Behold the Lamb of God!

Well, brethren, the Passover is now just a week and a half away, barely, and we're coming up on it very quickly. Amazing how we do that every year. God's plan is perfect, and He brings it around every year. And what a wonderful blessing it is! And so we're told to be then examining ourselves, because this doesn't approach and spring itself on us unaware. So we think about these days as we come up to them. And the Apostle Paul said in 1 Corinthians 11, verse 28, But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup.

And so we do that each and every year as we come up to the Passover. We examine ourselves. We examine our nature, our character. We examine what it is that is in our heart, and we actually make a comparison. We don't look at our neighbor. We don't look at our spouse. That's not where the comparison lies. The comparison is with the stature of the fullness of Jesus Christ. It's with the character of God our Father. And in perspective of that example, we look at ourselves. We find where it is that we're perhaps coming up short, and we seek to make course corrections. And for some, I would say, coming up to the Passover, it can almost be a time where, if you're not careful, you start to beat yourself up. You almost start to feel discouraged, maybe even a little depressed, because kind of like the Israelites that wandered through the wilderness round and round for 40 years, and they came up to that rock again. Haven't we been here before, right? And do we come up to the Holy Day sometimes in that perspective? Haven't we been here before? And you're struggling with perhaps even the same thing as before. And if we're not careful, it can become discouraging. But these days aren't meant to be discouraging. God gives us these feasts to be encouraging, to be uplifted. It's a time that we do take maybe a sober approach when we consider what it is we still have to work on, a sober approach when we consider the price that had to be paid for my sin. But you see, God the Father and Jesus Christ aren't discouraged in these days. They rejoice in what these days portray, because you see specifically the Passover is about forgiveness, reconciliation, and salvation. Forgiveness, reconciliation, and salvation. It is essentially taking those who were lost under now the penalty of death and bringing them to life through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. And so they rejoice in the relationship that abounds through what these days represent.

So we focus very much on self-examination as we come up this time of year. We also focus very much on the Lamb, the sacrifice, the one who was given for us. And so today we're going to focus on the Lamb of the Passover sacrifice, but not just any Lamb. Our focus is going to be upon the Lamb that God has chosen. Because when we come up today as New Covenant Christians to the Passover, we're not bringing a physical Lamb to be sacrificed. There is one that God has appointed and chosen that was sacrificed for us. And so we're going to focus on Him, what the Bible shows that His role has been and will be. Because what we're going to see today is that the Lamb is not just a snapshot in time of when Christ came in the flesh and died. Indeed, the Bible shows that the role of the Lamb is ongoing throughout God's plan of salvation. And I want to look at that as we go forward today. The title of the message is, Behold the Lamb of God. Behold the Lamb of God. It was an exclamation given by John the Baptist as he beheld Jesus Christ. And so I want to start there today. John chapter 1, if you'll follow me please, John chapter 1. When you look at the usage of this term, the Lamb of God, or also as John uses it in his writings as well, the Lamb, they're both pointing to the same individual. John's the only one who actually use those terms.

The other writers referred to Jesus Christ as a Lamb, came as a Lamb for the slaughter, but in terms of the title, the Lamb, or the Lamb of God, John is the one who uses that, and he uses it quite a lot. We need to understand who the Lamb is. John chapter 1 and verse 1, it says, In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

He was in the beginning with God, and all things were made through him. And without him nothing was made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. Going down to verse 14, it says, In the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory as the glory of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. So this one who is described as the Word is the one who came in the flesh as Jesus Christ. And just another cross-reference scripture to back that up, Revelation 19 and verse 13. There it speaks of Jesus Christ coming on the white horse to wage battle against the nations gathered against the kingdom of God. And Revelation 19.13 says, He was clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called the Word of God.

So confirmation here, who it is that was with God that came in the flesh and lived as Jesus Christ, now resurrected to the right hand of the Father. It is the Word of God. Carrying on in verse 15 of John chapter 1, it says, John bore witness of Him, and he cried out, saying, This was He of whom I said, He who comes after me is preferred before me, for He was before me. Because, you see, as God with God, Jesus Christ, the Word predated John by eternity, right? In the physical sense, John was in the womb first of Elizabeth before Christ was in the womb of Mary. John was born first and came first, but Christ was before him. Verse 16, And of His fullness we have all received. And grace for grace. For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

Verse 24, Now these who were sent were from the Pharisees, and they asked Him, John the Baptist, they asked Him, saying, Why then do you baptize if you are not the Christ or Elijah or the prophet? Because John's out there beyond the Jordan baptizing people, a baptism softening up their heart for repentance, and the one who would follow, is preparing the way of the Lord. And the fact is, they said, Are you the Christ? Are you Elijah? And He says, No. Well, why are you doing these things then? Verse 26, And John answered them, saying, I baptize with water, but there stands one among you whom you do not know. It is he who, coming after me, is preferred before me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose. These things were done in Bethabara beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing. Verse 29, The next day, John saw Jesus coming towards him, and he said, Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.

