“And Abraham said, “My son, God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering.”” (Gen 22:8, NKJV)
The presence of the lamb can be spotted throughout the entire history of the Bible, as well as the history of humankind. Early in Genesis we find that the sacrificial act is prominent. In the story of Abraham that had to sacrifice his son Isaac, the pressure mounts as Isaac asks where the lamb for the sacrifice was, and his father answered, “My son, God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering.” (Gen 22:8). Note the strange way in which Abraham’s words are phrased – not: God will provide a lamb, but instead God will provide for Himself the lamb. In Jesus this is fulfilled.
In Exodus the blood of the innocent lamb is that which caused death to pass over the firstborn sons of Israel, saving them.
In Leviticus the lamb becomes the sacrifice God chose as atonement for sin, and is used as a burnt offering.
In Numbers the lamb is required for the burnt sacrifice, and the meat offering. It is also specifically required for those cutting the covenant of the Nazarenes.
Throughout the rest of the old covenant the lamb and his blood holds a central position in the relationship between God and his people.
There is a phrase that constantly occurs in the Old Testament, linked to the lamb as a central symbol, the phrase: sheep without a shepherd, taking on different permutations throughout Scripture. Keeping in mind that the name Jesus is the Greek version of the Hebrew name Joshua, it is of great importance that when Joshua is appointed in Num 27:16-17, the following is said – “Let the LORD, the God of the spirits of all flesh, set a man over the congregation, who may go out before them and go in before them, who may lead them out and bring them in, that the congregation of the LORD may not be like sheep which have no shepherd.” Joshua, which means “Jehovah is salvation”, is directly connoted with the shepherding of sheep/lambs. This image is used in various instances, also in terms of the military skills the shepherd had to master in order to protect his sheep (see 2 Chr 18:16; Jer 23:2-3; Ezec 34:30-31).
In Isa 40:9-11 a prophetic announcement is made concerning the Savior sending a Jehovah (Savior + Jehovah = Joshua/Jesus), and about Him is prophesied – “He will feed His flock like a shepherd; He will gather the lambs with His arm, and carry them in His bosom, and gently lead those who are with young.”
It’s no wonder that David – a shepherd – could explain, in the beautiful Ps 23, why Jesus is the shepherd. Elsewhere, in Ps 80:1, Asaph spells it out clearly – “O Shepherd of Israel, You who lead Joseph like a flock”.
Yet, how strang it may sound: a shepherd is not a sheep. Isa 53 – again a prophetic passage about the coming Messiah – makes this important distinction – this Shepherd loves his sheep so deeply that He would sacrifice his life for theirs. In his complete identification with his sheep (“Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows … But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities”) He became a lamb (“led as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so He opened not His mouth”.)!
Indeed – God will provide for Himself the sacrificial lamb.
- Sela: Read John 10 prayerfully.
- Read: Num 5; Zech 14; Ezec 6
- Memorize: Zech 14:9
- For a deeper understanding: Read John V Taylor’s book The Go-between God.
