“Behold the lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world” (John 1:2929The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. (John 1:29)). Have we ever gazed upon the Lamb of God, whose Person and work are brought before us in this passage? The Eternal Word—the Creator—the Light—the Life—the Word made flesh—the only begotten of the Father is here exhibited to us as God’s Lamb!
This was not a title which would be foreign to the minds of John’s hearers. It had been the delight of God before His Son came into the world to set up beforehand the faithful guideposts by which they might be encouraged, while surrounded with darkness and wickedness.
Just as signposts encourage a weary traveler as he passes through some lonely area, telling him that the road he traverses leads to the desired end, so these bright gleams of light in Old Testament times tell us that God had not forgotten His people and that He would make good His declaration, spoken in Adam’s hearing, of the Deliverer, the seed of the woman who would bruise the serpent’s head.
Abel’s Offering
Let us consider a few of them — take Genesis 4, for instance. Sin had entered the world when “the Lamb of God’s providing” comes, in type, upon the scene. Abel, in essence recognizing the distance that existed between man and God and bowing his head to the righteous sentence of God as to sin, owns that nothing will avail with God but the life of a sinless victim. Therefore he presents as an offering the “firstlings of his flock and the fat thereof.” He saw that the righteousness of God demanded a substitute for sin, which offering being sinless, could bear the judgment in death. He submitted himself to that righteousness, and his “more excellent sacrifice” obtained for him the witness that he was counted righteous according to God’s estimate of his gift (Heb. 11:44By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh. (Hebrews 11:4)).
Have we bowed to His righteousness and learned that God accepts the sinner, doing so according to His thoughts of the sacrifice of the Lamb of His own providing — His own beloved Son?
Abraham and Isaac
Let us look at another. The moment had come for the trial of Abraham’s faith, and the son in whom the promises of God were centered must die. Obedient to the word of God, the father did not hesitate a moment; early in the morning he started forth on his sorrowful journey to offer up his only son. Faith triumphs over difficulties. He believed that God “was able to raise him up even from the dead.” In simple confidence, then, he trusted God, and in reply to Isaac’s inquiry, he says, “My son, God will provide Himself a lamb for a burnt offering” (Gen. 22:88And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together. (Genesis 22:8)).
The decisive moment came; the altar was built and the wood was placed in order. Isaac was bound and laid upon the altar, and the hand stretched forth to slay his son, when the voice of God stayed the blow: “Lay not thine hand upon the lad.” And turning about, he beheld “a ram caught in a thicket by his horns”; another sacrifice is provided to offer instead of his son, and he rightly named the place “the Lord will provide.”
The Passover Lamb
In Exodus 12 we find God displaying to us another picture of His provision in grace to shield man from impending judgment. That night He was about to pass through the land of Egypt to execute judgment. But His people must be spared, and therefore a mode of shelter from judgment is proposed to them, by sprinkling upon the lintel and door posts of their houses the blood of “a lamb without blemish.” They believed in the coming judgment; they obeyed the directions given, took the lamb, and killed it. Then, with the blood upon the door post and lintel, they sat down in security and fed upon the one whose blood was the sole ground of their safety on that night of awful judgment. They rested simply on the word of Him who said, “When I see the blood I will pass over you.” How plainly does this point us to the “lamb without blemish and without spot,” by whose precious blood His people are redeemed (1 Peter 1:18-1918Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; 19But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: (1 Peter 1:18‑19))!
The Lamb of God
We are at our journey’s end, for these types and shadows have conducted us to the brightness of the presence of “the Lamb of God” Himself; guideposts now are no longer needed. Signposts are passed and forgotten in the presence of the glory of the Lamb of God. In obedience to His Father’s will He had come (Psa. 40:7-87Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me, 8I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart. (Psalm 40:7‑8)). In obedience to the same will “He is brought as a Lamb to the slaughter” (Isa. 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)) and crucified. God presents Him thus as an object of faith for all who will receive Him.