And so John the Baptist understood who this was. Behold the Lamb of God. This is the prophesied one. This is the Christ. This is the Messiah. This is the Lamb the Father has chosen for His people.

Behold the Lamb of God. This was not any typical, physical, woolly, four-legged Lamb. It is the Lamb of God. Verse 30, This is He of whom I said, After me comes a man who is preferred before me, for he was before me. I did not know him, but that he should be revealed to Israel. Therefore I came baptizing with water. And John bore witness, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and he remained upon him. And I did not know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water said, Upon whom you see the Spirit descending and remaining on him, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit. And I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God. And again the next day John stood with two of his disciples. And looking at Jesus as he walked, he said, Behold the Lamb of God. We have John here. He uses his phrase twice to describe Jesus Christ. Behold the Lamb of God. And the people who heard that would have understood the implications. You know, in their mind they would have hearkened back to the Exodus, back to the Passover, back to the Lamb that was a sacrifice for sin and deliverance for the people of God. But again, this wasn't a four-legged wooly Lamb. This was, as John declared, the Lamb God has chosen. Behold the Lamb of God. What we need to understand, brethren, is that this title, the Lamb of God or the Lamb, was used by John a total of 32 times in his writings. And of those 32 times, the Lamb or the Lamb of God appears 28 times in the book of Revelation alone. Maybe you don't necessarily equate Passover to the book of Revelation. Perhaps we should. 28 times in the book of Revelation alone, the Lamb is declared. And it is there that we're going to discover the future emphasis that is placed upon the role of the Lamb. Okay, this isn't just a naming of an animal. This is a title, a descriptor of who he is and a function that Jesus Christ plays.

But before we go to the future, we need to go to the past. Understand this is a concept that spans the entirety of God's Word from cover to cover. We need to understand that Jesus' appearance on the scene was something that was prophesied long before John came on the scene, long before any human being, frankly, came on the scene. Notice 1 Peter chapter 1. 1 Peter chapter 1. Here, Peter acknowledges the literal fulfillment of the Lamb of the Passover. He shows that this is the true sacrifice that was planned long before this event, long before anybody even had an idea of a need for a sacrifice. But God knows these things ahead of time. 1 Peter chapter 1 and verse 18.

Peter says, "...knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things like silver or gold from your aimless conduct received by the tradition of your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ as of a Lamb without blemish and without spot." Okay, he was perfect. That's the point.

He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times to you. 2 Who through him believed in God, who raised him from the dead, and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God. Indeed, God did not leave him in the grave. Jesus trusted implicitly in his Father, and God raised him back to life. And our hope and our faith can be in God that he will do the same for us. But the point is that Peter is making here before the foundation of the world. Foreordained. Prepared. This plan was put in place before the foundation of the world. Revelation chapter 13 verse 8 speaks of the Lamb as, "...slain from the foundation of the world." So this anticipation and this prophetic plan for the Lamb of God goes all the way back before the foundation of the world, before the physical creation that we can see, and that we can peer through a telescope and observe, before the first human beings came on the scene. This plan was in place. It was prepared. And simply in the time of man, we are seeing it carried out. Slain from the foundation of the world, foreordained before the foundation of the world. Again, God knew there would be a need for a Savior before he even put man into motion. And indeed, the Passover becomes the focal point of what it is that God would do through the Lamb. But it extends out from there. Indeed, you can find the very first Messianic prophecy given in the book of Genesis. Let's go there. Genesis chapter 3 and verse 15.

