“Behold the lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world.”
Have you, dear friend, 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 quite foreign to the minds of John’s hearers. It had been the delight of God before His Son came into the world, to set before the faithful way marks by which they might be encouraged amid the darkness and wickedness around.
Just as the finger-post encourages the weary traveler as he passes through some lonely scene, 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 primal promise spoken in Adam’s hearing of the Deliverer, the seed of the woman who would bruise the serpent’s head.
Let us revert to a few of them—take Gen. 4, for instance. Sin had entered the world when “the Lamb of God’s providing” comes in type upon the scene—Abel 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, and therefore he takes the “firstlings of his flock and the fat thereof.” He saw that the righteousness of God demanded a substitute for sin which had none in itself and who could therefore bear its 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)).
Dear reader, have you bowed to His righteousness, and learned that God accepts the sinner who does so according to His thoughts of the sacrifice of the Lamb of His own providing—His own beloved Son?
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 hesitated not 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 He “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.”
The decisive moment came—the altar was built—the wood was placed in order,—Isaac—Isaac was bound and laid upon the altar; and the band 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 moment suffices to offer him instead of his son; and he rightly named the place “the Lord will provide.”
In Ex. 12 we find God displaying to us another picture of His interference in grace to shield man from the 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—they took the lamb—they killed it—and 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 awful night of judgment; resting 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).)
Dear reader, have you discovered that you can be sheltered under the blood of God’s Lamb, in calm undisturbed serenity, knowing from His own word that “when Ile sees the blood He will pass over you?”
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-waymarks now are no longer needed; finger-posts are passed and well nigh 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,” 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 offerer 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 of God has been accomplished. The sacrifice is of God’s providing’ therefore the sinner’s acceptance is according to the value God sets upon His own Lamb.
Have you, my reader, entered into this, can you say, “I am accepted according to the value God sets upon His Lamb, that in love He provided for me?”
Mark now the character of His work. It is two-fold—He “taketh away the sin of the world;” and He “baptizeth with the Holy Ghost.” 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 dealt with in all its horrible enormity. ‘Tis unbelief alone which deprives the sinner 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 Ghost. 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.
Now mark the way in which those who first heard the message of glad tidings received it, and through abiding with Jesus received strength to testify of Him— “The two disciples heard him speak and they followed Jesus.”
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—as in Saul’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,” and followed Him: and they abide with Him. This was the place that Mary chose (Luke 10:30-4230And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. 31And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. 32And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side. 33But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him, 34And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. 35And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee. 36Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbor unto him that fell among the thieves? 37And he said, He that showed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise. 38Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house. 39And 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 10:30‑42)). 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)); and 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)).
If you know anything of it dear reader, are you cultivating that habitual nearness of heart to Christ: that continual dependence on Him; that constant outflow of affections towards Him of whose changeless love you are assured? To cultivate this, beloved, the result will be, peace flowing “as a river” and abundant fruitfulness. Remember, without Him you can do nothing-and service though outwardly dazzling is worthless, unless flowing from abiding fellowship with Him—habitual nearness of heart to Christ!
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 Messiah.... and he brought him to Jesus.”
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 the Mary 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. ‘Tis thus we know our ascended Lord; may we so testify of Him that those around us (and “thy friends” first, Mark 5) may know the Lamb of God in the glories of His person, and in the virtues and excellencies of His work! D. T. G.