God Will Provide Himself a Lamb
Jesus was prophesied in the Old Testament
Gen 22:1-18 And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am. And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of. And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son, and clave the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went unto the place of which God had told him. Then on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place afar off. And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you. And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it upon Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife; and they went both of them together. And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering? And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together.
And they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood. And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son. And the angel of the LORD called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I. And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me. And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son. And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovahjireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the LORD it shall be seen.
And the angel of the LORD called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time, And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the LORD, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son: That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.
Jesus is the Seed of Abraham, and He offered himself a living sacrifice for our sins at Calvary. He's called the Lamb of God. God provided a Lamb at the same mountain where He provided a lamb for Abraham; Mount Moriah, and all those who will repent of their sins with all their heart, and believe in His sacrifice, His death, burial, and resurrection from the dead will be blessed.
John 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. John 1:29 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.
Isa 52:13-15 Behold, my servant shall deal prudently, he shall be exalted and extolled, and be very high. As many were astonied at thee; his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men: so shall he sprinkle many nations; the kings shall shut their mouths at him: for that which had not been told them shall they see; and that which they had not heard shall they consider. Isa 53:1-12 Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed? For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. He 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.He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken. And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth. Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities. Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.
Jesus was prophesied in the Old Testament from Genesis through Malachi, as we see in Luke 24:25-27; Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself. And in verse 44; These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me. This confirms that the Son of God was prophesied through out the Old Testament. Also in fulfillment of such, he was conceived by the Holy Ghost in Mary's womb. He was born of a virgin. He became a man. His name was called Emmanuel, meaning God with us. Isa 7:14 Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. He was tempted in every way as we are, yet without sin, Heb 4:15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. He never yielded to the temptations, but He was tempted as we are in every way. That's why He's called the spotless Lamb, the perfect sacrifice for our sins.
Jesus was betrayed
Mar 14:3-11 And being in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at meat, there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment of spikenard very precious; and she brake the box, and poured it on his head. And there were some that had indignation within themselves, and said, Why was this waste of the ointment made? For it might have been sold for more than three hundred pence, and have been given to the poor. And they murmured against her. And Jesus said, Let her alone; why trouble ye her? she hath wrought a good work on me. For ye have the poor with you always, and whensoever ye will ye may do them good: but me ye have not always. She hath done what she could: she is come aforehand to anoint my body to the burying. Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world, this also that she hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her.
And Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went unto the chief priests, to betray him unto them. And when they heard it, they were glad, and promised to give him money. And he sought how he might conveniently betray him. So God made sure that Jesus was anointed for His burial, and at the same time Judas was offended and he went about to betray the Lord Jesus, exactly as it was prophesied , for thirty pieces of silver. Then came time that the passover lamb must be killed, and Jesus disciples prepared the passover meal as He had commanded them. Then He sat down with the twelve Apostles, Luke 22:15, And he said unto them, With desire I have desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer: For I say unto you, I will not any more eat thereof, until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God. And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, Take this, and divide it among yourselves: For I say unto you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of God shall come. And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me. Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you.
Luk 22:39-44 And he came out, and went, as he was wont, to the mount of Olives; and his disciples also followed him. And when he was at the place, he said unto them, Pray that ye enter not into temptation. And he was withdrawn from them about a stone's cast, and kneeled down, and prayed, Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done. And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him. And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.
Jesus was arrested and tried
Jesus overcame in the garden of Gethsemane so that He was able to carry out His sacrifice. He was betrayed by Judas, and then He was arrested, and then He was tried. His own people rejected Him and demanded of the governor, Pilate, that he release unto them Barabas, a murderer, and deliver unto them Jesus to be crucified, who never did any wrong, but went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed of the devil through out His ministry. John 1:11-13 He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. Jesus came not into the world to condemn the world but that the world through Him might be saved.