Genesis 3 verse 15, very first Messianic prophecy in the Bible. It follows, "...right on the heels of Adam and Eve's sin." So sin is committed in the garden, and now there's a need, isn't there? There's going to be a need for redemption. In Genesis chapter 3 verse 15, God's speaking to the serpent, the devil, and he says, "...I will put enmity between you and the woman, in between your seed and her seed, her seed being the Messiah, and he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel." It's referring to Satan's role in the death of Jesus Christ, that he would bruise his heel, Christ's heel. Okay, and Christ was crucified based upon, shall we say, opposition to the plan and the purpose of God, but obviously God foreordained and knew what would happen, so none of this was outside of what God had purposed. But again, Satan would bruise his heel, as the earliest reference to the crucifixion and death of the lamb, but it also points to Christ's ultimate triumph over Satan one day, crushing the head of the serpent at his return, at the fulfillment of God's plan. You'll bruise his heel, but he'll bruise your head. And indeed, we know by virtue of the crucifixion in the resurrection, the Bible says, Jesus led captivity captive. So the author of sin has already been led captive, frankly, and he can be led captive in our lives. I've discussed that on the Day of Atonement, but the fact is, it started here. The need, the prophecy, the pointing to what it is that God would do. This is a reference to the lamb that God would choose. And frankly, this reference plays out in many places throughout the Old Testament. Genesis chapter 22. Let's go to the time of Abraham. Genesis chapter 22 kind of lay the foundation for the story here. God said to Abraham, offer me a burnt offering. And the source of that offering is going to be your son, your only son, your son whom you love. It's going to be Isaac. Isaac was the son of promise. You remember, Abraham and Sarah couldn't have children together for years. And by God's blessing and promise and miracle, Isaac came along and God said, now take your only son of you and your wife, whom you love, and offer him as a burnt offering to me. Pretty incredible concept to consider. Isaac was a youth in some range at the time there. Okay, fully aware. God asked Abraham to offer him up. And it's in the midst of this story we find another prophetic reference to the Lamb of God. Genesis 22 and verse 6. So Abraham took the wood, the burnt offering, laid it on Isaac, his son, and he took fire in his hand and the knife, and two of them went together. In this account, Abraham is a type of God the Father who would offer his son as a sacrifice. Okay, and Isaac is a type of Jesus Christ. And it's through this experience that Abraham will understand what God was willing to offer for all. You see, Abraham had the gospel preached to him. Galatians 3 verse 8 tells us that. And also, as we understood, the promise from God to Abraham, in you, all the families of the earth, would be blessed. So Abraham knew of the Messiah that would come from his lineage and the promise of God and of the crucifixion and the salvation. Abraham understood these things. And so this lesson, this experience, would not be lost on him.

Verse 7, it says, but Isaac spoke to Abraham his father, and he said, my father. And he said, here I am, my son. And he said, look, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering? And Abraham said, my son, notice, God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering. God will provide for himself a lamb for the burnt offering. So the two of them went together. This is a prophetic statement pointing to, ultimately, Jesus Christ as the lamb who would be provided by God for all of mankind. Again, the lamb of God, the one he has provided. And in type, Abraham and Isaac are walking in advance, almost like a play through the motions of what God would fulfill for all of mankind. But you see, it's the lamb of God. It is his lamb. It has been all along, and it will be forever. Carrying on in verse 11, it says, as then Abraham is about ready, back up, verse 10, he stretched out his hand, took his knife to slay his son. But the angel, the Lord called to him from heaven and said, Abraham, Abraham. And he said, here I am. And he said, do not lay your hand on the lad, nor do anything to him. For now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me. Then Abraham lifted his eyes, and he looked, and there behind him was a ram caught in the thicket by its horns. So Abraham went, took the ram, offered it up for a burnt offering instead of his son. And Abraham called the name of the place the Lord will provide, as it is to this day, and the Mount of the Lord it shall be provided. And so, brethren, ultimately, we see that God provided in the case of Abraham. Okay, the Lord will provide the lamb.

And he is provided in our case today as well, through the Lamb of God. Christ our Passover slain for us. It's credible as you walk through and you see the type and the fulfillment and the foreshadowing under what was in the Old Testament and indeed forward into the Old Covenant, but appointed to what God would fulfill in his son. Exodus chapter 12. You walk through these examples and these foreshadowings of Jesus Christ. Exodus chapter 12, we see now another lamb that has been killed and it points to Christ our Passover, the Lamb of God. Exodus chapter 12 in verse 1, now the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying, This month shall be your beginning of months, and shall be the first month of the year to you. Speak to all the congregation of the children of Israel, saying, On the tenth of this month every man shall take for himself a lamb, according to the house of his father, a lamb for a household. And if the household is too small for the lamb, let him and his neighbor next to his house take it according to the number of the persons. According to each man's need you shall take your account for the lamb. Verse 5, Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year. You may take it from the sheep or from the goats.

