THE LAMB.
DEAR Children. —Again we come to an animal that is used in Scripture as a type of Christ. The lamb is a gentle, harmless creature, does not defend itself—fitting type of Him who was “brought as a lamb to the slaughter.” Isa. 53:77He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. (Isaiah 53:7).
We cannot look at all the Scriptures concerning this animal, but we will look at a few of them. In Gen. 4, we find Abel, the second little boy ever born in this world, was a keeper of sheep, and he brought of the firstlings of his flock, an offering unto the Lord. The very best of his lambs were used in the sacrifice, and the Lord accepted his offering. In Heb. 11, we read, “By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain” who brought of the fruit of the ground. But Abel caused a lamb to shed its blood and lay down its life, thus owning himself a sinner, deserving death, and with the finger of faith pointing down through the centuries to Christ, the spotless Lamb of God, who should shed His blood for the remission of sins, and lay down His life for His own people.
I am reminded of a story of a lamb, which I will tell you. A man was standing on a high scaffold working on a building; when stepping back, too near the edge, he fell to the ground, and would no doubt have been killed, had he not fallen on a lamb which was eating grass in front of the house, as he fell. His fall killed the lamb, but his own life was spared. The thought that the lamb had given up its life for his, touched him so deeply that he had its image placed over his door, with some such motto as this: “The lamb died for me.” Well, dear children, how much more grateful we should be to Jesus, the Lamb of God, who died for us, not merely to save us from a natural death, but from the “lake of fire,” which is the “second death.” Rev. 20:1414And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. (Revelation 20:14).
In Gen. 22, we read that when God would try Abraham, He told him to offer up his only son Isaac for a burnt offering. As they went together to the place of which God had told him—Abraham carrying the fire and the knife, and Isaac the wood—he said “My father . . . . behold the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” “Abraham said, My son, God will provide Himself a lamb for a burnt offering.” And so He did; staying Abraham’s hand from killing his son and giving a substitute. But He who spared Abraham’s son, “spared not His own Son but delivered Him up for us all.” Rom. 8:3232He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? (Romans 8:32). Yes, Jesus! God’s only, begotten and beloved Son is the Lamb of God’s providing. He is the Substitute for His people. The One who suffered death in our stead. Is that hard to understand or believe? I have read a true story of a little girl only three years old, who, when giving thanks for what she had received said: “And I thank you, O, Jesus, that you was punished astead (instead) of me.” E. G. B.
ML 05/27/1900