Passover Lamb (#177 of 365+)

“Tell the whole community of Israel that on the tenth day of this month each man is to take a lamb for his family, one for each household… The animals you choose must be year-old males
without defect, and you may take them from the sheep or the goats. Take care of them until the fourteenth day of the month, when all the people of the community of Israel must slaughter them at twilight” (Exodus 12:3, 5-6)

Imagine how awful this must have been for the children. As Joni said, “They were required to slaughter the little lamb they had grown to love.” But it taught them an important lesson about God’s justice and the consequences of sin.

Generations later Jesus Christ became the ultimate Passover lamb. Years before Christ’s death on a cruel Roman cross John the Baptist was already calling him “the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). I’m sure the disciples and the others who heard that phrase didn’t appreciate the grisly images it brought to mind.

Although Isaiah didn’t live long enough to meet Christ in the flesh he foretold the Lord’s death in this way: “He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth” (Isaiah 53:7)

Lord, you willingly went to the cross to bear my sins. Thank you for being my sacrificial lamb. Amen.