Jesus was crucified according to the scriptures
Mar 15:15-39 And so Pilate, willing to content the people, released Barabbas unto them, and delivered Jesus, when he had scourged him, to be crucified. And the soldiers led him away into the hall, called Praetorium; and they call together the whole band. And they clothed him with purple, and platted a crown of thorns, and put it about his head, And began to salute him, Hail, King of the Jews! And they smote him on the head with a reed, and did spit upon him, and bowing their knees worshipped him. And when they had mocked him, they took off the purple from him, and put his own clothes on him, and led him out to crucify him. And they compel one Simon a Cyrenian, who passed by, coming out of the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to bear his cross. And they bring him unto the place Golgotha, which is, being interpreted, The place of a skull. And they gave him to drink wine mingled with myrrh: but he received it not. And when they had crucified him, they parted his garments, casting lots upon them, what every man should take. And it was the third hour, and they crucified him. And the superscription of his accusation was written over, THE KING OF THE JEWS. Luke 23:34;Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. The Father heard His prayer, and that's why you and I can come to Jesus, because of His sacrifice. Mar 15:27 And with him they crucify two thieves; the one on his right hand, and the other on his left. And the scripture was fulfilled, which saith, And he was numbered with the transgressors. And they that passed by railed on him, wagging their heads, and saying, Ah, thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, Save thyself, and come down from the cross. Likewise also the chief priests mocking said among themselves with the scribes, He saved others; himself he cannot save. Let Christ the King of Israel descend now from the cross, that we may see and believe. And they that were crucified with him reviled him. Of course we know from the account in Luke that the one thief was different. He humbled himself and his soul was saved.
Mar 15:33 And when the sixth hour was come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour. And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? And some of them that stood by, when they heard it, said, Behold, he calleth Elias. And one ran and filled a spunge full of vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink, saying, Let alone; let us see whether Elias will come to take him down. And Jesus cried with a loud voice, and gave up the ghost. And the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom. And when the centurion, which stood over against him, saw that he so cried out, and gave up the ghost, he said, Truly this man was the Son of God.
In Psalm 22 David prophesied of Jesus death saying the same words in verse 1, My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me? But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel. Our fathers trusted in thee: they trusted, and thou didst deliver them. They cried unto thee, and were delivered: they trusted in thee, and were not confounded. But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people. All they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying, He trusted on the LORD that he would deliver him: let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him. But thou art he that took me out of the womb: thou didst make me hope when I was upon my mother's breasts. I was cast upon thee from the womb: thou art my God from my mother's belly. Be not far from me; for trouble is near; for there is none to help. Many bulls have compassed me: strong bulls of Bashan have beset me round. They gaped upon me with their mouths, as a ravening and a roaring lion. I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels. My strength is dried up like a potsherd; and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws; and thou hast brought me into the dust of death. For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet. I may tell all my bones: they look and stare upon me.They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture. But be not thou far from me, O LORD: O my strength, haste thee to help me. Deliver my soul from the sword; my darling from the power of the dog. Save me from the lion's mouth: for thou hast heard me from the horns of the unicorns. I will declare thy name unto my brethren: in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee.
We see here in Psalm 22, a psalm of David, David was clearly anointed of the Holy Ghost by the Prophet Samuel; he was anointed to be King of Israel, and David, when he wrote this psalm was clearly filled with the Holy Spirit, and he certainly was not talking about himself, but he was talking about Jesus. If you have any doubt, just look at verse 16, they pierced my hands and my feet. That never happened to David. We know that that happened to Jesus. So why did Jesus cry out on the cross. We read in the New Testament, and now in the Old Testament, My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me?
It's amazing how exact the prophecies are about Jesus in the Old Testament, and how they were exactly fulfilled in the New Testament. No human being could possibly fulfill all those prophecies about Jesus, about the Messiah. No man could possibly do that of his own self. Only the Son of God could possibly fulfill all those prophecies, and Jesus fulfilled every single one of them exactly, even the price of His betrayal, thirty pieces of silver, was prophesied in the Old Testament. So many things were prophesied, He should be born of a virgin. Jesus fulfilled all those things except the things that are yet to be fulfilled concerning His return.
So why did He cry out; My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me? Why did the Father forsake Him when He was on the cross? It was because He was literally made sin on our behalf that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him. All our sins were laid on Him. Jesus became a sin offering for the whole entire human race.
He was the perfect spotless Lamb. He was born of a virgin, became a man. He lived a perfect sinless life though He was tempted as a man. He did not walk as God. He walked as a man. And He was tried and tempted in every way as we are, yet He never yielded, He never sinned in thirty three years. So He was proven, tried, and He was the pure, spotless Lamb, and He willingly offered Himself. He overcame in the Garden of Gethsemane so He could obey the Father and give Himself unto this suffering. Only God could possibly reveal to us the extent of His suffering that He went through for all of our sins, but He did it, He overcame. He fulfilled it. He suffered on the cross for our sins. He was made a sin offering and His blood was shed. Jesus blood was the blood of the spotless Lamb. The Bible says in the Old Testament that the life of a creature is in the blood. So Jesus' sinless life was in His blood, and His blood was shed. That's why it's so important. That's why it washes us. Through faith our sins are cleansed by the blood of the Lamb.
