“BEHOLD the Lamb of God!” These precious words of Christ’s forerunner, John, tell us of the fulfillment of God’s many promises. Christ had come into the world, the Lamb of God’s providing, that He might be glorified. Twice they are repeated, and the first time in connection with us, “Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). He had come to glorify God, to annul the power of Satan, and to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself (Heb. 9:26). For some four thousand years, fallen man had exposed his utter weakness, gross wickedness, and complete inability to put himself right with God. He was now in extremity, and it was God’s opportunity. He intervened. He so loved the world that He gave His only-begotten Son (John 3:16).
From the fall onwards, God caused to be shadowed forth what He Himself would eventually do. Let us ponder a little over three or four instances. Firstly, the two sons of Adam, fallen and sinful, approach God. Cain, the elder, brings the fruit of the accursed earth, produced through the sweat of his brow, and is refused. Abel, the younger, by faith brings of the firstlings of the flock, and the fat thereof, and was accepted. It is a forcible picture at the very outset of the only ground of approach to God, namely, by death. Nothing but a divinely-approved sacrifice would do. There is no possible way to God but through Christ―Christ who died.
Later on, God tested Abraham and told him to offer his son, the promised seed, in whom all the promises concerning Christ centered. By faith Abraham offered him, God intervening at the last moment. As Abraham and Isaac went both of them together on the way, Isaac inquired of his father, “Where is the lamb for the burnt-offering?” “My son,” he replied,” God shall provide Himself a lamb for a burnt-offering.” A substitute for Isaac was found, and he was received from the dead in a figure (Heb. 11:19). What a striking picture of what God would do later, of what He has now done! John’s words, “Behold the Lamb of God!” tell of the fulfillment of the prophetic utterance of Abraham and Christ the Lamb of God, having died, was raised again.
Next, let us notice God’s ways with Israel, Abraham’s seed. In hard bondage in Egypt, God would deliver them and bring them into a better land. Plague after plague falls on the oppressors, the last the slaying of time first-born. But Israel, instructed beforehand of God through His servant Moses, slays the Passover lamb, and the blood was sprinkled on time doorposts and lintels of time houses. In accordance with the Lord’s faithful promise, “When I see the blood, I will pass over you,” not an Israelite was touched. The angel of the Lord with destroying sword passed through the land, but wherever the blood met his eye, that house was passed over, and death shut outside. Again, what a striking figure of God’s blessed ways today! God has provided Himself a Lamb. And Jesus died; His blood was shed. It is ever under the holy eye of God, and there in all its infinite value and efficacy, on behalf of any and every sinner this day, Jew or Gentile, who simply confides therein. It is blessedly true as to the precious blood of Christ, for every sinner who reads these fines, “When, I see the blood, I will pass over you.” Are you, dear reader, passed over?
In Isaiah 40:16, we find the prophet saying, “And Lebanon is not sufficient to burn, nor the beasts thereof sufficient for a burnt-offering.” But in chapter 53:7 he foretells the coming of the Lamb of God, saying, “He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.” The mightiest and most magnificent trees of far-famed Lebanon suffice not for wood, nor all the beasts which dwell beneath their shadow for a burnt-offering which would meet the claims of and glorify a holy God. All would be utterly in vain to bring back to Him that glory of which Satan and man robbed Him at the fall. He only can provide the Iamb. Hence, when the fullness of time was come, He sent His Son. He became man, and offered Himself through the eternal Spirit without spot to God. As John beholds Him, he says, “Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world. “And again,” Behold the Lamb of God! “He points Him out at once as the One who should be both a sin-offering and also a burnt-offering. He came to bear away the world’s sin; He came to glorify God.
Perfect, matchless, sinless, holy, no priestly scrutiny can find a single blemish either on or in God’s spotless Lamb. At every moment of His blessed pathway, the eyes of God could behold one Man in the midst of this sin-stricken world and see no sin, It was Jesus. Next God’s unblemished Lamb was offered upon Calvary. The whole fire of His holy judgment came with devouring flame against the Holy One, and He exhausted it. Forsaken of God as the holy sin-bearer, He bore the judgment, emptied the bitter cup, finished the work of redemption, and bowed His blessed head in death; His precious blood was shed, and He was buried in the grave. Lebanon and all its beasts sufficed not. But God had provided Himself a Lamb, and on the cross He died and glorified God.
There is not a question, dear reader, that your heart can raise that was not then raised, met, and answered forever. You are exposed to death, the grave, judgment, and the lake of fire, but Christ extinguished the fire, bore the judgment, robbed death of its sting and the grave of its victory; for His sacrifice was perfect and infinite in its valuer and it was not possible that God’s holy One should see corruption. He rose again. The guarded cave could not retain the holy One of God. Jesus lives. “I am he that liveth (or, the living One); and, behold, I am alive for evermore, and have the keys of hades and of death” (Rev. 1:18). He rose, He lives, He ascended, He is seated, He is triumphant, He is crowned, He is the delight of the heart of God, He is the theme of angelic praise, He is Head over all; He is a present, precious Saviour, poor sinner, for you. What think ye of Christ?
Hear the words of His servant Peter, “Ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold... but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot” (1 Peter 1:18, 19). And he continues, “Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you, who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.” What think ye of Him? All the silver and gold in all the banks and safes of the world; all the coined or uncoined wealth of the universe; all the treasures of all the mines of the world, discovered or undiscovered, could not suffice to cancel a single sin of a single sinner before God. But what wealth could not do, blood can. The precious blood of Christ, the holy Lamb of God, redeems every one who trusts therein. Without its shedding there is no remission of sins (Heb. 9:22); with it, there is plenteous redemption. “The blood of Jesus Christ his (God’s) Son cleanseth us from all sins” (1 John 1:7).
God sends His blessed testimony to you this day. See how wondrously it is all linked up with Christ; and every who believes Him comes now and forever into the full benefit thereof. God foreordained the Lamb, God manifested Him, God judged Him at Calvary, God raised Him from the dead, God gave Him glory, that our faith and hope might be in God. Without Christ there is absolutely no hope, but for every one who believes God’s testimony concerning Him there is; faith and hope go together. Believing God, I hope in Him, a sure and certain hope in Him who cannot fail. And the believer is pardoned and redeemed to God by Christ’s blood. “In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace” (Eph. 1:7).
And all who are cleansed by the blood of the Lamb are sealed by the Holy Ghost for the day of redemption, when, with our body changed and fashioned like His own, we shall be with and like Christ forever. Beholding Him, the Lamb of God, in the midst of the throne, the whole throng of the redeemed ones will sing the new and glorious song, “Thou art worthy, for thou hast redeemed us to God by thy blood” (Rev. 5:9). Why should you not begin to praise Him now? The work is done, the Saviour is risen. The Lamb was foreordained, provided, offered, accepted―the Lamb was slain. Then why should not you in childlike simplicity rest in faith on these blessed wondrous facts, and sing with others of the redeemed?
E. H. C.