Now you will keep it until the fourteenth day of the same month. Then the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it at twilight. This word twilight means between the two evenings. It is a time frame between sunset and dark when the Passover lamb was to be killed at the beginning of the fourteenth. And again, I've walked through what is the explanation of that, and we've gone to other scriptures of this word twilight and looked at the technical explanation of that. It's in the archives. You can go find that if you like. But again, it was to be slaughtered at twilight at the beginning of the fourteenth. And in verse 6, this word as well as we consider the timing until is important. He says, You keep it until the fourteenth of the same month. Until means up to that point. Okay, until that comes.

You have children in the room here, and you know, if some of the children showed up and they saw their friends here, and they said, Hey, we want to have some fun with our friends. We want to visit. We want to jump and play and have a good time. Mom, dad, can we? Can we? You would say, Okay, you can until the church service. When does that mean you settle down and find your place?

Is it when the sermon's almost over? Well, sometimes maybe some may think that. No, it's until. You keep it up until the fourteenth, not through, as that would be a different word.

And they were to kill it then at twilight. Verse 7, and they shall take some of the blood, they put it on the two doorposts, on the lentil of the houses where they eat. They shall eat the flesh on that night. What night? Well, it's the fourteenth. That's been declared. Roasted in fire with unleavened bread and with bitter herbs, they shall eat it. Do not eat it raw or boiled at all with water, but roasted in fire, its head and its legs and its entrails. Verse 10, you shall let none of it remain until morning, and whatever remains of it until morning, you shall burn with fire. And thus you shall eat it with your belt on your waist, your sandals on your feet, your staff in your hand, so you shall eat it in haste. It is the Lord's Passover. He says, For I will pass through the land of Egypt on that night. What night?

Well, again, it was described, the fourteenth, on that night, I will strike all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, of both man and beast. Against all the gods of Egypt, I will execute judgment. I am the Lord. Now the blood shall be assigned for you on the houses where you are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be on you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt." So they would kill the lamb, they would take that blood, they would paint it on their lentil, doorposts, they would stay in their houses till morning, they would eat of the Passover, and God says, I will pass over you when I see that blood. And indeed, if you were a firstborn, your life was spared. It was a type again of the ultimate deliverance through the sacrifice of the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ. Now at times there have been questions that come up as to when the Passover is to be observed. And honestly, we've addressed that a number of times in the past. And I use the word observed intentionally because observed of the Passover includes more than the killing of the lamb. And the instructions that were given for the Passover was the killing of the lamb, the painting of the blood on the doorposts in the lentil, the cooking of the lamb, the eating of the lamb, not allowing it to remain until morning, the burning up. This was all included in the instructions of the event, which is called the Passover.

It was all part of the Passover. And so the question that sometimes comes up is, do you observe the Passover on a bib 14 or a bib 15? Okay, that's a question that is often discussed. And the question is, what's the correct date? A bib 14 or a bib 15 for the keeping of the Passover.

I've read a lot of papers on the topic, a lot of man's papers on the 14th. A lot of papers that also argue for the other side of the 15th. And you look at these things, and I've looked at a number of them and compared. And I've seen a lot of convincing arguments, frankly, that could be made on both sides of the debate. And I've even made some of the technical arguments myself for the 14th. Because that's when I'll be there. That's what I believe clearly the Word of God says. It is what the United Church of God teaches and what we keep and the time we keep for the Passover.

But when it's all said and done, you can read this paper, you could read that paper, you could hear this person, you could hear me. But at the end of the day, brother, man's words are simply man's words. You can take them or leave them. But God's words are God's words, and His words are true. And I was just saying, for all of us, let God be true, and every man a liar. So the question becomes, what does the Word of God say? Do we keep the Passover on the 14th of the first month or the 15th of the first month? I've read many study papers by many individuals that claim the Passover is on the 15th, and they use a lot of words. And actually, they cite a lot of scriptures, but none of those scriptures ever say the Passover is on the 15th, because it's not there. Brother, if you're confused, I would say, throw out the words of man and read the words of God. What does the Bible say? And if you're still confused, I would say, keep the Passover when Jesus Christ kept it. That's when we keep it as the Church of God, is when Jesus Christ kept it. And if you've heard things that cause you even to be confused about, well, is what Jesus Christ even did the Passover, because some will say that wasn't even the Passover at all. Don't confuse it with that. Again, where is the scriptural evidence? Matthew 26 and verse 18, I will keep the Passover at your house with my disciples, Jesus said. Mark chapter 14 and verse 14, where is your guest room in which I may eat the Passover with my disciples? Luke chapter 22, verse 8, go and prepare the Passover for us that we may eat, said Jesus Christ. I read a study paper this week that said Christ and the disciples had no, remember the exact wording, but it was something to the effect. They had no expectation that what they were doing on that night was even the Passover.

