Monday July 7, 2025 - Lamb of God

 Chapter 6: Lamb of God Day 2

His Name Revealed:

Isaiah 53:7 - He was oppressed, and He was afflicted, Yet He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, So He opened not His mouth.

John 1:24-35 - Now those who were sent were from the Pharisees. 25 And they asked him, saying, “Why then do you baptize if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?” John answered them, saying, “I baptize with water, but there stands One among you whom you do not know. 27 It is He who, coming after me, is preferred before me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose.” These things were done in Bethabara beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing. The next day John 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 is preferred before me, for He was before me.’ 31 I did not know Him; but that He should be revealed to Israel, therefore I came baptizing with water.” And John bore witness, saying, “I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and He remained upon Him. 33 I did not know Him, but He who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘Upon whom you see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, this is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ 34 And I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God.” Again, the next day, John stood with two of his disciples.

Jesus - perfect offering for all my sins, help me to understand that sin extracts a deadly payment. Thank You for giving Your life to deal with my debt. Forgive me for everything I have done that caused You suffering, help me lamb of God to rejoice in Your love for me. Amen 

 Understanding the Name:

It is impossible to understand the title Lamb of God, without understanding something about the practice of animal sacrifice, in both the Old and New Testament. 

The sacrificial system provided a way for God's people to approach Him even though they had violated the Mosaic law. When an animal was offered, its blood was shed and then its flesh was burned on the alter. When the animal was completely consumed by fire the sacrifice was called a holocaust, when only part of the animal was burned it was considered a peace offering intended to restore communion with God. 

Those who offered sacrifices understood that the animal being sacrificed was a symbolic representation of themselves and their desire to offer their own lives to God. In fact, the sacrificial system of the Hebrew scriptures represents God's way of instructing us about what it means to us to approach a Holy God. 

The lamb was the principal animal of sacrifice and two were offered each day, one in the morning, and one in the evening. 

Numbers 28:1-8 - Now the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Command the children of Israel, and say to them, ‘My offering, my food for My offerings made by fire as a sweet aroma to Me, you shall be careful to offer to Me at their appointed time.’  “And you shall say to them, ‘This is the offering made by fire which you shall offer to the Lord: two male lambs in their first year without blemish, day by day, as a regular burnt offering. 4 The one lamb you shall offer in the morning, the other lamb you shall offer in the evening, 5 and one-tenth of an ephah of fine flour as a grain offering mixed with one-fourth of a hin of pressed oil. 6 It is a regular burnt offering which was ordained at Mount Sinai for a sweet aroma, an offering made by fire to the Lord. 7 And its drink offering shall be one-fourth of a hin for each lamb; in a holy place you shall pour out the drink to the Lord as an offering. 8 The other lamb you shall offer in the evening; as the morning grain offering and its drink offering, you shall offer it as an offering made by fire, a sweet aroma to the Lord.

The offering was doubled on the Sabbath, Lambs or other animals were also sacrificed on the first day of the new month. and on such feasts such as Passover, Pentecost, Trumpet, Atonement and Tabernacles. Lambs were also offered in cleansing ceremonies, after a women gave birth, and after the healing of a leper. 

To the Jews the lamb represented innocence and gentleness, because the sacrifice was meant to represent the purity of intention of the person or people who offered it lambs had to be without physical blemishes.

The New Testament uses two Greek words for Christ as Lamb or Lamb of God, the phrase Lamb of God is only found in John's gospel, although Jesus is mentioned as The Lamb in the book of Revelation as He is portrayed as the Lamb who though slain yet lives and reigns Victorious. In fact: 29 of the 34 New Testament occurrences of Lamb, occur in Revelation. A book so named at least in part because of what it reveals about who God is. 

The New Testament also refers to Christ's followers as lambs. Because the temple was destroyed in AD 70, animal sacrifices could no longer be offered there. Most Jews today no longer eat lamb during the Passover meal instead they put a roasted lamb shank bone on a Sadar plate as a reminder of the sacrifice, 

 Studying the Name 

 1. Jesus refused to defend himself when dragged before the Jewish leaders and before Pilate and Herod. How does this relate to the passage from Isaiah? What does it say to you about Jesus? 

 2. Imagine that you are walking into the temple holding a young lamb in your arms. He is like a favorite pet, but now he is going to be sacrificed for your sins. How do you feel? Now imagine doing the same thing over and over because no one sacrifice can possibly take away your sins. What thoughts go through your mind? 

 3. What do you think of when you think of Jesus as the Lamb of God? How does this title relate to your life?