The Lamb of God

The 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

Never has a declaration been made whereby the reader was convinced that the times had changed. Contained within this one statement written by the apostle John are three separate declarations which John the Baptist makes concerning the beloved Son of God. Contained within these three declarations is the wonderful fact that things will never be the same. So may the Lord help us a we gaze upon these truths.

The first declaration is seen in John’s words, “Behold the Lamb of God.” For century’s preceding John’s life, the prophets of old declared that the Messiah was coming. Moses declared that a Prophet would arise. David saw the Great Shepherd imminent. Ezekiel saw the wheel inside of the wheel turning about. Malachi declared that the Sun of Righteousness was about to rise with healing in His wings. And now John the Baptist declares from the shores of the Jordan River that the Lamb of God, which was prophesied to come, was now here.

The second truth proclaimed which indicated to mankind that life would never be the same is found in the statement “which taketh away.” From the Passover in Egypt, to the Sinai Peninsula, to the hills of Israel, the blood of lambs and bullocks drenched the sands of the land as it merely covered the sins of the people. The blood of those animals was insufficient to wash away the sins of the people because it lacked the power and purity of God. Oh, but now John declares that the Lamb of all lambs has come and His blood has the power to cleanse and wipe the record of their sins clean. Never again would the people have to select a lamb to slaughter because God himself had selected the perfect and premier Lamb, which was slain since the foundation of the world.

The third statement of truth is found in phrase, “of the world.” It is true that God loved the people of Israel. They were His people, called after set apart for His good pleasure. But, deep within the heart of God was a love for the entire world. Until John’s declaration, the world had been cut off from the commonwealth of Israel and alienated from their promise. But now through the Lamb of God, salvation was made available to the entire world. Bless the name of God for His precious Lamb that gave us the ability to cry with the angels, “Glory to God in the Highest.”