BEHOLD THE LAMB OF GOD

The place was Bethany beyond Jordan where John was baptizing. When John saw Jesus coming he said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29)!

What an announcement! Since the fall in Eden the weight of sin had been on mankind. The blood of thousands of bulls and goats could not remove it (Hebrews 10:4). The prophets had foretold of a Messiah who would bring deliverance, making the crimson stain of sin as white as wool (Isaiah 1:18). Now He had come!

The word “gospel” means “good news.” The gospel of Christ is the good news about Christ. The preaching of the gospel has the aim of making men see Jesus as the Lamb of God, who saves men from sin. The story briefly told is simply that God sent His own Son into the world as a Savior. He ministered among the people for a short time and then was crucified. Those who killed Him did it with malice; but God intended His death to be a sacrifice for sin. He was buried and then raised from the dead. Soon He ascended back to heaven, but first He commissioned the preach­ing of the gospel to all men, promising that “He who believes and is baptized will be saved;” (Mark 16:16). He now reigns at the right hand of the Father, ever living to make intercession for us (Hebrews 7:25).

The figure of a lamb is used to describe Christ because lambs were offered as sacrifices under the Law of Moses. The shedding of His blood was indicative of the loss of His life. Salvation is by the blood of the Lamb because He died for us. The righteous justice of God demanded that the penalty of sin be paid. But God’s mercy provided that Christ pay the penalty for us. The apostle Peter writes, “knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers,19 but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot” (1 Peter 1:18-19). And John says, “And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world” (1 John 2:2).

In Revelation, chapter 7, we find a description of a beautiful scene in heaven. There is an innumerable host of people from all nations. The record says, “These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb” (Revelation 7:14).

We can offer nothing as the hope of mankind except Jesus Christ. The answer for sin and all the world’s related ills is not to be found in science, philosophy, or government. Try as they may, those who reject the Savior will find no other solution. The “good news” is that Jesus will truly save those who come to Him in believing submission.

“Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!
--Lamar