It is Holy Week; and many eloquent writers have penned beautiful prose concerning the beauty of what we remember this week. Here are my humble musings, what my heart is breathing as we approach Good Friday. Not only is this holy week for the body of Christ, it is also Passover week for Jews in Israel and the Diaspora, it began Monday at sundown. I love when Passover falls at the same time as Easter; the two are more connected than appears on the surface (I will elaborate on this in a moment). Let us begin at Good Friday.
Jesus suffered immensely on our behalf, and it is important to remember that He not only died for us, but He also died in our place and on our behalf. The brutality that Jesus experienced absorbed God’s wrath, and reconciled us to the Father. He exhibited the grace and mercy of God on behalf of sinners, and conquered death. He was the last and perfect sin offering.
Leviticus chapter four details the requirements for the sin offering, I encourage you to read it; it is too lengthy for the space here. Here is a brief summary:
1. Pilate, John 19:4 ~ Pilate came out again and said to them, “Behold, I am bringing Him out to you so that you may know that I find no guilt in Him.” NASB
2. Herod, Luke 23: 14-15 ~ (Pilate) said to them, You brought this man to me as one who incites the people to rebellion, and behold, having examined Him before you, I have found no guilt in this man regarding the charges which you make against Him. No, nor has Herod, for he sent Him back to us; and behold, nothing deserving death has been done by Him. NASB
3. The High Priest, John 18 says after Annas sent Jesus to Caiphas; he could find no fault with Jesus.
4. Caiphas: Could not get the witnesses to agree on any wrongdoing by Jesus.
5. Judas, Matt 27:4 ~ I have sinned in that I have betrayed innocent blood.
6. The Centurion, Matt 27: 54 ~ Now the centurion, and those who were with him keeping guard over Jesus, when they saw the earthquake and the things that were happening, became very frightened and said, “Truly this was the Son of God!” NASB
Jesus is not only our sin offering, He is also our Passover Lamb. It is no accident that Christ was crucified on Passover. He was not only crucified on the day, but also at the same hour.
“With this many lambs, it was necessary for the Jews to prepare them for sacrifice at nine o’clock in the morning… they then killed them at three o’clock that afternoon so that the Passover could be completed before six o’clock, which would begin a new day.”[1]
As Israel was slaughtering the lambs with knives, spikes were driven into the flesh of our Lord; fulfilling Isaiah’s prophecy… He was wounded for our transgressions…
“Then at three o’clock as the people were praising God and slaughtering the lambs, Jesus died. Mark was careful to note the time and wrote that it was the ninth hour (three o’clock Jewish time) when Jesus breathed His last breath (see Mark 15:33-37).”[2]
On Passover, the Israelites were to take a bunch of hyssop, a lowly shrub rampant in Israel, just as humanity is rampant; and apply the blood of the lamb in a triune fashion on the lintel of the doorway and on each side post. Now as Christ hanged on the cross dead, His blood is applied to humanity, and the destroyer has to pass over at the presence of the Blood.
The only way to the Father is to believe that Jesus Christ died and rose from the dead for our sin; to attempt any other passage way is to negate the cross. In the Tabernacle there was only one door.
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me. John 14:6 NASB
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it… And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.
John 1: 1-5, 14 NASB
And for this cause He is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament. They which are called might receive the promises of eternal inheritance. Hebrews 9: 15
Dear Jesus, thank You for being the perfect sacrifice for sin. Thank You for loving the world so much that You died to redeem it. Father, I thank You for the many that You used to bring forth the birth of Your Son. I honor them today for obedience to You. I acknowledge Jesus Christ as my only mediator and propitiation for my sin and I give You all the glory, honor, and praise. Jesus, You are our Paschal Lamb, and we apply Your blood over the doorpost and lintels of our homes; hyssop in hand reminding us of our humanity and sin that runs rampant in the earth. Thank You for Your shed blood that marks us for You and sends the destroyer on his way. In Your precious Name, Amen.
Set your eyes on the Paschal Lamb!
[2] Ibid.
1 comment for “Behold the Lamb”