THE LAMB OF GOD
Intro. As a person comes to study the Bible he will find a number of topics that will surely capture his attention. One of those topics would surely be Òthe LambÓ. Over and over that word is found in the Bible. It is used many times in reference to our Lord Jesus Christ, especially in JohnÕs writings. (John 1:29, 36)
JohnÕs reference to Jesus as the Lamb of God calls to mind the Old Testament sacrificial system. In the sacrifice God accepted the blood of animals as the means of atonement for sin. It is likely that John had numerous themes from the Old Testament in mind when he called Jesus the Lamb of God. He surely wanted men to se Jesus as the Lamb of which Isaiah spoke in the O.T. (Isa. 53:7). This is the same lamb as that one of whom Philip would later read on the Gaza road (Acts 8:32).
I. Lamb was a subject of O.T. prophecy
A. It is not something that was invented during the lifetime of our Lord.
B. All those lambs that were slain in the O.T. would point to the Lamb.
C. This had been a part of the master plan of God.
D. Is this not what John had in mind when he said, (Rev. 13:8)
1. It would seem that he had reference to all those lambs that had been slain from the very beginning of the sacrificial system.
2. These would have been a type of what was to come.
E. We must therefore see the importance that God would place upon the death of His Son for the sins of men.
1. He had continually painted a picture of the death of Jesus in the sacrifices of the O.T.
2. In Gen. 22:7 we see a picture of the Lamb of God
F. What can we learn? What do we see in the Lamb?
II. Behold the Lamb (John 1:29)
A. John saw Jesus coming (1:29) ÒBehold, the lamb of God. . .Ó
1. Since lambs were used as sin-offerings (Lev. 5:6) and Jesus was to become a sin-offering (Isa. 53:5-7,10,11), it was altogether fitting that John call him Òthe Lamb of God...Ó
2. We know that it takes the blood of Jesus to take away the sins of the world (Heb. 9:22).
3. Revelation 7:14
4. Heb. 9:14--w/o spot
5. I Peter 1;18, 19, 22
B. This was the Lamb of God
1. Remember AbrahamÕs statement, ÒGod will provide...Ó (Answered in John 1:36)
2. This lamb was provided by God as the only sufficient and available sacrifice for the sins of the world.
3. Men furnished all the lambs that had been offered before, this one is from God.
4. This sacrifice made atonement for sins, it carried sin away in reality, the others only representatively.
5. Remember that the use of the term ÒlambÓ in relation to Jesus would imply His death!
6. It took the blood of Jesus to take away the sins of the world,. (Heb. (9:22)
7. So if sins were to be taken away, there would have to be the death of Jesus.
C. There is much more involved in the statement, Òtaketh awayÓ than the removal of sins.
1. He suffered in our stead.
2. He allowed the penalty of the law to fall upon him rather than us.
3. His was a substitutionary death in the fullest sense. He justifies and sanctifies us.
4. He took away the guilt of sin and the power of sin (Rom.6:14).
5. He is taking away the sin of the world, which denotes it not a single but a continued act; it is his constant work and office to take away sin, which is such a work of time that it will never be completed till time shall be no more.
6. Only the blood of a sinless human being, Òas of an unblemished and spotless lambÓ(I Pet. 1:18,19), would allow the holy God to say, I will remember their sins no more.-Heb. 8:12
D. Cleansed by the blood of the Lamb (Rev. 7:14)
1. Peter affirms that redemption comes by the blood of the Lamb. (I Pet. 1:18,19)
2. But you will also find that these same people are said to be purified by obeying the truth
(I Pet. 1:22)
3. So, only those who have obeyed the truth would be cleansed by the blood of the lamb.
E. We also see the LambÕs Bride (Rev. 21:9)
1. All of us should agree that this would have to do with the LordÕs church or the LordÕs people.
2. Would there be any difference in the group that would make up the church and the group that would have washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb?
3. Would this not have reference to the same kind of people.
4. Surely none would be a part of the LambÕs bride that not been washed in the LambÕs blood.
III. Worthy is the Lamb (Rev. 5:8-14)
A. Context (Chapters 4-5)
1. Rev. 4 presents the majesty, the omnipresence and the omniscience of God, the God who is really the One in control of human affairs and divine affairs.
2. Rev. 5 begins with John seeing a book in the right hand of him that sat upon the throne.
3. The angels had searched heaven and earth and hades to find someone qualified to open the scroll... Who is worthy? i.e. of moral character and ability to open the book.
4. John was weeping because no one could be found.
5. One of the elders told him ÒWeep not. . . (v.5)
6. The Lamb came and took the scroll. He had overcome to open the book not by the power of the Kingly might, but by sacrifice through love.
B. Worthy is the Lamb.
1. Action taken by the Lamb called forth great joy on the part of those around the throne.
2. He is worthy because of his redemptive work (v.9)
I. Redeemed us to God.
II. Through blood of Christ.
III. It is unlimited (22:17)
IV. It makes the redeemed a kingdom (v.10)
(1) As men partake of the redemptive work of Christ, they become part of GodÕs kingdom.
(2) They become priests to serve him in this world.
3. They praise him by singing, Òblessings, and honor, and glory, and power, and dominion.Ó
4. This scene was calculated to bring new courage and new hope to the hearts of JohnÕs first readers. The same is true today.
5. There is no enemy or force of evil that Christians need to fear.
6. We can face each day knowing that God is still on his throne; he has not laid aside his scepter; he has not abandoned his throne to any other.
7. The Lamb of God is seated at the right hand of God making intercession for us.
8. Notice Rev. 7:9-10...Salvation to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!Ó
9. Also Rev. 7:13-17...blood of the lamb...Lamb shall shepherd them...
Con: John would not only speak of the LambÕs blood, the LambÕs bride, worthy is the lamb, but also the LambÕs book (Rev. 21:27). Who are these people (Phil. 4:3). Only those who are in the book of life are a part of the bride of Christ, and these are those who have been washed in the blood of the Lamb.