The Passover Lamb
Sitting here this morning and reflecting on the time of year that is quickly approaching. That’s right spring will be here before we know it. Spring is a wonderful time of year with new and renewed life springing up all around us! And so, I am reminded of YHWH God’s spring holy days and the first being the Passover and of course central to the Passover is the Passover lamb.
To my knowledge no other animals are mentioned, in the bible more than goats or sheep. I think sheep are referred to some 200 times in the scriptures and goats are referred to at least 100 times. As a follower of Yeshua, Jesus the Christ and a new shepherd of goats and sheep, I would like to share some of my observations of how goats and sheep relate to the illustrations of the accounts that we have in the scriptures.
In the first chapter of the bible, Genesis 1, describes the creation account and it speaks about the animals that God created, rather broadly. It kind of breaks them up into classifications or categories. Each animal was created according to its kind, such as: birds, fish, creeping things, etc. But the most mentioned and first specific type of animal that's mentioned in the bible besides the serpent (and technically that is just another classification) is sheep.
You see, in Genesis chapter 4, we read of Adam and Eve’s second son Abel. And what we find through this reading is that Abel was a keeper of sheep, he was a shepherd, and that same chapter also tells us about the sacrifices that he offered. It says in verse 4 that Abel offered the best of his flock to God and God was pleased with him!
But Abel brought some of the firstborn of his flock – even the fattest of them. And the LORD was pleased with Abel and his offering,
(Genesis 4:4 NET)
This is the first account that we have specifically mentioning sheep, specifically as a worthy sacrifice. Throughout the pages of your bible goats and sheep are referred to repeatedly as animals worthy of offering to God. Before the atoning work and ultimate sacrifice of our Savior, Yeshua / Jesus the Christ, probably the most common sacrifice that we see offered in the scriptures was that of a lamb or goat.
Their blood was spilt because of man's sinful actions…
It was the innocent dying for the guilty…
It was YHWH God's way of emphasizing the fact that the wages of sin, is death. We find in the Torah (often referred to as the law of Moses) a description of the process that takes place when submitting a sin offering to YHWH God.
“‘If an ordinary individual sins by straying unintentionally when he violates one of the LORD’s commandments which must not be violated, and he pleads guilty or his sin that he committed is made known to him, he must bring a flawless female goat as his offering for the sin that he committed. He must lay his hand on the head of the sin offering and slaughter the sin offering in the place where the burnt offering is slaughtered. Then the priest must take some of its blood with his finger and put it on the horns of the altar of burnt offering, and he must pour out all the rest of its blood at the base of the altar. Then he must remove all of its fat (just as fat was removed from the peace offering sacrifice) and the priest must offer it up in smoke on the altar for a soothing aroma to the LORD. So the priest will make atonement on his behalf and he will be forgiven. “‘But if he brings a sheep as his offering, for a sin offering, he must bring a flawless female. He must lay his hand on the head of the sin offering and slaughter it for a sin offering in the place where the burnt offering is slaughtered. Then the priest must take some of the blood of the sin offering with his finger and put it on the horns of the altar of burnt offering, and he must pour out all the rest of its blood at the base of the altar. Then the one who brought the offering must remove all its fat (just as the fat of the sheep is removed from the peace offering sacrifice) and the priest must offer them up in smoke on the altar on top of the other gifts of the LORD. So the priest will make atonement on his behalf for his sin which he has committed and he will be forgiven.
(Leviticus 4:27-35 NET)
In our reading, the word flawless should stand out to us. This sacrifice had to be of your best! Because this was a recognition from your heart, of the fact that you had transgressed against the commandments God, who has done nothing, but good to you!
So, you were to pick from your flock a goat or sheep that was without blemish! You didn’t give God whatever you felt like, you had to mean it!
So, you offered the best! Because that which is innocent is to become in some way a substitution for the punishment that man deserves. He shall take the goat, or the sheep and he shall lay his hand on it, symbolizing the idea that this animal is dying because of what I have done and then he shall kill it and the priest shall take its blood and it shall be sprinkled upon the altar and he shall be forgiven.
This concept is repeated throughout, what we refer to as the “Old Testament” for about 1500 years, while the Levitical priesthood was active. But these sacrifices were more illustrative than practical. Allow me to explain.
You see the blood of goats and sheep couldn't really take away man's sin. The life of a goat or a sheep was not equivalent to the life of man or woman, who was shaped and formed in the very image of YHWH God!
And so, what we have here is God demonstrating through the lives of these much-valued and completely innocent animals, these goats and sheep, the plan that He was going to put in place to ultimately forgive and redeem mankind from the trappings of sin which is death through the much-valued and completely innocent blood of His Son.
“Look! I have set before you today life and prosperity on the one hand, and death and disaster on the other. What I am commanding you today is to love the LORD your God, to walk in his ways, and to obey his commandments, his statutes, and his ordinances. Then you will live and become numerous and the LORD your God will bless you in the land which you are about to possess. However, if you turn aside and do not obey, but are lured away to worship and serve other gods, I declare to you this very day that you will certainly perish! You will not extend your time in the land you are crossing the Jordan to possess. Today I invoke heaven and earth as a witness against you that I have set life and death, blessing and curse, before you. Therefore choose life so that you and your descendants may live! I also call on you to love the LORD your God, to obey him and be loyal to him, for he gives you life and enables you to live continually in the land the LORD promised to give to your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.”
(Deuteronomy 30:15-20 NET)
For the payoff of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
(Romans 6:23 NET)
And that plan of redemption was for Him to send His Son, Yeshua, Jesus the Christ to submit and take the sins of the world upon His shoulders and wash us in His blood making us spiritually clean.
The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!
(John 1:29 ESV)
In the book of Revelation, it describes Yeshua/Jesus as a lamb slain and what His goal on earth was.
And between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders I saw a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain, with seven horns and with seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. And he went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who was seated on the throne. And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.”
(Revelation 5:6-10 ESV)
I think it's really interesting that in the beginning of the Bible we have the Genesis account in chapter 4 which mentions sheep for the first time and mentions them as a sacrifice that's pleasing to God and then in the last book of the Bible, Revelation, we have Yeshua/Jesus referred to as a lamb slain and the text says He is worthy for he was slain and through His blood has redeemed us to YHWH God by his blood!
As someone who raises livestock, I can certainly see the powerful impact, to take an animal, and not just any animal! One of your best animals, that you've cared for and provided for and realize, this animal has to die because of my sin! I am very thankful that Yeshua, Jesus came and became the ultimate sacrifice so that I don’t have to physically, only spiritually accept His sacrifice, and not one of my animals. Let that sink in for a moment.
As we approach this Passover season, lets be sure to take to the time to recognize what Christ’s sacrifice truly means to us and the relationship that we have with our Heavenly Father. First lets realize the error of our ways and turn our attention to living His Way!
Truly, thanks be to YHWH, God that He sent His Son Yeshua, Jesus the Christ to die for the remission of our sins. He is the Lamb slain before time to redeem us!
HalleluYAH! Praise God!
Kevin
