The first mention of a Lamb is given in Genesis 22:7, where Abraham takes Isaac up onto Mt. Moriah to give a sacrifice. God was testing Abraham’s obedience and love.
Abraham and Isaac arrive on Mt. Moriah, and Isaac asked a question. He says, “I see the altar, and I see the fire and wood, BUT, where is the Lamb?”
And for the first time, the word LAMB is used in the Bible. Abraham then makes the second statement in the Bible concerning the lamb and says, “God Himself shall provide a sacrifice.”
The third time the word LAMB is used is in Exodus 12:3, where God tells Moses, “Moses, I want you to go to all the people and tell them something for me. Gather all the people and tell them, that on the 1st day of the first month, the Angel of Death is going to pass over the land of Egypt. And when the Angel of Death passes over, the first born of every household will die. So Moses, you tell the head of each household to get a LAMB, without spot or blemish, I want them to sacrifice the Lamb and take the blood of the Lamb and place it over their door post. And when the angel of death passes over, hose that have kept my word, the Angel of Death will pass over them.”
And let me just say right here, right now, when the Angel of Death passes over our lives, it is not looking to see:
- Whether we were good Baptist,
- Whether we were good Methodist,
- Whether we were good episcoplians,
- Its not looking to see whether we lived by the Law.
He is looking to see whether or not we have applied the blood of the Lamb!
So the question comes – Why the Lamb? Why was the Lamb chosen for Abraham and Isaac? Why was the Lamb chosen for the Passover?
In Leviticus 14:12, at the cleansing of the leper, the Priests shall take a Lamb, and the priests shall sacrifice the lamb and sprinkle the blood on the thumb and big toe of the leper for healing.
- Why a Lamb in the life of Abraham and Isaac?
- Why a Lamb for the Passover?
- Why a Lamb for the cleansing of the Leopard?
Because according to Levitical Law, Leviticus 14:24, says that the Lamb was a Trespass Offering.
The Prophet Isaiah gives us a little hint as he looks through his prophetic telescope as he sees Jesus Christ being led as a Lamb to the slaughter.
700 years later, we begin to get glimpses of this Lamb in the New Testament. In Luke Chapter 2 and beginning in verse 7, we find that Mary truly did have a “Little Lamb whose fleece was white as snow.” The Bible says, “And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. 8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. 10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people (red and yellow, black and white – they are precious in His sight). 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.”
On a dusty road in Acts 8:32, the deacon Philip echoed those words as he saw Jesus Christ, “as a lamb dumb before his shearer.”
Don’t miss this now:
- A lot of people have trusted Jesus as a King – but that will not get you to Heaven.
- A lot of people have trusted Jesus as the Great High Priest – but that will not get you to Heaven.
In John 1:29, John the Baptist stood on the banks of the Jordan River, as a “voice crying out in the wilderness,” as he saw Jesus coming, he didn’t say:
- “Behold the King of Kings and Lord of Lords that taketh away the sin of the world.”
- “Behold the Great High Priests that taketh away the sin of the world.”
He said, “Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world.”
Folks you and I didn’t need a King – we needed a LAMB. In I Peter 1:19, the Bible tells us, “Jesus was our Lamb without blemish.”
Paul says in I Corinthians 5:7, “Christ our Passover is given for us.”
- You and I are sinners. “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”
- We have spots – we have blemish.
- We need a sacrifice
- We need a Lamb.
As we get to the Book of Revelation, the fulfillment of Biblical prophecy:
- You would think we’d see Christ as King;
- You would think we’d see Christ as the Great High Priest.
But over and over again, we find Him as the Lamb.
Why not a King? Why not a Great High Priest? Well, I think because as a sinner – I didn’t need a King:
- I needed a sacrifice.
- I needed the Blood applied.
- I needed a Lamb without spot or blemish.
No wonder the Bible tells us, “WORHTY IS HE LAMB.”
Fighting for My Pea Patch 