Do you think people who lived prior to Jesus' arrival, would have been able to recognize that John's statement revealed the role of
the messiah?
2 Timothy 3:16-17, "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the
servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work."
These inspired teachings help us have confidence in knowing what the will of God really is. Paul said, "don't be foolish but understand the will of the Lord." (Ephesians 5:17)
As we reflect on the scriptures that helped to reveal this fact about Jesus to John, we can better understand God's will.
The history of the Jews was built on these fundamental teachings, or demonstrations of God.
First, Abraham was given a promise of a son that would lead to an inheritance of a nation. (Genesis 12). After Abraham received his son,
God asked Abraham to sacrifice his "inheritance," (Genesis 22) but God spared his son and offered him a substitute sacrifice… a ram!
Later, God delivered the Israelites (the nation that came from Abraham) from Egyptian bondage (Exodus 11-15), after the last plague. The
Israelites were told to offer a substitute for their lives by offering a lamb in their place.
So, when John the Baptist identifies Jesus as "the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world," he's identifying Jesus as the
substitutionary lamb that had been seen all throughout the Torah (old testament).
Revelations 5:6,9, "Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing at the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders... And they sang a new song, saying: “You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because You were
slain, and with Your blood, You purchased for God persons from every tribe and language and people and nation."
No comments:
Post a Comment