The Doctrine Of The Lamb I: The Revelation Of The Lamb Series

The Doctrine of The Lamb Part I- The Revelation of The Lamb

The Necessity of the Lamb: Adam, Abel

EOLS: God’s power and desire to save is revealed in the sacrificial lamb, a picture of Jesus Christ

It’s all about a lamb…

Gen 3:21

(21) And the LORD God made for Adam and for his wife garments of skins and clothed them.

Gen 4:3-8

(3) In the course of time Cain brought to the LORD an offering of the fruit of the ground,

(4) and Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions. And the LORD had regard for Abel and his offering,

(5) but for Cain and his offering he had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his face fell.

(6) The LORD said to Cain, "Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen?

(7) If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, but you must rule over it."

(8) Cain spoke to Abel his brother. And when they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him.

Heb 11:4

(4) By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts. And through his faith, though he died, he still speaks.

“In one way or another, right through the Bible, it is Jesus the Lamb who has pre-eminence.” (Baxter).

Most of us who have grown up in church don’t think twice when we hear phrases like “The Lamb of God” or the “sacrificial lamb.” But to others this kind of language can sound cryptic and mysterious. We sing “what can wash away my sin? Nothing but the Blood of Jesus” and other songs like it and they can become so familiar that we lose the greatness, the majesty, the truly profound sense in which the Blood of Christ is truly the life-giving sustenance that saves us, restores us and cleanses us.

But once again-the outside observer looks in and says “blood?” Our modern society has determined that blood is at once repugnant and inviting. Bloody movies abound and make money. Sporting events go bloody and the ratings soar. Yet, “blood” also makes people squeamish and is considered “gross.” Have you ever wondered why?

Blood is simply the by-product of a death. When we read in scripture of sacrifice, the actual form of the sacrifice may be spelled out specifically, but the focus is never, ever on the actual sacrifice or ritual itself-it’s on the heart of the one who is obedient to perform the sacrifice and the faith that has been given him in the one who required it. King David, in his prayer of repentance said:

Psalm 51:16-17

(16) For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it; you will not be pleased with a burnt offering.

(17) The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

One principle of Bible study that I love is the internal attestation of Scripture. It is wonderful when we see outside sources that confirm our faith and that prove the Bible true, but to me the greatest and most convincing testimony it the Scripture’s internal continuity. Dozens of authors wrote sixty six books over some 3500 years in cultures varying from the most primitive to the peak of the Greek culture and the mighty Roman Empire, and one continuous message is presented, one master theme runs throughout-God’s redemptive plan for mankind, the doctrine of the Lamb.

Adam and Eve: the first death was an animal sacrifice

Original sin was a lust after self-sufficient knowledge, a craving to shake off all external authority and work things out for himself. New Bible Commentary, p. 17, J. I. Packer.

Have you ever dreaded to face the music? You wish you could run, you might even try to hide, but you can do neither.

“Adam, where are you? God cried as a now sin-tainted Adam and Eve vainly attempted to hide from Him.

Adam had a plan: The fig leaves-an easy quick fix, a cover-up. They represent man fixing his sin on his own terms, the quick and easy way. Grab some leaves, cover it quickly. We can always get more, there’s plenty of leaves. I’m doing well and this should cover me just fine. “Here, Eve see I told you we could make this thing work out.”

“Duveen, the famous English art connoisseur, took his little daughter to the beach one day, but could not get her to go into the chilly water. After persuasion failed, he borrowed a teakettle, built a fire, and heated a little water until it steamed beautifully. With much flourish, he poured it into the ocean. Greatly impressed, his daughter went in without a murmur.” The foolishness of trying to cover our own sin, is like trying to heat the ocean with a tea kettle! (Bible.org illustrations database)