When I was in sixth grade, our class went on a school trip to the university farm nearby to watch the yearly shearing of the sheep. I shall never forget that event. The sheep in the holding pen were bleating and milling around, aware of what was about to happen. But when a sheep was selected and led out to the shearers, it didn’t make one sound!
The shearer sat on a stool and, using his electric shears, he began shearing the back and sides of the sheep. He would closely cut the thick wool from the sheep in a continuous process. Then he would roughly throw the sheep on its haunches and, as he held it between his legs, cut off the wool on the underside of the sheep. Every once in a while, he would cut too deeply and gash the skin, drawing blood. During this entire process, the sheep did not make one sound.
I have often thought back on this and the meekness of the sheep, and my thoughts always go to Isaiah 53:77He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. (Isaiah 53:7), which so clearly describes the sufferings of our Lord Jesus Christ. “He was oppressed, and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth: He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb [silent], so He [opens] not His mouth.” How accurate Scripture is! The blessed Lord Jesus, as He stood before His accusers, answered only when He had to for the truth’s sake. When asked by the high priest if He were “the Christ, the Son of God,” He answered, “Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of Man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven” (Matthew 26:6464Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven. (Matthew 26:64)). When questioned by Pilate, the Roman governor, Jesus answered, “Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth” (John 18:3737Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice. (John 18:37)). Peter tells us of Jesus’ perfect conduct: “Christ . . . did no sin, neither was guile found in His mouth: who, when He was reviled, reviled not again; when He suffered, He threatened not; but committed Himself to Him [God] that [judges] righteously” (1 Peter 2:21-2321For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: 22Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: 23Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously: (1 Peter 2:21‑23)). No name-calling or complaining. Instead, His cry on the cross was, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:3434Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots. (Luke 23:34)). Truly, He was the Lamb of God.
After the sheep were sheared, they looked so pitiful, almost naked. All their beautiful wool was gone, and they were left with red blotches from the careless shearer. But here was God’s Lamb, stripped of His clothing, His back raw from the beating with the metal-tipped Roman whip. He had been spit upon, a crown of thorns beaten down upon His head, mocked as king, and was placed before the Jews for them to choose between Him and a murderer named Barabbas. They chose Barabbas.
Jesus was then nailed through His hands and His feet to a Roman cross. He hung between two thieves. One thief rejected Him, but the other acknowledged his own sinful guilt and the righteousness of the Saviour and cried to Him for mercy: “Lord, remember me when Thou comest into Thy kingdom.” The Lord promised him, “Today shalt thou be with Me in paradise” (Luke 23:42-4342And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. 43And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise. (Luke 23:42‑43)). That thief was the first trophy of Christ’s death and resurrection.
It was for you and me that Jesus, the Lamb of God, suffered so and died on that cross. And for those of us who have accepted Him as our Saviour, He bore that awful burden of our sins in His own body in those three hours of darkness. “He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all” (Isaiah 53:56).
Have you put your trust in the finished work of God’s Lamb, or are you rejecting Him?
ML-08/25/2002