There was simply a meal together. Again, what do the scriptures say?

Brother, let God be true. And every man a liar. Put our word in, our nose in the word of God, as opposed to the words of men. Don't take my word for it. Take God's word and do your studies. We have to know not just what we believe and what we teach. We have to know why we teach what we teach. If we don't understand why we teach what we teach, if we don't understand what the scripture says, then you'll be moved off of that quite easily. Understand why it is we teach what we teach.

The question sometimes also comes up, why is it okay to eat the unleavened bread at the Passover service? You know, if you're keeping it at the beginning of the 14th, you eat unleavened bread there. Why is it okay then you can go home that night or the next day and you can eat the next morning and you can eat leavened bread. But when sunset rolls around starting the 15th of the day of unleavened bread, you put it out. And it seems kind of like odd or disconnect that you eat unleavened bread at the Passover, then you have a period you can eat leavened bread, and then you eat unleavened bread. Why is it not a fluid unleavened bread throughout the entirety of the time? Again, we need to understand why it is we do what we do. And the answer is we eat unleavened bread at the Passover service because it is a symbol of the sacrifice that was offered, not because it is the days of unleavened bread. If it was days of the unleavened bread, you would not go home, you would not have leavening in your house, but it is specifically tied with the sacrifice, the unleavened that is given. Christ's sacrifice was a sin sacrifice. Christ our Passover was sin-free. Christ our Passover was sacrificed for us, and he was spiritually unleavened. And furthermore, the sacrifices on the altar of the Old Testament were never, ever to be offered with leaven. Never.

Many sacrifices in the Old Testament offered upon the altar to God. Sacrifices of sin, trespass, offerings, the daily sacrifices, the Sabbath sacrifices, the monthly, the new moon sacrifices, sacrifices given on the holy days, none of them were ever, ever to be offered with leaven. Go and hunt and research the sacrifices. Christ our sacrifice is what we're observing.

If a meat offering or sacrifice on the altar contained a grain offering with it, it was always to be unleavened. If it contained bread with it, some of the sacrifices did. It was prescribed always to be unleavened. Leavened was never to be altered in sacrifice on the altar of God.

Exodus chapter 23 verse 18. Exodus 23, 18, you shall not offer the blood of my sacrifice with leaven to bread, nor shall the fat of my sacrifice remain till morning. Sounds familiar? It is instruction tied specifically to the Passover, but it applies to the sacrifices upon the altar of God. Understand, the leavened bread of the Passover service on the 14th pertains specifically to the sacrifice, and it's tied to the sacrifice. And the unleavened bread of the feast of unleavened bread, which begins on the 15th, is tied specifically to the days of unleavened bread.

Again, two specific but separate events.

So back to the point of my sermon today, which is the Lamb of God, the one the Father sent. Isaiah 53 contains a prophecy that foretells Jesus' ultimate sacrifice as the Lamb.

Isaiah 53, as I said, this thread goes all throughout the Old Testament, pointing to Jesus in the New, the Lamb of God. Isaiah 53 verse 3. He is despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. This is a specific prophecy of the Lamb to come. And we hid as it were our faces from him. He was despised and we did not esteem him. Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows, yet we esteemed him, stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted.

