Why is Jesus Christ called the Lamb of God?

John the Baptist was baptizing the people in the river Jordan, and when he saw Jesus Christ coming towards him to be baptized of him, he immediately cried out saying: Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world (John 1: 29). The question is, why did the harbinger of Jesus Christ called him the Lamb of God which takes away the sin of the world? Under the law, lambs were used to make atonement for the sins of the people. Lambs played a significant role in Jewish sacrifices and offerings for sin. When a transgressor transgresses against God, in keeping with the law, he brings an innocent lamb without blemish to the priest, and the lamb is killed and the blood of the lamb is used to make atonement for the sin of the offender. So instead of the transgressor to die, the innocent Lamb dies as his substitute. In the temple, animal sacrifices for sin were offered on a daily basis: And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins (Hebrews 10: 11). And there was also the annual sacrifices for sin which was offered by none else, save the high Priest himself. On the day of atonement, he atoned for his own sins and for the sins of the entire Jewish people, see (Hebrews 5, 3).

 The high Priest once every year was permitted to enter within the veil into the most holy place, for that was where the ark of the covenant was placed  (Hebrews 9, 3- 4). The high Priest enters within the veil with the blood of an innocent lamb, and sprinkles the blood of the lamb upon the mercyseat seven times, and when God sees the blood of the slain lamb, he accepted their sacrifice and pardon their sins (Leviticus 16). The sacrifice of an innocent lamb without any spot or wrinkle were offered daily and on a yearly basis for the sins of the people. The blood of those animal sacrifices provided only temporal covering for sin. The blood of a lamb could not completely take away the sins of the people: But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year. For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins (Hebrews 10: 3- 4). The animals sacrifices under the old covenant were insufficient in themselves to permanently expiate the sins of the people. The sacrifices offered under the law foreshadowed the substitutionary sacrifice of the true Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. 

When John the Baptist called Jesus "the Lamb of God" he knew what he was saying and his audience also understood him, because they were familiar with the term. When Jesus Christ is called the Lamb of God, it signifies his substitutionary death for the sins of his people. As the lamb died as a substitute for the offender under the law, so also Christ the true Lamb of God, offered his own self as an offering for our sins (1 Peter 2; 24). The old testament animal sacrifices for sin were types and shadows of the atoning work of the true Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world. The blood of bulls and goats which were impossible to permanently take away sin, served as a type of the blood of Christ which has given us free remission of all our sins. Learn this, for a sacrifice to be accepted, the lamb must be without blemish (Exodus 12; 5). Christ also offered himself as a Lamb without spot or blemish, for it is written: Forasmuch, as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers. But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you (1 Peter 1:18-20). It is interesting to know that the true Lamb of God offered himself as an offering for our sins at the time of the celebration of  the Jewish passover, see (Matthew 26; 2).

 The passover was an important feast among the Jews. They celebrated the passover to commemorate how God in his grace suffered the destroyer to pass over their homes because of the blood of the lamb. They killed a lamb as the Lord had instructed them, and smeared the blood of the lamb upon their doorpost, and when the angel of death saw the blood of the lamb, he passed over them and their firstborn sons. The blood of the lamb literally gave them divine exemption from the wrath of the destroyer, and that marked the beginning of their exodus from the bondage of the Egyptians (Exodus 12, 1-13). The sacrifice of the passover lamb which preserved their lives and the lives of their firstborn sons was antitypical of the substitutionary sacrifice of the true Lamb of God, for it is written: Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us (1 Corinthians 5: 7). The precious blood of the true Lamb of God has also given us divine escape from the wrath which will be revealed in the last day. The blood of the Lamb of God has placed us beyond the reach of condemnation (Romans 8; 1).

When Jesus Christ is called the Lamb of God, it speaks of his substitutionary sacrifice which brought us eternal salvation. John saw a vision of the Lamb that was slain, and that Lamb was being worshipped for his once and for all time sacrifice for the sins of his people. His vicarious death has brought us salvation and redemption from the power and penalty of sin. Let us my fellow brethren, join the myriads of angels and the spirit of Just men made perfect in offering divine worship to the Lamb that was slain for our our sake: And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation. And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth. And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands; Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing. And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever (Revelation 5: 9-13). God bless you

                                  A thought to ponder

When Jesus Christ is called the Lamb of God, it speaks of his substitutionary sacrifice which brought us eternal salvation

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