message highlights one of the major features of John’s vision – the issue of power and who is (really) in control. All the church in Rome could see how brutal the roman empire, and particularly the god-like Caesar was. The church had no power, no control, no authority and those who had it were abusing it and crushing them. The world and its empires and systems – is a beast; they are beastly; brutal, bloodthirsty.
John’s vision of who really is on the throne is encouraging and challenging to the church. Yes Jesus is a Lion – powerful, majestic, authoritative – John “hears” about the Lion.
But what he “sees” is a lamb.