But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities. The chastisement of our peace was upon him, and by his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray, we have turned everyone to his own way, and the Lord has laid upon him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth. He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, he opened not his mouth. Dropping down to verse 10, yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him, and he has put him to grief. When you make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. He shall see the labor of his soul and be satisfied. By his knowledge my righteous servant shall justify many, for he shall bear their iniquities. Therefore I will divide him apportion with the great, he shall divide the spoil with the strong, because he poured out his soul unto death. He was numbered with the transgressors. Remember Jesus Christ had a thief on both sides of him at that crucifixion, numbered with the transgressors, and he bore the sin of many and made intercession for the transgressors. This is the one who led captivity captive. This is the one who was given as the Lamb on our behalf. And so when John cried out, Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world, the people would have understood who he was talking about, the prophesied one, who it was that was going to die for the sins of mankind. They would have hearkened back to the exodus in their mind into the Passover Lamb that brought deliverance to the people of God and the one that was prophesied by Isaiah and others to take upon himself the sins of many. Again, if they were really looking for what it is that God said he would do, as Dale pointed out in the sermonette, many didn't understand. They were just looking for someone to free them from Roman oppression. This freedom is so much greater by the Lamb of God. The Apostle Paul understood this point as well when he declared in 1 Corinthians 5 verse 7, Christ our Passover was sacrificed for us. So what we understand is the Lamb, throughout the entirety of the record of the Bible, has been an instrument of God's redemption and salvation. Again, all throughout the pages of the Bible, redemption and salvation, symbolically under the Old Covenant, as a woolly, physical, four-legged animal that was offered, okay, with the blood of bulls and goats and sheep and anything else you wanted to offer up, couldn't cleanse the conscience, couldn't remove the sin. It could cover it ceremonially, but it was a type that pointed to literally under the New Covenant the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ, bringing redemption and salvation. What I hope for us to take away today is what God has purposed for the Lamb both now and in the future, not just as a snapshot moment of the Passover. Again, when we hear the Lamb of God, that's naturally when we go where we go, and I say that is ground zero. That is the focal point. But what God is doing in terms of salvation for all of mankind and the unfolding of His plan expands out from there, including Jesus Christ as the Lamb. That is His nature, but that is His role. We're talking about the role of the Lamb. There's times He fills the role of a king, right, or a savior, or in this point a lamb, and there are descriptors for each of those roles. Let's consider, as we go forward, the role of the Lamb and what God has still yet to purpose for Him. Let's go to the book of Revelation now. We're going to spend the rest of the message in the book of Revelation. We're just going to walk through here in Scripture order.

And let's see what we see about the Lamb of God and His continuing work. Revelation chapter 1 and verse 4. Revelation 1 and verse 4. John, to the seven churches which are in Asia, grace to you and peace from Him who is and who was and who is the come, and from the seven spirits who are before His throne, and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. Jesus Christ is going to come, and He has already been given all authority. He told His disciples, all authority in heaven on earth has been given to Me.

And He says, He is the ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. Behold, I am coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, and even they who pierced Him, and all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him, even so, amen. So the work of Jesus Christ is not finished. There's still much that the Father's purpose for Him to continue to carry out in His plan. And as we're going to see through the book of Revelation, much of it that is yet to occur will occur with Jesus Christ serving and fulfilling the role of the Lamb. It's not just a snapshot of His death. Indeed, it is an ongoing service of His resurrected life, the Lamb of God. Revelation chapter 5 and verse 6. Revelation chapter 5 and verse 6, And I looked, and behold, in the midst of the throne, and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elder stood a Lamb. A Lamb as though it had been slain. So you can imagine, you know, John doesn't say beyond that. You maybe can have a visual picture in your mind of what a Lamb that has been slain looks like. This is a clear picture of Jesus Christ, but resurrected at the right hand of God, at the presence of His throne. A Lamb as though it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. And He came and took the scroll out of the right hand of Him who sat on the throne. It was God the Father. Conversation before this was, no one was found worthy to open that scroll. And John says, you know, he was in despair over it. Who's going to open the scroll? Well, now it's this Lamb. Verse 8. Now when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. And they sang a new song, saying, you are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals. And notice why. For you were slain and you have redeemed us to God by your blood, out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, and have made us kings and priests to our God, and we shall reign on the earth. And so we see that the Lamb here will be playing an instrumental role in the fulfillment of prophetic events at the end of the age, opening the seals of the scroll, allowing those things then to proceed. And He is the one who is worthy. And why is He worthy? He is worthy because He is the Lamb. He shed His blood, He gave His life, and He has redeemed mankind through His blood. Revelation chapter 6. Revelation chapter 6, verse 1 says, I saw the Lamb opened one of the seals. As you go through the chapter, progressively the Lamb opens seal after seal. We come down to verse 15 of Revelation chapter 6, and the kings of the earth, the great men, the rich men, the commanders, the mighty men, every slave and every free man hid themselves in caves and in the rocks of the mountains. And they said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne, that's God, and from the wrath of the Lamb.

For the great day of His wrath has come, and who is able to stand? I think we traditionally think of Jesus Christ as a Lamb that is, you know, kind of woolly and cuddly that you'd want to just kind of cuddle up next to you, and He is. And you would. He says, Take my yoke upon you, for it is easy.

