lamb Archives – Sonshine's Journal

January 19, 2022January 19, 2022

Passover is Instituted…

Exodus 11-13 “Christ is Our Passover”

The weak magicians had said to Pharaoh, “It is the finger of God,” yet Pharaoh continued in his stubbornness so God used plagues to awaken the Egyptian court. “Release the people so they may serve the LORD their God.” Pharaoh thinks he is God but this last plague will challenge his belief system and his words will haunt him later: “Who is the LORD that I should obey him….” God will show Pharaoh that He is the LORD and that He alone is God. Pharaoh sought to kill the male children, and now God will take his firstborn. Pharaoh’s gods cannot save him or his people because they are only idols.

In preparation, the Lord gives the Israelites, the plan for the Passover. The shed blood of the unblemished lamb sprinkled upon the doorposts and top frame pictured the cross to come. It covered and separated the “believers” (Israelites) from the “nonbelievers” (Egyptians). Christ, as our Passover, separates us and sanctifies us that we too may be holy to the Lord. The lamb was slain just as Christ was slain for us. When the Destroyer came, the blood protected. Christ’s shed blood protects each believer, for, “without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness of sin.” [Heb 9:22] Chapter 12 closes with these words: “So all the Israelites did precisely as the LORD commanded…”

Have we done precisely as the LORD commands?

February 2, 2021February 2, 2021

“Christ is Our Passover”

Exodus 10 to 12 The plagues sent by God awaken the Egyptian court, and they plead with Pharaoh. “Release the people so they may serve the LORD their God.” The weak magicians had said to Pharaoh, “It is the finger of God” yet Pharaoh continued in his stubbornness. Pharaoh’s words will haunt him later: “Who is the LORD that I should obey him…” But now God will show Pharaoh that He is the LORD and that He alone is the God of the universe. Pharaoh had taken the male children, and now God will take his firstborn. Pharaoh’s gods cannot save him or his people because they are only idols. Pharaoh thinks he is God but this last plague will challenge his belief system.

In preparation, the Lord gives his children, the Israelites, the plan for the Passover. The shed blood of the unblemished lamb sprinkled upon the doorposts and top frame pictured the cross to come. It covered and separated the “believers” (Israelites) from the “nonbelievers” (Egyptians).

Christ as our Passover separates us and sanctifies us that we too may be holy to the Lord. The lamb was slain just as Christ was slain for us. When the Destroyer came, those covered were protected, and it is Christ’s shed blood that protects each believer. Like the Passover, the Lord’s Supper was established BEFORE the deliverance was accomplished, for without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness of sin. Chapter 12 closes with these words: “So all the Israelites did exactly as the LORD commanded…”

Have we done exactly as the LORD commands?

December 7, 2013

“The Lion-like Lamb and the Lamb-like Lion”

John, in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day, continues to share with the reader his vision of heaven and its activities. In Rev 1 John saw : “Jesus Christ – the faithful witness, the firstborn from among the dead, the ruler over the kings of the earth. To the one who loves us and has set us free from our sins at the cost of his own blood,” and now in chapter 5 John saw the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, the Lamb of God as John the Baptist had declared. The Apostle John writes “You [the Lamb of God] are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals because you were killed, and at the cost of your own blood you have purchased for God persons from every tribe, language, people, and nation.” In both chapters John reminds the reader that it was his precious blood that paid the ransom. Heb 9:22 Indeed according to the law almost everything was purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.

Now notice what John tells us beyond those descriptions. The Lion-like Lamb/Lamb-like Lion is standing. He has finished his work and now is worthy to take the scroll of judgment and to open it. No one else is worthy and thus John is found weeping at this realization. Secondly, he has 7 horns symbolizing strength and power. He has conquered sin, death and Satan not just because he was a Lion but because he was a Lamb-like Lion who was willing to allow man to take his life that he might redeem them from the jaws of death and sin and the power of Satan.

To those who have bowed the knee and accepted this gift of the Lamb’s blood is given a promise which John repeats in ch 5 as he had written in ch 1: “has appointed us as a kingdom, as priests serving his God and Father/You have appointed them as a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth.”

Our Savior is both Lion and Lamb and he is waiting for us to stop and with the angels, living creatures, elders, whose number was then thousand times then thousand, thousands times thousands sing: “Worthy is the lamb who was killed to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and praise!”

Have you bowed the knee and are thus able to join the chorus today?