The Lamb of God

This is the season of the year in which we are once again reminded of the sufferings of the Lord Jesus, which led Him to the cross where He suffered, bled and died. But bless God after three days when He was gloriously risen from the dead.

To all intents and purposes it looked as if He was taken by wicked hands and crucified. It looks as if this wonderful Man had been overwhelmed, overcome and murdered by wicked people who represented a nation that rejected Him. But God … had something far more in mind on that dark day at Calvary.

On the cross alone and forsaken He was giving Himself in the place of lost sinners like you and me. He was making atonement to God for sin. For the sin of the world. For our sin! This is what was demanded and He was the only One who was able to do such a thing … and He did!

Not so very long ago during the Christmas season we were reminded of a babe wrapped in swaddling clothes and laid in a manger.

The message was delivered by a mighty angelic being accompanied by an angelic heavenly host praising and giving glory to God; for the work of deliverance from sin was just about to unfold.

The message was delivered appropriately to shepherds who are keeping and guarding their flocks in the middle of the night. And after they were left alone, by faith they left their precious flocks in the hands of God while they went in search of the baby they had just been told about.

They knew what to look for and the reason why, and after searching, they found Him according to the promise of God: “… Ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29: 13

Bethlehem was the region where sheep of a certain pedigree were bred to produce lambs of purity just right for ceremonial offerings. They were to be without blemish, and when they were born each lamb was carefully scrutinised. As and when a lamb was found to be qualified for the sacrificial offering it was carefully wrapped in swaddling rags to protect it and placed in a stone manger ready for collection.

So it was significant that the shepherds were to find the precious baby Jesus presented to them in this fashion. This is a matter easily overlooked if we never knew about how lambs were chosen and for what purpose.

Later on right at the beginning of the Lord’s ministry when He was just thirty years of age, He came to the river Jordan to be baptised by John His cousin. As He saw Jesus coming to him he pointed Him out to his disciples and said: “Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.” John 1: 29

Why ‘the Lamb of God’, instead of ‘the Son of God’?

John being well versed in the Hebrew text knew that it was a lamb that was used to make atonement for sin. It was the blood of an innocent lamb that was needed to identify God’s people  in ancient times from those from whom they were going to be delivered.

He knew that the work this precious Man was about to do was something no one else could ever do. John’s mission was to let everyone know who Jesus was and prepare people to receive His message and believe Him for the salvation of their souls.

As Isaiah the Prophet once wrote many years before Jesus came that He would one day be … “brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.” Isaiah 53: 7.

Paul the Apostle would later verify this incredible fact: “This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.” 1 Timothy 1: 15

As the lambs for sacrificial offerings and for the Passover feast had to be scrutinised for a certain amount of time to prove that they were fitting as offerings acceptable to God, so was the life of the Lord Jesus.

For thirty years as His life was lived out before those of His home city, and then for a further three and a half years after His earthly ministry began, everyone could see with their own eyes, and hear with their own ears the sweet perfection of His life, His deeds, and the gracious words that came out of His mouth.

When the lamb was deemed without blemish then it was declared as fit for purpose. There came a time according to God’s schedule when His perfect Lamb would be offered. God saw the life of this precious Man, and it was an absolute delight to Him. He even opened the heaven to declare: “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased …” Matthew 17: 5.

However, who would think of slaying Someone as innocent or even sinless as He? They would need a reason for doing so. And seeing as they had no real reason for doing away with such a One as He, they had to lie about Him and so delivered Him up because of envy!

And although it may have looked as if something had gone terrible wrong and He was being delivered to die for no reason, the Bible tells us, and Jesus Himself told us that He would be going to give His life for an offering for sin.

How wonderful is this! Our beloved Lord Jesus is not only the Lamb of God who came to take away our sin, but also the Shepherd who gave His life for us, the sheep.

He is not only the Gift that we do not deserve, but the Mighty and merciful Giver also.

He not only gives life to those who trust Him, but He is the very life of those who have given their all to Him.

And so as we once again are reminded of the sufferings of the Lord Jesus on behalf us poor, wretched and lost sinners, may our hearts be warmed by the life and work of our beloved Lord Jesus, and by His walk of holiness and purity as we with fresh appreciation “Behold, the Lamb of God.”