Col 1:20-23 And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven. And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled in the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight: If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;
Heb 9:11-14; But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
Jesus endured the cross
1Co 15:1-4 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
Jesus was crucified for our sins. He bore our sins in His body on the cross. He suffered for our sins. The strength of Jesus was clearly shown in that He endured all that suffering and remained faithful to the Father, and to us. His love for the Father, and for us, enabled Him to endure.
1Co 13:4-7 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. So we see here that love endures all things. Heb 12:2&3 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. Jesus endured the cross, and the way He endured was because of His love for the Father, and His love for us.
Mat 24:7-13 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. All these are the beginning of sorrows. Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake. And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. In the time of the end, when iniquity shall abound, and the love of many shall wax cold, the way that we are going to endure is to keep ourselves in the love of God. He that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. So we must endure unto the end.
Jude 1:20&21 But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. This is how we keep ourselves in the love of God, keeping ourselves in the Word of God, and also building up ourselves on our most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost. Gal 5:5&6 For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith .For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love. Here we see that faith works by love, and we're building ourselves up on our most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost. This is how we keep ourselves in the love of God, keeping ourselves in the Word of God, walking in the Word of God. Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.
Jesus was buried according to the scriptures
Joh 19:38-42 And after this Joseph of Arimathaea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, besought Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus: and Pilate gave him leave. He came therefore, and took the body of Jesus. And there came also Nicodemus, which at the first came to Jesus by night, and brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about an hundred pound weight. Then took they the body of Jesus, and wound it in linen clothes with the spices, as the manner of the Jews is to bury. Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden; and in the garden a new sepulchre, wherein was never man yet laid. There laid they Jesus therefore because of the Jews' preparation day; for the sepulchre was nigh at hand.
Mat 12:38-41 Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee. But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas: For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here. Jon 2:1 Then Jonah prayed unto the LORD his God out of the fish's belly, And said, I cried by reason of mine affliction unto the LORD, and he heard me; out of the belly of hell cried I, and thou heardest my voice. For thou hadst cast me into the deep, in the midst of the seas; and the floods compassed me about: all thy billows and thy waves passed over me. Then I said, I am cast out of thy sight; yet I will look again toward thy holy temple. The waters compassed me about, even to the soul: the depth closed me round about, the weeds were wrapped about my head. I went down to the bottoms of the mountains; the earth with her bars was about me for ever: yet hast thou brought up my life from corruption, O LORD my God. When my soul fainted within me I remembered the LORD: and my prayer came in unto thee, into thine holy temple. They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy. But I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay that that I have vowed. Salvation is of the LORD.
1Pe 3:18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison; Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water. The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ: Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him. Eph 4:9&10 Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things. So, Jesus was crucified for our sins, and He was buried, and He descended into the lower parts of the Earth. Jesus himself said, the Son of God shall be three days and three nights in the heart of the Earth, and there He preached the Gospel to the departed spirits that were disobedient in the days of Noah; and He prayed, and He worshipped God, and He cried unto the Father, and on the third day, the Father raised Him from the dead by the power of the Holy Ghost.
Jesus was raised from the dead according to the scriptures
Hos 6:1-3 Come, and let us return unto the LORD: for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up. After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight. Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the LORD: his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth. After two days will He revive us; in the third day He will raise us up. We see clearly here that we are crucified with Jesus and raised with Him.
Eph 1:19&20 And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, The Gospel is with power, that Jesus died for our sins according to the scriptures, that He was buried according to the scriptures, on the third day the Father raised Him from the dead by the exceeding greatness of His mighty power according to the scriptures. The Gospel is the power of God unto salvation to all those that believe, to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
Eph 2:4-6 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: Amen. We were crucified with Him, buried with Him, and raised with Him. Col 2:9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power: In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead. And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses.
Prayer of Thanksgiving
Thankyou Father that you so loved us that you gave your only Son, thankyou Father, a living sacrifice for our sins. He bore our sins in His body on the cross, and the third day, with the exceeding greatness of your mighty power, you raised us from the dead. It is sown in weakness, it is raised in power. Jesus was crucified through weakness, but He was raised in power.
Thankyou Jesus, thankyou Jesus, thankyou Jesus, you bore our sins in your body on the cross. On the third day the Father raised you from the dead and seated you at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above principality, power and might, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but in that which is to come, and He put all things under your feet. Praise God ! Thankyou Jesus ! You are our Savior, you are our healer, you are our deliverer, you are our salvation! To you be the glory, both now and forever more! Glory to our God! Glory to our King! We bless your Holy Name Jesus !