Behold The Lamb!
John chapter 1 opens with some of the most important words in all of the Bible and as we approach “Good Friday” it will be helpful to examine them in light of the Passover instituted by God in Exodus.
“29 The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who ranks before me, because he was before me.’ 31 I myself did not know him, but for this purpose I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel.” 32 And John bore witness: “I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him.”
Here we see two very important pieces of information:
John was sent ahead to identify Jesus as “Messiah”
Jesus is the Lamb of God that will sacrifice himself to save God’s people
The Passover and the idea of propitiation are woven throughout the fabric of God’s redemptive plan. In Genesis 3 we see the first animal to die was by God’s hand to cover Adam and Eve. Again in the Passover we see the blood of a spotless lamb was placed over the door of the Israelites. The Angel of Death then “Passed Over”.
Jesus Christ (fully-man and fully God) is the blood sacrifice that turns away wrath for those that repent and trust in His perfect life and wrath bearing sacrifice on the cross.
Thanks for reading!
SDG,
-John