Going on this whole names of God kick, there is a name of Jesus that I have been mulling around in my head the last month or so and it kind of came into my devos today. I was reading Hebrews 10 and it was talking about Christ being the Sacrifice. Christ is the Lamb of God.
I don't think we really realize what this means. I mean, not to the full capacity. After all, living in modern America, I don't generally live in a place where I consistently see animal sacrifices. However, earlier this year, I went to a session lead by a Messianic Jewish man who explained the Jewish sacrifice of a lamb in a way that has really changed the way I view this title "Lamb of God."
In the sacrifice, the lamb must be perfect. Without spot, blemish, deformity. Anything can appear perfect from a distance, but to truly know something worth or value, it requires examination. The lamb was taken from among the flock to live with the family for a time. During this time, the lamb would be observed. The whole body would be looked over. The family would see how the lamb behaved. The lamb would be so enveloped by the family that it almost became apart of the family. Like a pet, the lamb lived with the family to determine its perfection.
Then when perfection had been decided, it would be lead to the slaughter. One of the family. This piece of perfection that the children had played with and grown to love, that had grown to love the family would be lead to die for the family. And then, the family would partake of the lamb. They would eat his flesh as a means of partaking in the "salvation" he brought.
The Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world.
Jesus came. He came to live among us. He was God, manifesting flesh. God becoming human and dwelling among us. We grew to love him. We questioned him. We examined him for fault and we loved him. He loved us. So we lead him to die. The Father called him to die. And on the night he was betrayed he broke the bread saying "this is my body, broken for you. Partake in remembrance of me." In the same way, after the supper he took the cup and said, "this is my blood, poured out for you. Partake in remembrance of me." Whenever your break this bread and drink this cup you remember the Lord until the day that he comes. We partake in the sacrifice that brought us salvation.
Jesus is the lamb who took away the sins of the world. There is nothing that we can do to deserve this, and it goes beyond reason. No longer do we sacrifice animals year after year, because what salvation can a lamb bring. But only the blood of human flesh can atone for the sin of human flesh, and so the sacrifice was made complete as Christ became the sacrifice for the world.
Abba, I pray you would cause me to abide today in your sacrifice. May it not be in vain, but may I continue to press on towards you, that I may experience the life and salvation that is your will for my life. Amen.
I don't think we really realize what this means. I mean, not to the full capacity. After all, living in modern America, I don't generally live in a place where I consistently see animal sacrifices. However, earlier this year, I went to a session lead by a Messianic Jewish man who explained the Jewish sacrifice of a lamb in a way that has really changed the way I view this title "Lamb of God."
In the sacrifice, the lamb must be perfect. Without spot, blemish, deformity. Anything can appear perfect from a distance, but to truly know something worth or value, it requires examination. The lamb was taken from among the flock to live with the family for a time. During this time, the lamb would be observed. The whole body would be looked over. The family would see how the lamb behaved. The lamb would be so enveloped by the family that it almost became apart of the family. Like a pet, the lamb lived with the family to determine its perfection.
Then when perfection had been decided, it would be lead to the slaughter. One of the family. This piece of perfection that the children had played with and grown to love, that had grown to love the family would be lead to die for the family. And then, the family would partake of the lamb. They would eat his flesh as a means of partaking in the "salvation" he brought.
The Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world.
Jesus came. He came to live among us. He was God, manifesting flesh. God becoming human and dwelling among us. We grew to love him. We questioned him. We examined him for fault and we loved him. He loved us. So we lead him to die. The Father called him to die. And on the night he was betrayed he broke the bread saying "this is my body, broken for you. Partake in remembrance of me." In the same way, after the supper he took the cup and said, "this is my blood, poured out for you. Partake in remembrance of me." Whenever your break this bread and drink this cup you remember the Lord until the day that he comes. We partake in the sacrifice that brought us salvation.
Jesus is the lamb who took away the sins of the world. There is nothing that we can do to deserve this, and it goes beyond reason. No longer do we sacrifice animals year after year, because what salvation can a lamb bring. But only the blood of human flesh can atone for the sin of human flesh, and so the sacrifice was made complete as Christ became the sacrifice for the world.
Abba, I pray you would cause me to abide today in your sacrifice. May it not be in vain, but may I continue to press on towards you, that I may experience the life and salvation that is your will for my life. Amen.
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