The Lamb of God

John 1: 29 - 30, The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, "Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! This is He of whom I said, 'After me comes a Man who is preferred before me, for He was before me. NKJV

The prophet Isaiah was given many insights by the Lord about the coming Messiah when he wrote Isaiah 53. Isaiah describes Him as being like a lamb. He wasn't saying that the Messiah would be a lamb, but that He would come with the gentleness, meekness, and willingness of a lamb. These characteristics were most evident in Jesus on the day that He was falsely accused by bogus witnesses during a mock trial. Nevertheless, the Lord of glory did not open His mouth to defend Himself.

Peter tells us that when Jesus was subjected to verbal and physical abuse, He never responded with the same attitude toward His enemies. The more things that men did against Jesus on the day of His crucifixion, the further Jesus displayed the innocence and gentleness of a lamb.  

Now let's take a short journey back in time: When Adam and Eve sinned against God's command, God demonstrated His infinite love and wisdom by revealing His plan for man's redemption. The Lord killed an animal and covered their nakedness with its skin. There is a term used in the Old Testament called "atonement." In this term, we understand that God used the blood of animals as a covering for Israel's sins until the Messiah could come and redeem mankind from the curse of sin, not just "cover" our sins.

Nowhere in Genesis chapter three are we told what type of animal was sacrificed for its skin. However, later in Genesis four, we begin to see a small glimpse of what the animal might have been; we read that Abel offered lambs unto the Lord, and the offering was accepted by Him. Nonetheless, how did Abel know what animal would be an acceptable offering unto God if God had not already taught them? It is not until Exodus twelve that we're shown by the Lord how the lamb would serve as a substitute for the sins of man. Instead of using the skin of lambs, in this story God instructs Israel to use the blood of the lamb and to apply it to the door posts and lintels of their houses.  

We see how God has advanced the understanding of Israel in the purpose of a LAMB. In this application, God uses the blood to protect the children of Israel from the destroyer. The lamb wasn't just a covering for nakedness; now the blood of the lamb was used for protection from death. With each glimpse into the application and purpose of lambs in worship, the children of Israel were being taught about their Messiah, who would come one day to deliver them from sin.

However, instead of using skin, this Lamb of God- Messiah would clothe God's people with His righteousness. We would no longer be required to apply the lamb's blood to our door posts because He would pour out His blood on a cross; all of mankind could now be redeemed from the curse of the law. Throughout the books of the Old Testament, the lamb is spoken about and used in worship before the Lord. Even so, it's not until Isaiah writes that we begin to know that the lamb represents a man sent from God to be a sacrifice for our sins.  

Therefore, the plan of God was made abundantly clear when John the Baptist saw Jesus and declared, "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world." However, even though the people heard what John had said about Jesus, they still didn't see how Jesus could be God's Lamb. It wasn't until the day that Jesus was brutally beaten, hung on a cross, and offered on the Day of Passover that we see Him as God's precious and harmless Lamb. The revelation was now clear and the plan of God for man's redemption was completed on the same day. Jesus was made manifest to destroy the works of the Devil. When Jesus was revealed as being the Lamb of God, He also completed the work of God. He was indeed God's spotless Lamb who TOOK away the sin of the world.

Have you been cleansed by the blood of the Lamb? Have you placed your faith in the work of Jesus on the cross? If you have not, then you can be made clean. You can be saved from your sin, today, and become accepted by the Father into the family of God. Simply believe on the Lord Jesus and confess Him as your personal Savior and Lord. If you have applied the blood of Jesus to your heart by faith, please contact me at prayer@whcnorth.org and let us rejoice with you.  

Washed by the Blood of the Lamb,
Pastor Asa Dockery