Behold, the Lamb of God - November 2

Read John 1:29-34 (ESV)

The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who ranks before me, because he was before me.’ I myself did not know him, but for this purpose I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel.” And John bore witness: “I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. I myself did not know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ And I have seen and borne witness that this is the Son of God.”

Reflect

What is the significance of Jesus being called “the Lamb of God?”

Animal sacrifice was a way of life for the Jews under the Old Covenant. God ordained the sacrificial system as a way to atone for the sins of His people. Payment had to be made for sin. So God graciously provided a way for animals to pay the price that humans owed for sin. The problem was that these animal sacrifices only temporarily covered sin. They had to be repeated over and over again. There were daily animal sacrifices and annual animal sacrifices.

But the sacrificial system was never meant to be a permanent solution to the problem of sin. It was always intended to point ahead to the ultimate sacrifice of the promised Messiah—the One who could once and for all take away the sins of the world. This Messiah was promised even before the Levitical sacrificial system was established. In the Garden of Eden, right after the fall of mankind, God promised that one of the woman’s offspring would come and “he shall bruise your head and you shall bruise his heel” (Genesis 3:15). This was just the first of many prophecies concerning the Messiah. The Jewish people had been waiting for thousands of years for Him to arrive and thousands of animals had shed their blood to cover their sin.

So when John the Baptist saw Jesus coming toward Him and declared that Jesus was the “Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world” any Jew that overheard him should have known what John was inferring. He was proclaiming that Jesus is the Promised One—a perfect, spotless sacrifice that was going to be slain to pay for our sin. What’s more is that the Lamb of God’s sacrifice wasn’t just for the Jews the way the Levitical sacrificial system was. The Lamb of God’s sacrifice was for the entire world. That is a very important distinction. Jesus died once for all of us forever.

The author of Hebrews had this to say about the Levitical sacrificial system: “But in these sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year. For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins” (Hebrews 10:3-4). God ordained the system to repeatedly remind His people of their sin and their need of a Savior.

“And every priest stands daily at this service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God… For by a single offering, he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified” (Hebrews 10:11-12,14).

When Christ died for our sins, He didn’t just temporarily cover them. He took them away! He set us free from the power of sin. He made us right before a holy God. Jesus did for us what animal sacrifice could never do. Behold, the Lamb of God took our sins away!

Respond

Jesus, thank You for being the perfect sacrifice for the sins of the entire world for all time. You were truly spotless—completely innocent and free of sin. You didn’t deserve to suffer. But because of Your great love, you were willing to die in my place. Thank You, Lord. Amen.

Reveal

Share with a friend how Jesus, the Lamb of God, takes away sin. Tell your story of freedom and invite them to explore John 1:29-34 together, asking what it means to follow Him and to tell others about His saving love.