The Ancient Word...

God delivered Israel from Egyptian slavery by striking Pharaoh, his people, and his false gods (see Exodus 12:12) with ten terrible plagues. In the tenth plague, the Lord sent an angel of death throughout the land to kill the firstborn son of every household. However, He saved the Israelites from death through the blood of the Passover lamb.

Moses gave strict orders to every family:

Go at once and...slaughter the Passover lamb. Take a bunch of hyssop, dip it into the blood in the basin and put some of the blood on the top and on both sides of the doorframe...When the LORD goes through the land to strike down the Egyptians, He will see the blood on the top and sides of the doorframe and will pass over that doorway, and He will not permit the destroyer to enter your houses and strike you down. (Exodus 12:21-23, NIV)

The Gospel of John compares Jesus to the Passover lamb. This theme appears early in the book, where John the Baptist points to Jesus and says,

Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! (John 1:29; cf. v. 36)

It appears at the end of the book, where Jesus is crucified on the afternoon preceding the Passover Feast -- at the very time when priests were slaughtering the Passover lambs in the Temple (see John 19:14; compare 13:1; 18:28, 39).

And subtle reminders appear throughout the Gospel, where Jesus anticipates the outcome of his sacrificial death on the Cross. Just as the blood of the Passover lamb saved Israel from death, so will the shed blood of Christ deliver all nations from death, bringing new life.

For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)

I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. (John 11:25-26a)

Behold the Lamb of God!

... for Today

The Bible describes the people of God with the same imagery -- that of sheep and lambs.

The Psalmist famously declared, "The LORD is my shepherd" (Psalm 23:1).

Much later, Jesus says, "I am the gate for the sheep" (John 10:7). "I am the good shepherd" (vv. 11, 14). "My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me" (v. 27). Then, after the resurrection, Jesus exhorts the Apostle Peter to "feed my lambs" (John 21:15), "take care of my sheep" (v. 16), and "feed my sheep" (v. 17).

The parallels are obvious. On the one hand, Jesus is the Lamb of God. On the other hand, we too are the sheep of the Lord.

The Revelation identifies Jesus most often as the "Lamb" (28 times). That identity may also prove to be enduring for us.

Christ was the Passover Lamb, bringing redemption and salvation. His blood means that God will pass over us in the Judgment.

Perhaps the greatest value of lambs in ancient Israel was not when they were eaten or shorn  -- important as they were for food and clothing -- but when they were sacrificed for people.

Is it possible that our greatest purpose in the world might be to shed our blood -- or give over our lives -- for God's cause of delivering others?

Can we, as "the sheep of His pasture" (Psalm 100:3), expect any better treatment than the Lamb of God who took away the sin of the world? Can we be involved in any greater cause than the redemption of humanity?

As we exalt Christ, he provides a model for all his followers -- a model of gentleness, purity, and sacrifice. As we hear his voice, let's follow closely.

Discuss...

1. Consider the characteristics of lambs. In what ways are we like (or unlike) lambs before God?
   
2. Are we willing to be sacrificial lambs, as Christ was? In what ways and what areas?

Chris Davis, PhD & David Timms, PhD
Hope International University
Fullerton, California

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