Hello Beloved,
As we continue our study of the names and titles for Jesus, we have moved to the New Testament. Last month, we considered the title of Jesus as “Savior.” This month we will consider Jesus as “The Lamb of God.” Elmer Towns notes that only John the Baptist uses the title “Lamb of God” for Jesus in the first twenty-six books of the Bible, and it is the Apostle John who uses the same title twenty-six times in the last book of the Bible, Revelation.
We often recall the story about how John the Baptist recognized Jesus as Messiah or the Christ. John had been told by God that he would know the Messiah for He would be the one on whom the Spirit descended and remained. Sure enough, when Jesus came to John to be baptized and John did his duty, the Spirit descended, like that of a dove, upon Jesus (John 1:32). It was this Jesus before whom John pointed his finger and in no uncertain terms told his disciples, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!!” (John 1:29 ESV).
John was the son of a priest, Zachariah. Now, I am certain that old Zachariah spoke often to John about the morning and evening sacrifice in the temple for each day which usually involved a lamb. I am also sure that Zachariah told his son about the Passover lamb, the importance of the blood that covered the doorpost and lintel of the house from the Passover story, and how the blood protected the people from the death angel. And finally, I am absolutely certain that Zachariah told John about the substitutionary significance of the lamb that was slain in the Jewish sacrificial system, and how it foreshadowed the one who would be slain in our place and for our sin. For instance, the fifty-third chapter of Isaiah communicates about the Christ that “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth” (Isaiah 53:6-7 ESV). I am most assured that these truths from God’s Word are why John pointed to Jesus and called Him the “Lamb of God.” John’s followers took notice, and many of them stopped being disciples of John and became disciples of Jesus. Jesus was and is the Lamb who bore the sin of the world, and it was He who died as the perfect spotless sacrifice to take away sin. It was our sin that Jesus bore on His body as He hung on that tree we call a cross (1 Peter 2:24), and for those who trust in Jesus’ sacrifice, their sin is removed as far as the east is from the west (Psalm 103:12).
In the final book of the New Testament, Revelation, there is a pretty amazing scene that takes place in heaven during the fifth chapter. To give you a little background, John saw a scroll that represented the very future of the world, and it appeared that there was no one in heaven, or on earth, or under the earth who could take the scroll and break its seals to look into it. As John began to weep, one of the elders in heaven told John to stop weeping because, “behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals” Revelation 5:5 (ESV). However, when John looked up, he saw this Lion taking the form of “a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain” Revelation 5:6 (ESV). Jesus is the Lamb who took the scroll, receiving praise from the living creatures and heavenly elders, as they sang, “Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth” Revelation 5:9-10 (ESV). Afterwards, multitudes of angels joined in the chorus, singing, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!” Revelation 5:12 (ESV). Then all creation sang, “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!” Revelation 5:13 (ESV). Jesus, “The Lamb of God,” did conquer through the shedding of his blood so as to defeat sin and its consequence of death. Salvation and Justification, or being made right(eous) with God, comes only by trusting in the Lamb who was slain for our sin. I leave you with this thought: The Chinese character for "righteousness" is most interesting. It is composed of two separate characters—one standing for a lamb, the other for me. And when "lamb" is placed directly above "me," a new character—"righteousness"—is formed. (Encyclopedia of 15,000 Illustrations: Signs of the Times.)
Until next time, this is Pastor Daniel writing, “May the Grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.”