God’s Perfect Lamb

John the baptizer told people the Messiah was coming. He warned them to repent and offered a “baptism” to signify their change of heart. After an extended period of preaching and performing such baptisms, he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29)

No one ever called anyone a “Lamb of God” before, but John was born into a Jewish heritage that had practiced sacrificial atonement for their sin. He knew about the lambs offered to God in obedience to Him. He knew His requirement for blood as repeated in the New Testament. “Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins” (Hebrews 9:22). John may not have known the details, but he did know that this man who was One who would atone for the sin of the world.

The Old Testament sacrifices are a big turn-off for people today who do not understand what they represented. Killing animals as an offering to God seems like a gruesome pagan ritual, but this was not paganism. The Jewish offerings were a shadow of a greater sacrifice at Calvary that would not need to be repeated.  One description says this:

If his (a sinner’s) offering is a burnt offering from the herd, he shall offer a male without blemish. He shall bring it to the entrance of the tent of meeting, that he may be accepted before the LORD. He shall lay his hand on the head of the burnt offering, and it shall be accepted for him to make atonement for him. (Leviticus 1:3–4)

The animal to be offered had to be without blemish. The Bible says that Jesus was like us in every way except He was without sin (Hebrews 4:15). He was brought to Calvary and our sins were laid on Him. Again, this was not a pagan nor a ceremonial ritual. Jesus bore our sin and accepted full punishment for each and every one of them.

Atonement carries various shades of meaning including, “to make amends, pardon, release, appease, forgive, remove the guilt from a wrongdoing, ransom, pay as a gift to allow someone to keep their freedom, pacify, give a gift of tribute which will establish some level of relationship implying reconciliation.”

In the Old Testament sacrificial system, this atonement was limited in time and until the next sin. It also was never intended to be perfect because it did not change the hearts of sinners. Instead, it pointed to a perfect sacrifice ahead, the Lamb of God who would not only atone for sin but take it away. This perfect sacrifice was offered at Calvary two thousand years ago.

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Jesus, I need frequent reminders of what You have done. I also need to think more deeply about it than I do. Life gets busy and demands on my time and thoughts rob me of the joy of remembering Your sacrifice on my behalf. This is the fullest expression of love and acceptance that anyone could give — and You gave it to me and for me. I bow my head in humble gratitude that You are my perfect sacrifice. You laid down Your life to take away my sin. You rose again to give new life to me and to all who will receive You, the perfect Lamb of God. Thank You.