We have just started a study of the book of Leviticus on Wednesday evening. In this book God uses a number of types in the various sacrifices to be offered to foreshadow the eventual coming of the Christ. One of the most beautiful types given in the Old Testament is that of the passover lamb offered in Egypt. The passover lamb was killed and its blood was placed on the lintel of the doorway so that when God came in the final plague to kill the first born of a household, He would see the blood and “pass over” that household and not kill the first born. As seen in Exodus 12:5 “Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year: ye shall take it out from the sheep, or from the goats.” This lamb was to be perfect, without a blemish. Its blood was a signal of the obedience of the people to God’s commands.
The New Testament shows us that Christ is the antitype of that first passover lamb. I Corin. 5:7 Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us: Christ was the perfect sacrifice for our sins.
We find that the passover lamb, which exemplified Christ in so many aspects, was to be perfect, without blemish (as were the many other sacrifices that the nation of Israel was commanded to offer). Deuteronomy 15:21 “And if there be any blemish therein, as if it be lame, or blind, or have any ill blemish, thou shalt not sacrifice it unto the LORD.” God demanded of Israel that they give Him only their very best. As the passover lamb was to be perfect, so were all of their sacrificial offerings to be perfect.
God expects that of us today, Romans 12:1 “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service. 2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” We are to live our lives in total obedience to God. We are to be pure in His sight and we will see God as He told us in the sermon on the mount, Matthew 5:8 “Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.” We are to be like Him in holiness, I Peter 1:16 “Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.”
To further show us what is required of us, He gave us the example in the perfect sacrifice for our sins. Christ, the perfect, pure lamb of God:
I Peter 2:21 “For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: 22 Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth:” This perfect lamb, I Peter 1:19 “But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.” is our example in all things.
As was prophesied in Isaiah 53:7 “He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth,” even in the worst of situations He was under control and did not react badly to His accusers. Can we say as much? When was the last time that you were angry with someone? We all rationalize our anger with others on most trivial situations (remember He was on trial for His life). We strike out at others, yet Christ held His peace and after it was over and He was almost dead, His last words were those of forgiveness, Luke 23:34 “Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.” We all need to work for better self control and realize that our rationalization is just that. We need forgiveness from God, and from those with whom we have gotten angry.
But I digress, in my discussion of the passover lamb, John recognized Him for who He was: John 1:29 “The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.” This lamb whose blood was to be a saving blood. Blood, that like the Old Testament type of the sacrifice of atonement, Leviticus 17:11 “For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul,” His blood was shed for atonement from the sins of all that would obey Him.
His payment for our sins was hinted at in the passover lamb, Romans 3:25 “whom God set forth to be a propitiation, through faith, in his blood, to show his righteousness because of the passing over of the sins done aforetime, in the forbearance of God” (ASV). We can see this thread running through the Old Testament, pointing the way to the coming Christ (anointed) of God. His goal was to be the payment for sin, the sins of the world, John 2:2 “And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.” However to receive that payment we MUST obey Him, Hebrews 5:9 “And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him.”
As the writer of Hebrews also tells us: Hebrews 9:22 “And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.” Like the death of the passover lamb was required to save the life of the first born of Israel in Egypt, Jesus Christ’s death was required to save us from our sins.
Christ knew His reason for coming to life as a man, Philippians 2:8 “And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.” It was one of obedience, to be an example for each of us, I Peter 2:21 “For hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, that ye should follow his steps.” He was obedient, as we are to be. He was meek (humble) as we are to be. Each of these qualities as shown in the fruit of the spirit, Galatians 5:22 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.” We are to cultivate these qualities, even exemplify these qualities. When we do, and are living as we should, we become the light of the world and we will teach the gospel of Christ to those around us. May each of us shine our light so the world can see it. May we all follow the example of the Lamb of God.