December 28 - The Lamb

December 28 – The Lamb

Using a lamb for a sacrifice goes back before the sacrificial temple system, to the testing of Abraham in Genesis 22.  When Abraham took Isaiah to perform the sacrifice, he assured Isaiah that God Himself would provide the Lamb.

In Exodus 12:21, the blood of the sacrificed lambs was painted over the doorways of the homes of the Israelites to protect their firstborn sons when the angel of death passed over Egypt. 

Isaiah prophesied about the coming Messiah, calling him a lamb that was led to the slaughter (Isaiah 53:7).

The only time we see Jesus called a Lamb in the Gospels is by John the Baptist, who sees Jesus coming toward him, and says, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.” Before Jesus had even begun His ministry, He was identified as a sacrifice.

Paul speaks of Jesus as the Lamb a couple of times, but the greatest emphasis on the sacrificial work of Jesus at the cross comes in the Revelation.  It is only because of this sacrifice that He is able to open the scroll and set into motion events that bring about the end of the world and the coming of the New Heaven and New Earth.  He wouldn’t have been worthy as a military or political leader, but as a sacrifice for the sins of the world, He was the only person found who could take the scroll and break the seals.

In Revelation 19:9, we are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb, and in Revelation 21, the Lamb stands with the Lord God Almighty as the temple in heaven (Revelation 21:22), the glory of God is the light and the Lamb it its lamp (Revelation 21:23) and then we see that the Lamb’s book of life holds the names of those He has purified with His sacrifice (Revelation 21:27).

The sacrifice of the Lamb brings all of creation into worship in Revelation 5.  We can only offer these words with grateful hearts.

“To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!” (Rev. 5:13)