The Lamb of God

1. The Lamb of God – 12th
November 2015
Because Jesus’name-titlesare symbolic,one mightanalyzetheminordertobothgain a greater
appreciationof andlearnwhoHe reallyis. One of the titlesof JesusChristthathas a veryprofoundlevel
of symbolism iswhenhe iscalled“the Lambof God.” Whywas Jesusgiventhe name-titlemeans,and
whyof all creatures,a lambwaschosento representthe Savior...
Long before Jesus wasborninBethlehemandlaidina manger, the prophetIsaiah likenedthe Saviorof
all menand women,untoa lambwhenhe wrote, “Hewas oppressed,and he was afflicted,yet he
opened not hismouth:he isbrought as a lambto the slaughter,and as a sheep before her shearers is
dumb,so he openeth not hismouth” (Isaiah53:7). The lambistherefore asymbol of meekness,
humility,andof willingnesstosubmittothe will of the master. It istrue that Jesusisall of these
(humble,willingtosubmittothe Father) butthe level of symbolismgoesmuchdeeperthanthis.But
before afurtherexplanationof whyJesusiscalledthe Lambof God is given,we mustdwell fora
momentonthe Law of Sacrifice,arite of worshipthathadbeenpracticedas a part of worshipsince the
daysof Adamand Eve. An understandingof the Law of Sacrifice will give usastartingpointas to the
deepersymbolismof whyJesusiscalledthe Lambof God.
The Bible Dictionarystatesthat,“SoonafterAdamand Eve were cast out of the Gardenof Eden,the
Lord gave themthe law of sacrifices,whichincluded offeringthe firstlingsof theirflocksinasimilitude
of the sacrifice thatwouldbe made of the OnlyBegottenSonof God” (Bible Dictionary:Sacrifices). The
lawtherefore pointedmenandwomenthatgreatand lastsacrifice wouldbe the Sonof God, infinite
and eternal”(Alma34:14).
We can learnwhen Johnthe BaptistsaysJesus, isthe Lamb of God and the reasonas to His coming:
“The next day Johnsaw Jesus comingtowardhim andsaid,“Look,the Lamb ofGod,who takes away
the sin ofthe world! 30
Thisis the one I meant when I said,‘A manwho comes after me has surpassed
me because he was before me.’ 31
I myselfdid not knowhim, butthe reasonI came baptizingwith
water was that he might be revealed to Israel.” We can learnfromthis that John the Baptistis
emphasizingJesus’rank andthatHe was before himandthatHe came to reveal Godto humanity. Jesus
isfrom eternity. We canlearn “Inthe beginningwasthe Word” (John1:1). The reasonforsayingit here
isthat Johnwants to underlinewhatittakesforJesustobe “the Lamb of God thattakesaway the sinof
the world.”
No ordinaryhumanbeingcanbe called“the Lamb of God thattakesaway the sinof the world.”
Everythinghe hastoldus isessential toJesusbeingthe sin-removingLambof God. We can learnwhen
the PhariseesinquiredfromJohnthe Baptistasto whohe was: “Nowthe Phariseeswho had been sent
25
questionedhim,“Whythendo you baptizeif youare not the Messiah,nor Elijah,nor the Prophet?”
26
“Ibaptizewith water,” Johnreplied, “butamongyou standsone youdo not know. 27
He is the one
who comes after me, the straps of whosesandalsI am not worthy to untie.” John1:24 -27 Jesusisso
infinitelysuperiortoJohnthat John wasn’tworthyto untie hissandals. Therefore in John1:29 we can
readthe highpointof John’stestimony:“Behold,theLamb ofGod,who takes away the sin ofthe
world!” John repeatsitinverses35–36: “The next day againJohnwas standingwithtwo of his
disciplesandhe looked at Jesusas he walkedby and said,‘Behold,the Lamb of God!’” Thistestimony
causedthe two disciplesof Johnthe Baptisttoleave himandbecome followersof Jesus.Thatiswhat
John’switnessissupposedtodo.That iswhyhe issaying,“Behold,the Lambof God, whotakesaway
the sinof the world.”He wantedpeople tofollow the Lamb.

2. So the emphasisinJohn’switness tothisamazingdesignation thatstates Jesustobe the Lamb of God
whocan take awaythe sin of the world. AsChristianswe mustknow that nobody cantake awaythe sin
of the world exceptthroughourtrustand belief in JesusChristwhocame toearthfor that purpose.We
mustclearlyknowthat forJesus to take awaythe sinof the world,itrequiredthatHe be more than a
man. We can learnin Isaiah40:11- “He tends hisflock like a shepherd:He gathers the lambsin his
arms andcarries them closeto his heart; he gently leadsthose that have young”. We can learnthat
Jesusiscalled the Lambof God whotakesaway the sinof the worldbecause he wasthe God whocame
to earthin the likenessof man. “TheWord became fleshand madehis dwellingamongus.We have
seen his glory,the glory ofthe one andonly Son,who came from the Father, full ofgrace andtruth
(John1:14). The central reason as to why JesusChristcame to earthwas to take away the sinof the
worldand avail the possibilityof redemptionforus.
We can alsoread whenJohn the apostle wrote hisfirstletter,he statesin1 John3:5: “Youknow that he
appeared to take away sins,andin himthere is no sin.” The reasonwhythe Son of God appearedand
the reasonthe Word became flesh wastotake awaysin. Thisis why John the Baptisttestifies the central
reasonwhyJesusChristiscalledthe Lambof God: “Behold,the Lamb of God,whotakes away the sin of
the world!” (John1: 29).
“Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes
away the sin of the world!”
(John 1: 29).
“Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth.”