Tuesday, January 25, 2005
GOD'S LAMB
For Old Testament centuries thousands of lambs were brought to Tabernacle and Temple to be offered to God. Morning and evening, sin sacrifices, Passover and more. And while the priests and worshipers would select the lambs to be offered, this was done according to the command and direction of the Lord. These animals were His choice. They were God's lambs.
Surely many youngsters asked their fathers,
"What does God need with a lamb?
Aren't they all His to start with?"
The devout Israelite father would then explain that the lamb chosen at God's direction and set aside for Him truly belonged to the Lord, but was offered for the sake of the worshiper. It was God's lamb brought to meet human need; the need for the sinner to see the seriousness of his guilt; the need for sin to be atoned for and the sinner to be set right with God.
And when it was asked how any young sheep could do this -- even one without blemish or defect -- the devout parent replied that God accepted these lambs in view of another, far greater Substitute and Sacrifice which He Himself would provide.
For hundreds of years this went on, and then, on the banks of the Jordan River, John the son of Zacharias pointed to Jesus of Nazareth and said,
"Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world" (John 1:29). 