But there was one important difference between the sacrifices of Old Testament times and the Lamb of God. In old times the offeror had to bring his lamb; he was an actor in the proceedings, and without his activity there could be no sacrifice. Not so now; it is God who has provided, God who has brought His Lamb, God who has accepted Him. Man could have no share in the work, for the plan had been devised of God and accomplished of God. The sacrifice is of God’s providing, and therefore the sinner’s acceptance is according to the value God sets upon His own Lamb.
Has the reality of this entered into our souls so that we can say, I am accepted according to the value God sets upon His Lamb, that in love He provided for me?
Notice now the character of His work. It is twofold. He “taketh away the sin of the world” (John 1:2929The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. (John 1:29)), and He “baptizeth with the Holy Ghost” (John 1:3333And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost. (John 1:33)). Can anything be more complete, more suitable to the nature of God than this? Not merely do I see my sins removed, but I see sin itself dealt with in Christ, when He as God’s Lamb bore its judgment — bowed His head and died! How complete a work; sin itself is dealt with in all its horrible enormity! Only through unbelief is the sinner deprived of an interest in the work accomplished by the Lamb of God.
But this is not all. His work being finished, He rises and ascends up where He was with the Father, to give us a more abundant blessing than before. Those who have received Him are now baptized with the Holy Spirit, thus uniting them to their absent Head and Lord. “By one spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free” (1 Cor. 12:1313For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. (1 Corinthians 12:13)). And thus we who have believed are linked to Christ and to each other.
The Reception of Christ’s Testimony
Now notice the way in which those who first heard the message of good news received it, and through abiding with Jesus received strength to testify of Him. “The two disciples heard him speak and they followed Jesus” (John 1:3737And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus. (John 1:37)).
How simple and beautiful! “Faith” came “by hearing” (Rom. 10:1717So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. (Romans 10:17)). They heard the word, they received Him, they believed in His name, and all things were but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Him. In Paul’s case the sevenfold crown of fleshly glory (Phil. 3:5-65Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee; 6Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. (Philippians 3:5‑6)) was cast aside in the presence of the more excellent glory of the Lamb of God. They received “power to become the sons of God”; they followed Him and abode with Him. This was the place that Mary chose (Luke 10:39-4239And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word. 40But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me. 41And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: 42But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her. (Luke 10:39‑42)). This again was the place that John took, not because he had a better right to it than Peter, but because he loved it more (John 13:2323Now there was leaning on Jesus' bosom one of his disciples, whom Jesus loved. (John 13:23)). This is the place that we have an equal right to share, for Jesus says, “Abide in me” (John 15:44Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. (John 15:4)).
Those of us who know something of this may well cultivate habitual nearness of heart to Christ, continual dependence on Him, and constant outflow of affections towards Him of whose changeless love we have been assured. To cultivate this, beloved, the result will be peace flowing “as a river” and abundant fruitfulness. Remember, without Him we can do nothing, and service, though outwardly dazzling, is worthless unless it flows from continual fellowship with Him and habitual nearness of heart to Christ!
Their Testimony
Now comes their testimony: “One of the two ... was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messias. ... And he brought him to Jesus” (John 1:40-4240One of the two which heard John speak, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. 41He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ. 42And he brought him to Jesus. And when Jesus beheld him, he said, Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, A stone. (John 1:40‑42)).
May we learn our lesson from this, too, and go forth fresh from the presence of our Lord to win those who are “without God in the world” to Christ. We may well delight to tell of the One whom we have found. Surely like the woman in John 4 we may say, “Come see a man that told me all things that ever I did,” or like Mary Magdalene of John 20, we may tell of the One who is now ascended to His Father and to our Father, and to His God and our God. It is thus we know our ascended Lord; may we so testify of Him that those around us may know the Lamb of God in the glories of His Person and in the virtues and excellencies of His work!
D. T. Grimston (adapted)