In a previous article, we began to explore the significance of Jesus being called the “Lamb of God” in John 1:29. The roots of this title actually stretch back to the old testament in the book of Exodus. In Exodus 12, we are given a detailed account of the Passover. In this account, God instructs the Israelites to slaughter a lamb without blemish on behalf of each Jewish household so that the Lord’s judgment would pass over the firstborn sons of the Israelites. In contrast, the Egyptian households that did not have the blood of the lambs covering their door frame were met with tragedy: God struck down the firstborn sons. The death of the lambs spared the firstborn sons from death.
We explored how this, as well as the animal sacrifices in the Mosaic sacrificial system, were shadows that were fulfilled in the person and work of Jesus Christ. His sacrificial death on the cross was the ultimate fulfillment of God’s plan of salvation. As the Lamb of God, Jesus was the substitute for condemned sinners. And what was the result of Jesus’ sacrificial death on the cross?
The Result
In John 1:29, John the Baptist calls Jesus the “Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.” This is a stunning thought. Unlike the millions of lambs who had been slaughtered for the Passover and as part of the old testament sacrificial system, Jesus would actually take away sins. He wouldn’t have to be sacrificed over and over and over again. He could be our once and for all sacrifice. Jesus’s death was the propitiation or appeasement of God’s wrath.
The result was that the wrath of God was fully satisfied for the sin of those who place their faith in Christ. This is the fulfillment of God’s eternal plan of salvation. If you have placed your faith in Christ, you are no longer under condemnation or under the threat of judgment from God. Romans 8:1 states, “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”
When he looks at us, God sees us clothed in the righteousness of Christ. As our substitute, Jesus took our sin and gave us his righteousness. He atoned for our sins allowing us to have peace with God. We are united with Christ and accepted in him. Because we are wrapped in Christ’s righteousness, we are now justified or “declared righteous” by God: “Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Rom 5:1).
If you’ve placed your faith in Christ, you have full forgiveness of sin. The worst thing you’ve ever done in your life has been completely forgiven and taken from you as far as the east is from the west. Every sin you will ever commit in the future has already been forgiven. His blood has cleansed you from your sins. When we sin as Christians, which we still do daily, we know that God is faithful and just to forgive us when we confess our sins. When we sin, we no longer need to sacrifice lambs or bulls or goats for temporary relief from God’s judgment. Jesus perfectly fulfilled the law and did away with the Old Covenant that required the sacrificial system. The Old Covenant has been replaced.
Jesus initiated the New Covenant when he was celebrating the Passover with his disciples right before his death:
And he said to them, “I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. For I tell you I will not eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he said, “Take this, and divide it among yourselves. For I tell you that from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood (Luke 22:15-20).
He explicitly linked elements of the Passover meal with his upcoming death. His death would usher in the New Covenant. He did away with the shadow of imperfect sacrifices and offered himself as the perfect sacrifice:
For Christ has entered, not into holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true things, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf. Nor was it to offer himself repeatedly, as the high priest enters the holy places every year with blood not his own, for then he would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself (Heb 9:24-25).
His death satisfied the wrath of God for our sins once and for all. We don’t need to sacrifice animals any longer. As Christians, we no longer celebrate the Passover. We celebrate communion instead to remember Christ’s death for our sins.
Surprisingly enough, the imagery of Jesus as the Lamb of God isn’t done away with once Jesus has died on the cross. The imagery of Jesus as the Lamb of God actually persists into the future. It extends to the end of time and beyond into the eternal state. That brings us to our last point.
The Glory
Do you know where in the Bible Jesus is referred to as the Lamb the most? In the book of Revelation, which deals with the future. Jesus is referred to as the Lamb over 30 times in Revelation. In this book, we see Jesus receiving praise, honor, and glory as the Lamb who was slain. When the apostle John is being shown a vision of the future, he sees that no one is worthy to take the scroll that is the title deed to the earth in order to take possession of it.
I saw a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain, with seven horns and with seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. And he went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who was seated on the throne (Rev 5:6).
Jesus alone is worthy to take possession of the earth. He is the lamb who was slain, yet is still standing. He died and was resurrected. He was the suffering servant, but now he is the conquering King. His seven horns reflect perfect strength. His seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God, reflect his perfect omniscience. What is the response to his taking the scroll? Praise.
And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.” Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!” And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying, “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever” (Rev 5:8-13).
Jesus will come again as the lamb in strength. He will take his rightful place as the King of the earth. And he will be praised for all eternity as the Lamb who was slain. Praise and worship are the only right responses to the Lamb of God. As his servants, it will be our great joy to praise and worship him forever.
