Names are necessary for both identifying and addressing individuals. On average, most people have three names: first, last and middle. There are, of course exceptions to this generalization. My husband’s aunt from Spain, for instance, has a total of seven names. I also have a friend who is part Cherokee with five names. And people of royal descent are given three names at birth, followed by a succession of additional titles/names they eventually inherit. And while this is all indeed impressive, Jesus trumps them all with a total of 33 names, by my count, in the gospels alone! I believe It’s worth noting that of these 33 descriptive and revealing names, it was only John the Baptist who recognized and referred to Jesus as the Lamb of God, (John 1:29 & 36).

The Proclamation

Behold! The Lamb of God ‭‭John‬ ‭1‬:‭29‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

This bold proclamation should come as no surprise, as John was by nature unashamedly pointed in his speech. He was, in fact, the last of the Old Testament prophets, a heralder, a messenger, the voice of one crying out. He was the forerunner to Jesus the Messiah, and he was the fulfillment of the prophetic word spoken of him by his father Zechariah, “And you, my little son, will be called the prophet of the Most High….‭‭” (Luke‬ ‭1‬:‭76‬ ‭NLT‬‬)

So while John’s bold delivery is to be expected, in that it was typical of his prophetic calling, it’s actually the weightiness of his words that are altogether worthy of our attention…

Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! (‭‭John‬ ‭1:29 NKJV)

To begin with, the context of the word behold in this statement wasn’t offered as a mere casual suggestion. Instead, it was an imperative, a command if you will, spoken with the intent of conveying something of critical importance. Rather than implying, you might want to see this if you get a chance, John was actually speaking with the utmost intensity. In essence, he was charging his listeners to wake up and pay close attention: BEHOLD!

Forthright and Foretelling

It’s also worth noting that John’s declaration was both accurate, in that Jesus was indeed The Lamb of God slain before the foundation of the world, (Revelation 13:8). But it was also prophetic, in that Jesus had not yet been sacrificed, and therefore had not physically embodied His prophetic title as The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, (John 1:29).

It’s critical to understand that John’s words were not prompted by insight, religious upbringing or intellect. Rather, he was instructed by the Lord, ‘Upon whom you see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, this is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ To which John replied, “I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God.” ‭‭John‬ ‭1‬:‭33‬-‭34‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

As you might imagine, this statement would have seemed ludicrous to any Jewish person in the first century, as it continues to baffle people still today. The truth is, at the time John uttered his pronouncement, God had never before, or since, for that matter, required or accepted a person as a sacrifice for sin. But God’s ways rarely make sense, especially in the present. And most often, the rear view mirror of history is required to realize the unfolding of God’s plan.

The Lamb

While the concept of a person being the acceptable sacrifice to satisfy God’s wrath would have been foreign to the Israelites, they were, however, completely aware that the death of a perfect lamb was required for forgiveness of sin. This idea was not new to them. In fact, the sacrifice of lambs was a regular part of the Jewish culture and tradition in ancient Israel. Lambs were sacrificed daily in homes, in temples of worship, and at yearly religious festivals.

Further, God’s people understood that blood was required for atonement and protection, as they had been taught since their earliest years through Holy Scripture and religious instruction. They were well acquainted with the story of Adam and Eve, so they knew that God had provided animal skins to cover and protect them following The Fall. They also heard the story of Abraham, their Patriarch, and Isaac, his son, so they knew that God Himself had provided a lamb for the sacrifice as a substitute for Isaac’s life. And repeatedly each year they re-read the story of the Exodus both in homes and in temples at the celebration of Passover in remembrance that the death angel passed over the home whose door was marked with blood.

But sadly, although God’s people knew these things to be true, and believed the stories they had heard, and the Scriptures they had been taught, many were unable to connect the dots that would have led them to the recognition and revelation that Jesus was indeed The Lamb of God.

And to be clear, Jesus was not a lamb, nor was He one of many lambs, but rather He was and is the only Holy, Perfect, Spotless Lamb of God, and forever He will be. He was the Lamb of God before time; and He is the lamb of God for all time. He is the Lamb who took upon Himself the sin of the whole world, and He is the Lamb of God who is seated on the throne forever. And this my friends, is really good news for today, tomorrow, on Easter Sunday and forever!

Responding to Truth

This leads me to my final point, which is our part. When we are presented with truth, the next step is responding. You see, it’s not enough to know facts about something, or even to say we believe something to be true. Instead, it’s what we do with what we know, and how we respond to what we’ve learned that makes all the difference in this world, and in some instances, for all eternity.

John the Baptist understood this principle, as He never hesitated in speaking or responding to truth. He boldly and unashamedly declared Jesus as the Lamb of God. His declaration was so convincing that his own disciples, upon hearing his proclamation, left John to follow Jesus, and John wouldn’t have had it any other way. His sole passion, purpose and mission in life was to prepare the way for the Messiah by pointing others to Jesus. And this is the exact same mission for every Christ follower, including you and me. So as we draw near to the Passion week and to the remembrance and celebration of our Risen King, let’s commit to point others to Jesus by personally beholding Him and publicly proclaiming Him as The Holy, Perfect, Wonderful, Lamb of God.

Reflect

In what ways are you encouraged by the truth that you are forever free and forgiven because of the sacrifice of Jesus, the Lamb of God?

Commit

What practical actions will you commit to in directing others to behold Jesus this Easter season?

Pray

Father God, we are overwhelmed by your extravagant love, humbled by your mind-blowing sacrifice, and grateful for your undeserved mercy and grace. May we each behold you personally so that we may proclaim you publically. You are an amazing God and we are forever grateful to you.

We love you Jesus,

Amen

Encourage

What images, prayers, Scripture passages, or worship songs come to mind when you think about Jesus as the Lamb of God? Please encourage others by sharing your comments on my Grace Notes for You Facebook page here. I look forward to reading your responses!

Extend grace to others! If you’ve been encouraged, strengthened, or edified by this week’s post, please consider sharing Grace Notes For You with a friend.