During the final plague in Egypt, when God instituted the Passover to save Israel's firstborn, he commanded them to slay lambs.

"Speak to all the congregation of Israel, saying: 'On the tenth day 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 make your count for the lamb. Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year. You may take it from the sheep or from the goats.'" {Exodus 12:3-5}

When the Destroyer came into Egypt, this lamb, and its blood, would save their children. "For I will pass through the land of Egypt on that night, and will strike all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the LORD. Now the blood shall be a sign 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." {Exodus 12:12,13} This was the antitype for another lamb to come later, the Lamb of God.

The Lamb Provided. "And Abraham said, 'My son, God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering.' So the two of them went together." {Genesis 22:8} God was willing, as in the days of Abraham, to provide a sacrifice for our sins. "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." {John 3:16} God did for us what we could not do for ourselves. He also displayed the greatest act of love ever known to man.

The Lamb Described. "Knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot." {1 Peter 1;18,19} Our Lord was pure, without sin. "For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin." {Hebrews 4:15}

The Lamb Revealed. "The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, 'Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! This is He of whom I said, After me comes a Man who is preferred before me, for He was before me.'" {John 1:29,30} Jesus tried to get the people to understand that He was the Messiah. God sent Him to earth to save them from their sins. "And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins." {Matthew 1:21}

The Lamb Slain. "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, So He opened not His mouth." {Isaiah 53:7} He came here to pay the ultimate price for our sins-His life! "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." {Romans 5:8} "But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone." {Hebrews 2:9} Christ gave His life as a ransom for many.

The Lamb Glorified. "For the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to living fountains of waters. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes." {Revelation 7:17} "And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was." {John 17:5} When He finished the work God sent Him to do, He went back home to heaven. "Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, That all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, Which shall not pass away, And His kingdom the one Which shall not be destroyed." {Daniel 7:14}

The Lamb Reigning. "In the middle of its street, and 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 were 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." {Revelation 22:2,3} He is now in heaven, at God's right hand, ruling and reigning over His kingdom. "Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear." {Acts 2:33} He will remain there until the Father sends Him back to redeem His own. "Then comes the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father, when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power." {1 Corinthians 15:24}

Where would mankind be without the Lamb of God? It is His work, His sacrifice, and His willingness to die for our sins that give us hope. The Jews had their Passover, and we have ours! "Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us." {1 Corinthians 5:7} Thank God for the Lamb who took away the sins of the world!!!