John 1:29 “The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!”
Genesis through Malachi speaks of God’s plan of salvation fulfilled in the New Testament with the birth of Jesus Christ the Messiah. In the Old Testament, God has woven a scarlet thread throughout the pages of His Book to prepare the way for His coming. The true scarlet thread throughout the Bible is the blood of Jesus as a sacrifice for the atonement of sin. God provided a preview in the Old Testament to give man an understanding of the meaning of the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus Christ before He came to earth.
In the Old Testament, detailed instructions concerning the offering of a sacrifice in atonement for sin were written down. The nation of Israel would practice the sacrificial system until the temple was destroyed by the Romans in 70 AD.
Leviticus 17:11 “For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul.”
A sacrifice was required for the sins of the nation. One day each year was celebrated as the Day of Atonement. On this day the High Priest would offer a sacrifice for the nation’s sins. Their sins were symbolically transferred from the Priest to a spotless, blameless lamb dying in the place of the people thus becoming the sin substitute for their collective sins.
Jesus became the ultimate atoning sacrifice for sin. He was the spotless, sinless, blameless Lamb of God that was slain in order for God to forgive our sins.
1 John 2:2 “He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.”
Romans 3:25 “God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of His blood—to be received by faith. “
This was God’s plan to restore what sin had destroyed. Because of Jesus’ sacrifice for the atonement of sin, we have the choice to receive His gift of salvation. He has given us free will to choose. What will you do?
Have your sins been forgiven by the Lamb of God? Have you received Jesus as your Lord and Savior?