Why Behold The Lamb Of God?!

“On the morrow he seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold, the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sin of the world! This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man who is become before me:for he was before me. And I knew him not; but that he should be made manifest to Israel, for this cause came I baptizing in water. And John bare witness, saying, I have beheld the Spirit descending as a dove out of heaven; and it abode upon him. And I knew him not:but he that sent me to baptize in water, he said unto me, Upon whomsoever thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and abiding upon him, the same is he that baptizeth in the Holy Spirit. And I have seen, and have borne witness that this is the Son of God” (John 1:29-34, American Standard Version).

“Behold…”!

On what direction we tell others to focus their attention? What is so significant to us that we want others also to see its worth?

On what aspect we tend to direct our interest? Or, just what is the “thing” we desire to take extra notice?

From the roof of our house, I could see at this time –especially at night, the glowing lava cascading down from the mouth of Mayon Volcanoe. Sometimes, I called my children to come up and watch the awesome sight. Behold, the Mayon Volcanoe!

We have so many things in mind where we want to focus our attention. Our attention could be directed on the beauty, strength, ability, or whatever that attracts us of an individual.

We can even look on the big membership or higher income of the denomination or church.

But we can also direct our attention on our failures and problems in life. We can direct our lenses on the shortcomings and defects of other persons, organizations or denominations.

John the Baptist, however, called our attention on the “Lamb of God” – “Behold, the Lamb of God…”

Why on the “Lamb”?

We read in Exodus 12 that God used the blood of the lamb as sign for the Israelites, so that no destructive plague would harm them. You may read Exodus 12:1-13. Notice especially verse 7 & 13, “Some of the blood must be put on the two doorposts and above the door of each house where the animals are to be eaten.” “The blood on the houses will show me where you live, and when I see the blood, I will pass over you. Then you won’t be bothered by the terrible disasters I will bring on Egypt“ (The Contemporary English version).

Moses told the elders of Israel in verse 23, “During that night the LORD will go through the country of Egypt and kill the first-born son in every Egyptian family. He will see where you have put the blood, and he will not come into your house. His angel that brings death will pass over and not kill your first-born sons” (TCE).

The blood of the lamb applied on the door-frames of houses of the Israelites distinguished the chosen people of God from the Egyptians. All the first born in the houses in the land of Egypt without the blood of the lamb were struck down (Ex. 12:29).

Just as the blood of the lamb was the means to recognize and save the physical chosen people of God from the disaster that came to Egypt, the precious blood of the Lamb of God, who is Jesus Christ, “applied” on the those who believe would also identify the spiritual chosen ones to be saved from the wrath of God.

We read in Romans 5:6-9, “Christ died for us at a time when we were helpless and sinful. No one is really willing to die for an honest person, though someone might be willing to die for a truly good person. But God showed how much he loved us by having Christ die for us, even though we were sinful. But there is more! Now that God has accepted us BECAUSE CHRIST SACRIFICED HIS LIFE’S BLOOD, WE WILL ALSO BE KEPT SAFE FROM GOD’S ANGER” (TCE).

We also read in Hebrews 9:13-14, “For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling them that have been defiled, sanctify unto the cleanness of the flesh: how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish unto God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?” (ASV.)

And in saving the elect from God’s anger, Jesus Christ did it willingly and submissively.

The prophet Isaiah wrote: “Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows; yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and Jehovah hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed, yet when he was afflicted he opened not his mouth; as a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and as a sheep that before its shearers is dumb, so he opened not his mouth” (Isaiah 53:4-7, ASV).