My burden is light. But we also have to understand, brethren, that when it comes to evil and unrighteousness, God has given Him the authority to judge and make war. Because all that has to be removed in order to establish the kingdom of God, and He is the one who gave His life for the world.

And what He continues to do, He continues to do for the salvation of mankind. Revelation chapter 7 and verse 9. Revelation 7 and verse 9 says, After these things I looked. Again, it goes without saying, but this is John who wrote this book and is seeing this vision. So that I hear is John. After these things I looked. And behold, a great multitude which no one could number of all nations and tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. Notice, clothed with white robes with palm branches on their hands. Verse 10 says, And crying out with a loud voice, saying, Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne and to the Lamb. Salvation.

What it is that was offered and what it is that could be accomplished through the slaying of the Lamb, through the life that was given, through the one the Father had sent. Verse 13. Then one of the elders answered, saying to me, Who are these arrayed in white robes?

And where do they come from? And I said to him, Sir, you know. Back to Dale Sermanet, answer a question with a question, right? And if you're questioned by, you know, some heavenly authority greater than yourself, this is a pretty good response. You know. So he said to me, These are the ones who came out of great tribulation, washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. And so again, we see that salvation is a continuing effect of the Lamb's sacrifice.

Not only on the day that He was offered, not only in our day today, but going forward all throughout God's plan of salvation until all of mankind, each in their order, has come under the blood of the Lamb. Verse 15, Therefore they are before the throne of God, and they serve Him day and night in His temple. And he who sits on the throne will dwell among them. They shall neither hunger any more, nor thirst any more, the sun shall not strike them, nor any heat.

For the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to living waters, living fountains of waters, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes. And so the Lamb will be the shepherd of the redeemed. He will gather them together. He will guide them. He will lead them. And as it says, leading them to living fountains of waters.

It's a very beautiful picture of eternal life and salvation of those who have been redeemed by the blood of the Lamb. And that relationship continues. Revelation chapter 14 in verse 1. Revelation chapter 14 in verse 1, Then I looked, and behold a Lamb, standing on Mount Zion, with Him 144,000, having His Father's name written on their foreheads.

It's indicative of a relationship with the Father, to have His name written on your forehead. Verse 2, And I heard a voice from heaven like the voice of many waters, like the voice of loud thunder, and I heard the sounds of harpists playing their harps. And they sang as it were a new song before the throne, before the four living creatures and the elders. And no one could learn that song except the 144,000 who were redeemed from the earth. These are the ones who were not defiled with women, for they are virgins. These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes. These were redeemed from among men, being first-roots to God and to the Lamb.

And in their mouth was found no deceit, for they are without fault before the throne of God. The image here of being without fault before the throne of God, again, has to do with the cleansing that comes by the blood of the Lamb. The 144,000 are a separate number from the great multitude of tongues and nations that we read about earlier. And if you research them out, it's 12,000 from each of the tribes of Israel that were sealed and preserved apart from the tribe of Dan.

They are first-fruits, and they follow the Lamb wherever He goes. So let's see then where they go. Where do they go with the Lamb who shepherds them? Revelation 17, verse 12. Revelation 17, verse 12 says, The ten horns which you saw are the ten kings who had received no kingdom as yet, but they receive authority for one hour as kings with the beasts. These are of one mind, and they will give their power and their authority to the beast.

So you have these world kingdoms that will come together, and they'll back the beast and the power of that system, political, religious. They'll unify as one power against the kingdom of God. But notice, it says, verse 14, these will make war with the Lamb. And the Lamb will overcome them, for He is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those who are with Him are called, chosen, and faithful.

So is he here that the Lamb has another title that is given to Him, Lord of lords and King of kings?

Recall what we read in Revelation 1, verse 5, where it says Jesus Christ is the ruler over the kings of the earth. So this is a title of power, of great authority that's been given to Him that is carried by the Lamb. Again, the Lamb is the context. The one who was slain, the one whom the Father chose, the one who lives is now the one who is worthy to carry forward with a number of these things that have been given to His hand. Again, brethren, these verses are all describing the ongoing reality of Jesus' role as the Lamb. Because He gave His life for the world, He is uniquely qualified to serve in this capacity. So let's notice the lasting bond, then, that God has in store between the church and the Lamb. Revelation chapter 19 and verse 6, Revelation chapter 19 and verse 6, and I heard as it were the voice of great multitude as the sound of many waters and as the sound of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia, for the Lord God omnipotent reigns. Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory. Why? For the marriage of the Lamb has come and His wife has made herself ready. This prophecy tells us that the Lamb is going to take a bride. He's going to take a bride, and what a wonderful, what an exciting time that will be. As the Lamb of God, He will enter into a special relationship with the church for whom He laid down His life. When giving instructions regarding what a proper human marriage looks like, the Apostle Paul wrote in Ephesians chapter 5 verse 31 and 32.

