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Have you ever felt like you have entertained Angels unaware? That special someone who entered your home bringing with them a loving and caring warmth that you could feel even after they had left? Think about that. How many persons have you felt that way about? Perhaps it is just one. Perhaps that person has yet to come when you are
least expecting them and "unaware". What a blessing! If you look for the good in man, you may find so much more than just a visitor, you may find an Angel.
Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy on us...
Because Jesus’ name-titles are symbolic, one might analyze them in order to both gain a greater appreciation of and learn who He really is. One of the titles of Jesus Christ that has a very profound level of symbolism is when he is called “the Lamb of God.” I will attempt a basic explanation of what this name-title means, and why of all creatures, a lamb was chosen to represent the Savior.
Long before the Lamb of God was born in Bethlehem and laid in a manger, Isaiah likened the Savior of all men and women unto a lamb when he wrote, “He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth” (Isaiah 53:7). The lamb is therefore a symbol of meekness, humility, and of willingness to submit to the will of the master. It is true that Jesus is all of these (humble, willing to submit to the Father) but the level of symbolism goes much deeper than this.
But before a further explanation of why Jesus is called the Lamb of God is given, we must dwell for a moment on the Law of Sacrifice, a rite of worship that had been practiced as a part of worship since the days of Adam and Eve. An understanding of the Law of Sacrifice will give us a starting point as to the deeper symbolism of why Jesus is called the Lamb of God.
The Bible Dictionary states that, “Soon after Adam and Eve were cast out of the Garden of Eden, the Lord gave them the law of sacrifices, which included offering the firstlings of their flocks in a similitude of the sacrifice that would be made of the Only Begotten Son of God” (Bible Dictionary: Sacrifices). The law therefore pointed men and women “to that great and last sacrifice; and that great and last sacrifice [would] be the Son of God, yea, infinite and eternal” (Alma 34:14).
In the Mosaic Law one reads that the sacrifices must be “a male without blemish,” (Leviticus 1:3), the firstling or firstborn of one’s flocks (Numbers 18:17), and having no broken bones (Exodus 12:46). Lambs of this nature were highly valued possessions and had to be offered voluntarily. After the paschal lamb was sacrificed it was “eaten . . . with unleavened bread and bitter herbs” (Bible Dictionary: Feasts). Anything left over was burned.
This is what happened when lambs were sacrificed during the Passover, a feast of the Jews that was “instituted to commemorate the passing over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt when
God smote the firstborn of the Egyptians,” and Israel’s “redemption from Egypt” (Bible Dictionary: Feasts). This lamb sacrifice at the feast of the Passover is known as the “paschal lamb.”
Thank you for coming today and I hope you will take away
a blessing and have learned something new.
Words of the Bible can sustain us through the coming week~
at home, at work, at play.
Come again soon and if you have prayer requests, please
comment and I will add them to the list in the sidebar.
In Christian love, until we meet again, Kerrie
And check out the Christian Quiz in the size bar. :)
My Christian heart to yours...
