'Behold, the Lamb of God!' Celebrating the Sacrificial Lamb Who Conquered Death

By Emily Wood Hawley

“Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world!”

John the Baptist, as a baby in his mother’s womb, was the first person to celebrate the coming of Christ. And when Jesus began His ministry, John prepared the way and announced what the promised Messiah and Lamb of God came to do: take away sin (John 1:29).

It’s hard to grasp the significance of the death of Christ without an understanding of the sacrificial system of Old Testament Israel, and specifically the Passover Lamb.

As the Israelites offered a spotless Passover lamb to God for their sin, Jesus Christ, our “Passover Lamb” who was without “blemish or defect” was born to shed His blood and die for our sin (Exodus 12:5, 1 Peter 1:19).

And as during the first Passover when the Israelites marked their doorposts with the blood of the lamb to be spared from death and set free from slavery, Jesus Christ, our “Blood on the Doorpost,” saves us from the death we deserve and frees us from the slavery of sin.

The Old Covenant sacrificial system was but a shadow of the things to come and pointed to the need for a Savior who would fulfill the law and become the ultimate sacrifice — serving as both our High Priest and Atoning Sacrifice.

We cannot fully fathom the depth of pain Christ endured for us on the Cross — bearing the weight of all our sin and experiencing the wrath of God, the punishment we deserved. Like a lamb led to the slaughter, Jesus willingly laid down His life as our substitute.

But he was pierced for our transgressions; He was crushed for our iniquities; upon Him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with His wounds we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned — every one — to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed, and He was afflicted, yet He opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so He opened not His mouth. (Isaiah 53:5-7)

After being mocked with a crown of thorns and beat beyond recognition, the Lamb of God was crucified on a cross, an excruciating death reserved for criminals, and cried out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46).

At the moment He died, the curtain of the sanctuary was torn from top to bottom, the earth quaked, the rocks were spit, and the bodies of saints were raised.

The centurion at the foot of the cross said, “Truly, this man was the Son of God!” (Matthew 27:54).

And as He promised, He rose from the dead three days later, defeating death, sin, and hell, and offering salvation for those who trust in Him.

Unlike every other religious system on earth, we serve a Savior who lives — who left the splendor of Heaven to become God in the flesh, die a humiliating and excruciating death in our place, and rise again, accomplishing all He said He would.

When we were dead in our sin, He made us alive in Him. When we were blind, He caused us to see. When we were His enemies, He adopted us as His children.

He brings us out of darkness into glorious light. In Christ, we are redeemed, justified, rescued, and reconciled to God. He exchanges death for life, darkness for light, punishment for pardon, and defeat for victory.

Easter is not the celebration of springtime, bunnies, flowers, and pastel eggs like a stroll through the store in the months of March and April would indicate. Instead, it is a day of profound weight and victory — the conquering King defeated the enemy and secured our salvation. Easter is the most glorious celebration of the Lamb of God, who is also the Lion of Judah who will come again and reign forever.

The price is paid. The veil is torn. The enemy is defeated. The serpent’s head is crushed. Because He lives, we also shall live.

Let us rejoice, for He is risen, indeed!

“O death, where is your victory?
O death, where is your sting?”

The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 15:55-57).

For more from Emily Wood Hawley, click HERE.