Reflection: The Lamb of God
Participate in some bloody business today or you’ll miss the most complete and radical disclosure of the true and living God!*
Kill a lamb (you and each of your Israelite clans) — a one-year-old perfect male lamb, and swab its blood on your doorposts. Then roast and eat it for dinner tonight (see Exodus 12).
Now, according to the law, take another perfect lamb and, laying your hand on its head as your substitute, slaughter it. The sacrifice and the priests’ sprinkling of its blood will atone for you; will purify you of sin … that is, until the next time you sin (see Leviticus 1).
We’re not kidding ourselves here. All this blood on behalf of sinners solving the problem of sin? All this loss of life giving new life? No, but it does glimmer with God’s grace and mercy. It’s a gift of symbol and ritual for an unholy people to relate to hot-holy Him. Years of bloody business were a shadow of good things to come. They pointed to a final, fully effective sacrifice. And now is the time, says Jesus:
“… the Son of Man came … to give his life as a ransom for many.”
He appeared in order to take away sins, and in him there is no sin.**
We should have guessed it would be costly … and bloody. Dark and sad. The sacrifice is a man. The Lamb of God. But … who could have imagined our substitute would rise and forever break the power of death and evil! “Behold, the Lamb of God!” Ka-pow!
Therefore, be holy in all your conduct … knowing that you were ransomed … with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.**
Prayer:
Pray through these song of praise lyrics today (to hear the song, visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xA-8JVM9vsA):
Scenes of mountain grandeur Creation’s majesty
The glory of a sunrise Shining over me
But the single greatest wonder My soul has ever seen
Is the Lamb of God on Calvary
Blazing stars that reach me From distant galaxies
The oceans they are speaking Magnificence so deep
But still the greatest wonder My soul has ever seen
Is the Lamb of God on Calvary
Behold the Son of God Who takes away our sin
Behold His perfect sacrifice
Behold the wounds of grace Upon His hands and feet
Oh the Lamb of God on Calvary
Heaven holds a welcome To all that’s now unseen
Your love will be my anthem For all eternity
And the most enduring wonder My soul will ever see
Is the Lamb who conquered Calvary…
Isn’t He worthy?
Forever worthy The Lamb who was slain…
We give You the glory
All of the glory To the Lamb who was slain…
Oh the Lamb of God our victory by Jason Ingram, Matt Redman, David Funk
Notes:
*accomplished on the cross, revealing God’s glory (John), God’s justice (Paul), and God’s love (Paul and John in unison) N.T. Wright https://ntwrightpage.com/2016/04/05/jesus-self-understanding/
**Mark 10:45; 1 John 3:5; 1 Peter 1:15,18-19