Freedom is Good News Part 41

“Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.”  We are looking at the symbol of the lamb in scripture and find that it can be traced throughout the bible.  For instance, King David, before he became king, took care of the sheep and … you guessed it, the lambs – he was a shepherd and he was God’s choice to replace Saul as king of Israel.

We are told, in the book of Luke, that when God revealed to the world that His Son had been born, the first people He had the angels visit with this message were the shepherds who were keeping watch over the flocks at night. 

When God introduced the sacrificial system to Israel as they began their wilderness wanderings, the animal most often used was a lamb.  “Shepherds and lambs” are an abundant concept that God uses to teach us lessons.  Jesus Himself proclaimed to the crowd that He was the Good Shepherd who would lay down His life for His sheep.

And then we have a remarkable story found in the book of Revelation.  It begins in chapter 4 with John giving us a quick peek into the throne room of God.  This description is like nothing else in the bible – this is where God the Father dwells.  How awesome it is!  The story then continues in chapter 5 where John is saddened because there is no one found worthy to open up a scroll found in the Father’s hand.  One of the elders comes up to John and says, “Do not weep!  See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed.  He is able to open the scroll and loose the seven seals.”  At this point, John looks around to see but he does not see a lion but a lamb.  “And I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing in the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders.”  When the Lamb took the scroll from the right hand of Him who sat upon the throne the entire atmosphere in the heavenly realm changed.  All who were there, the four creatures, the twenty four elders and the myriad of Angels stopped whatever they were doing and bowed down and worshiped the Lamb.  And they all sang a new song with loud voices, “You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased men for God, from every tribe and language and people and nations. You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God, and they will reign on the earth.”   And the singing continued, “Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise.”  At this point all creation takes up the song, “To Him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!”  Wow – I believe we can all say “amen”!

There is a lot going on here.  It may well be called the pivotal point in the entire universe.  And it is all about a Lamb.  We know Him as Jesus Christ.  He is the bringer of good news.  He is the Lamb of God who takes away our sins.  He who was without sin gave His life so that we who are filled with sin may have life eternal.