He said, For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. He says, This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church. Again, verse 7, Revelation 19, Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready. We make ourselves ready by becoming like He is, putting on righteousness, being cleansed by His blood, developing the character of God. It's preparation, indeed, even as we come up to the Passover through this examination. Make yourself ready. Verse 8, And to her it was granted to be a raid and fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. The bride is going to be made up of the saints who are clothed in righteousness. Again, it doesn't happen apart from the work of the Lamb. And we see that as His role ongoing continually, even into the future. Verse 9, He says, He said to me, Right, blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb. And He said to me, These things are the true sayings of God.

These are the true sayings of God. These are the true sayings of God.

If God says that, it must be true. And so who would a man be to say otherwise? Revelation 19 goes on to describe the return of Jesus Christ to subdue the nations in opposition to the kingdom of God. And ultimately, the knowledge of the Lord will cover the earth as the waters cover the sea. Right? There's going to be opportunity for a true relationship with God to extend out to all of mankind. And all who have ever lived or died apart from a true knowledge of God will have an opportunity to come under the blood of the Lamb and to inherit eternal life.

Brethren, the book of Revelation is a revealing. It's a pulling back of the veil. It's a deeper understanding of detail what it is that God has prophesied. And it's not in conflict. Indeed, it is what He will do. Revelation 21, verse 1, Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away.

Also there was no more sea. Then I, John, saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. It's just going to be decked out and beautiful. And indeed, the descriptions of the new Jerusalem is glistening and glimmering and beautiful. Verse 3, I heard a loud voice from heaven, saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God.

Go down to verse 21. Revelation 21, verse 21, the twelve gates were twelve pearls. Each individual gate was of one pearl, and the street of the city was pure gold like transparent glass. Again, just an incredible, beautiful place where the bride will dwell, where Jesus Christ will dwell, where God the Father will dwell, and will dwell upon the earth.

Verse 22, But I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. The city had no need of the sun or the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it, and the Lamb is its light. And the nations of those who are saved, we're talking again salvation, those who have come under the blood of Christ, and salvation is now theirs, shall walk in the light, and the kings of the earth bring their glory and their honor into it.

It says, This gate shall not be shut at all by day, there shall be no night there, and they shall bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it, but there shall by no means enter it anything that defiles, or causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb's book of life. So the Lamb is going to be its temple along with God the Father, and the Lamb is going to be its light along with God the Father. And the Lamb has the book of life. Again, salvation is what He records, and by God's direction what He grants.

And there is a pattern here. This is describing the future ongoing work of the Lamb of God. And again, the title doesn't apply only to a snapshot of time when He came in the flesh and died. It applies to His ongoing role as the Lamb, the Lamb of God, the one whom He has chosen and is worthy. And this carries on, brethren, as far into the future as God has given us the ability to see.

Let's conclude in Revelation chapter 22 in verse 1. Revelation 22 verse 1, and He showed me a pure river of water, clear water of life, clearest crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb. It appears that it is the same throne upon which God and the Lamb sit. In the middle of the city, on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month, the leaves of the tree for the healing of the nations.

And there shall be no more curse, but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him. They shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads. There should be no light there, and no need for a lamp or light of the sun, for the Lord God gives them light, and they shall reign forever and ever. John proclaimed, Behold the Lamb of God.

Behold the Lamb of God, the one who takes away the sins of the world. Brother, as we come up to the Passover once again this year, don't let the scope of who and what the Lamb is, and the work that God has given him, don't let that scope be lost upon you. Passover is the focal point of salvation. He's the one who died for our sins. He is the Lamb the Father has selected, but His work going forward from this point is expansive as well.

He was foreordained before the foundation of the world. He came to this earth for a time and purpose, but His work of salvation did not end there. It continues to this day and yet far on into the future, as far as the biblical record shows. We are forgiven by the death of the Lamb, but we are saved by His life.

And because of that, because of who He is, the Lamb of God is worthy to yet fulfill so many more things that God has purposed for Him. The blessing of the Passover and the Holy Days and the cycle we're beginning again this year is that this is a message of hope. It's encouragement, and it is life.

Brethren, behold the Lamb of God.