Prophecy Concerning A Sacrificial Lamb
The Lamb of God
And Abraham said, “My son, God will provide for
Himself the lamb for a burnt offering.” (Genesis 22:8, emphasis added)
Adam and Eve sinned against God when they rebelled against His commandment. And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, “Of every tree ofthe garden you may freely eat; but of the tree ofthe knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” (Genesis 2:16-17, emphasis added).
Sin and death entered humanity through their disobedience and man’s nature became evil. Adam and Eve were ashamed of their nakedness and hid from God’s presence.
Read and Learn More Key Biblical Messianic Prophecies
The serpent, Satan’s tool, was cursed by God for instigating their sin. God also made a promise to Satan, that a Deliverer would come and destroy his evil works.
God did not excuse Eve’s sin because she was deceived. He said that she would conceive and bear children in pain. And her husband would rule over her.
God cursed the ground because of Adam’s sin. Thorns and thistles sprang up in the earth and Adam would experience heavylabourin providing food from the fields. Then he would eventually die and return to the dust of the earth from which he was made.
Yet God also showed Adam and Eve mercy. They had tried to cover their nakedness, but their self-efforts were inadequate. Before banishing them from the Garden of Eden, God made them clothing from animal skins; the first shedding of blood to provide covering.
The two sons of Eve brought offerings to God. Cain was a farmer and brought some of the produce of his toil. Abel was a shepherd and in faith, he offered a sacrificed lamb, the firstborn of his flock.
Abel’s offering was accepted by God. But God did not respect Cain and his offering. So Cain was very angry and, turning in enmity against Abel, he lured his brother into a field and murdered him.
He would be sacrificed to make sinners righteous before God, enabling them to have an intimate relationship with Him. Him and restoring what was lost by sin in the Garden of Eden.
God commanded Abraham to take his son Isaac and go to the land of Moriah, and offer Isaac there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains that God would show him. So Abraham obeyed and went to the place God had told him about, a three-day journey.
Abraham told his servants to stay with the donkeys, while he and Isaac went to worship God. Then Abraham made a remarkable statement of faith, he said that they would return.
As God had promised to create a nation through Isaac, Abraham reasoned that if he had to kill his son, God would bring him back to life.
The young man Isaac carried the wood for the burnt offering; Abraham carried the fire and the knife. As they went off together, Isaac asked his father where the lamb was for the sacrifice. And Abraham said that God Himself would provide the lamb for a burnt offering.
At the place God had appointed, Abraham built an altar and placed the wood on top. Then he tied Isaac and laid him on the wood. Just as Abraham was reaching for his knife, the Angel of the LORD called his name and commanded him to stop.
Then Abraham saw a ram caught in a bush by its horns and he sacrificed it as a burnt offering, instead of Isaac.
Abraham had passed an extreme test of faith in not withholding his son, proving that he trusted God completely and would fully obey His commandments. Therefore God promised to bless him and give him many descendants.
In this literal event, there was also a picture of a future event. The Messiah, Lamb of God, would be a burnt offering for the sins of all mankind.
“Now the blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you; and the plague shall not be on you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt. ” (Exodus 12:13).
Pharaoh had obstinately refused every command of God to release the Israelites from their slavery in Egypt. As he continued to resist God, the series of warning plagues in Egypt became increasingly severe.
God sent Moses with a final warning. Every firstborn of the people and animals in the land of Egypt would die, but all the children of Israel would be saved from this disaster. Yet even then, Pharaoh would not relent.
God gave Moses instructions that would separate and preserve the children of Israel from God’s judgment. Every man should take a healthy male lamb for his family.
At twilight, on the fourteenth day ofthe first month, they were to kill the lamb and daub some of its blood on the doorposts of their houses. The meat was to be roasted and eaten with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. They were to eat it in a hurry, dressed ready to leave.
God would pass through the land of Egypt that night and kill all the firstborn animals and people. He would also bring judgment on all the gods of Egypt. But when He saw the blood of the lamb on the houses He would pass over and the plague would not destroy them.
God ordained that the Passover feast was to be celebrated annually, and the story of God’s protection and deliverance was to be faithfully related to each new generation.
After the LORD went through the land and killed the firstborn, Pharaoh released the children of Israel. Moses led them out of his kingdom, to serve the LORD God of Israel.
Afterwards, Pharaoh regretted that he had released his former slaves and pursued them to the Red Sea. But God miraculously parted the waters and made a way through the sea for His people to cross over.
When they were safely on the other side, He brought the waters back together, drowning their enemies.
This actual event, when the blood of a lamb on the wooden doorposts of the Israelite’s houses saved them from death, was also a picture of a future event.
The atoning blood of the Messiah, shed on the wooden cross of His crucifixion, would separate and preserve from judgment all those who believed in Him, securing their eternal salvation.
Fulfillment
When Zechariah’s son John finally burst onto the scene, prepared for his unique role, and filled with the Holy Spirit, there was an excited and fervent messianic expectancy among the people.
Eager crowds flocked to hear his fearless and fiery message of repentance, and many were baptized by him.
The Jewish leaders sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask John who he was, and he told them that he was not the Messiah, or Elijah, or the Prophet.
Under further pressure to identify who he was, John the Baptist claimed that he was the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy. He said I am:
The voice of one crying in the wilderness:
“Prepare the way ofthe LORD;
Make straight in the desert highway for our God.” (Isaiah 40:3)
Then the Pharisees questioned his authority to baptize. John answered that he baptized with water; but there was One standing among them who came after him, yet was higher in rank and he was not worthy to untie His sandals.
John was witnessing the pre-existence of Jesus. He was six months older than his cousin, yet he stated that Jesus was before him.
Witness John The Baptist
The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” ( John 1:29, emphasis added).
Immediately after Jesus’ baptism, He was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, to be tempted by the devil. He fasted for forty days and nights and afterwards, He was hungry.
The tempter came to Him, saying, that if He was the Son of God, He should turn the stones into bread. But Jesus said: “It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. (Matthew 4:4, Deuteronomy 8:3)
Then the devil took Him to Jerusalem and put Him on top of the temple there, and said, “If You are the Son ofGod, throw Yourself down. For it is written: ‘He shall give His angels charge over you,’ and, ‘In their hands, they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone.’’ (Matthew 4:5, Psalm 91:11, 12)
Jesus answered, “It is written again, ‘ You shall not tempt the LORD your God.”’ (Matthew 4:7, Deuteronomy 6:16)
Then the devil took Him to the peak of a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world. He said that he would give them all to Jesus if He would fall and worship him.
Jesus said, “Away with you, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only you shall serve. (Matthew 4:10, Deuteronomy 6:13)
Then Satan left Jesus, and angels came and took care of Him.
Adam had failed when tested, but Jesus triumphed over temptation. Just as the lamb for the Passover feast had to be spotless, Jesus remained undefiled by sin. He resisted and defeated Satan with the Word of God.