VOICE OF ISRAEL-IDENTITY BELIEVERS IN ULSTER

BEHOLD THE LAMB OF GOD!

(John 1:29-36)

By

R. T. Woodworth

John introduced Jesus as the Lamb of God. We have been looking into the various names by which Jesus is called and considering what they mean. First we identified Christ as "The King of Glory". Next we cited from the Gospels "The Son of Man" the name which Jesus most often used in referring to Himself. My Bible commentary explains it this way:

"Just as a coin has two sides, both valid, so Jesus Christ has two natures, both valid. Luke presents Christ in His humanity as the Son of Man; John portrays Him in His deity as the Son of God."

Next we deal with "The Saviour of the World" and "The Redeemer of Israel".

The beloved disciple John is the only one who uses this special term to reveal Christ's atoning life for the sins of the world, as God's sacrificial Lamb, both in his Gospel and the Revelation.

First, let's start with this introduction of Jesus to the world in 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!"

To verses 35-36:

'Again the next day John stood with two of his disciples; and looking upon Jesus as he walketh, he saith, 'Behold the Lamb of God?'

Notice that John the Gospel writer who was Jesus' disciple, is not speaking of himself, but of John the Baptist who was Jesus' cousin, who said these things.

The Gospel writer John and John the Baptist take their authority from the prophets who had used these terms describing Israel's coming King as the Lamb of God. The whole 53rd chapter of Isaiah tells of the suffering and agony of Christ as the Lamb of God who was to be sacrificed for our sins and the nation's transgressions. Isaiah prophesied in the past tense as if it had already occurred:

"He was oppressed and He was afflicted. Yet He opened not His mouth; He was brought as a larnb to the slaughter, And as a sheep before her shearers Is dumb, So He openeth not His mouth." (Isaiah 53:7).

More words from Handel's "Messiah" return to ring in our ears:

"Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows;

Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted.

But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities;

The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by his stripes we are healed.

All we like sheep have gone astray;

We have turned everyone to his own way;

And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all." (Isaiah 53: 4-6).

Philip cited this reference by Isaiah to the Ethiopian in Acts 8:32-33

"The place in the Scripture which he read was this:

'He was led as a sheep to the slaughter;

And like a lamb dumb before his shearer,

So opened He not His mouth.

In His humiliation His Judgement was taken away:

And who shall declare His generation?

For His life is taken from the earth'."

John also wrote the book of The Revelation of Jesus Christ which gives us the final picture of what is happening and yet to come, and contains more prophetic references to Christ as the Lamb of God. For example, Revelation 5:6 reads,

'And I beheld, and lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as though it had been slain. . . ". Later among the many figures and similies John uses throughout this book, he says, "they sang a new song, saying," in verses 9-10,

'Thou art worthy to take the book and to open the seals thereof;

For thou wast slain And hast redeemed us to God by thy

blood out of every kindred and tongue and people and nation.

And hast made us unto our God kings and priests,

And we shall reign on the earth'."

Down to verses 12-13, thousands of angels are singing,

"Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power

and riches and wisdom, and strength and honour and glory and blessings"

. . . Blessing and honour and glory and power be to Him that sitteth upon the throne,

And unto the Lamb for ever and ever!"

Revelation 6:1 begins with: 'And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals.' Through six seals and the seventh which revealed the sealed of Israel John had a vision of millions of people. (Revelation 7 :9-10), "before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palms in their hands, and cried with a loud voice, saying, 'Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb!'

Why should Jesus, the Son of Man and Son of God be called the Lamb of God? Early Israelites were shepherds and sheep were an important part of their economy, for food, clothing, trade, and used for sacrifices. While you may not have any sheep at home, they are still prevalent among Christian Israelite countries, like Great Britain Scandinavian nations, nearly all Europe, Canada, western United States Australia and New Zealand. These Christian nations produce more wool than all the rest of the world combined.

Adam's second son Abel was a keeper of sheep (Genesis 3:2), as were the patriarchs of our faith, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, Moses and David, and many of the Prophets. God's leaders were called shepherds because Israelites were called sheep people. The title of pastor means a shepherd, or one who tends to the needs of the sheep people and lambs who represent their young.

Christ as our Good Shepherd is portrayed prophetically as one who will "feed His flock like a shepherd; He shall gather the lambs with His arm, and carry them in His bosom and shall gently lead those that are with young." (Isaiah 40:11). Jesus told Peter his mission was to "Feed My lambs" if Peter really loved Him. "Feed My sheep" was His commission to Peter and to us whether we are fishermen or shepherds or any other occupation. (John 21:15-17). The tending to God's precious lambs who are borne of His chosen Christian Israel people is a vital part of our spiritual calling.

We are consistently told that "The Lord Is our Shepherd" as in the 23rd Psalm and that we are His sheep, but then He also reminds us of the devotion a Good Shepherd has for His sheep. He seeks those who are lost, recovers them and brings them back to the fold, or the place of safety. This is a subject of much Christian art and music.

Peter refers to Christ as the Lamb of God (I Peter 1:19) by reminding us that we were not redeemed by corruptible things as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.

Look at all the ways the Lamb of God can be portrayed in Revelation 7:9.

'After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, tribes, kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palms in their hands, and cried with a loud voice, saying, "Salvation to our God who sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb" in verses 14-17 he says, "These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb... for the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God will wipe away all tears from their eyes."

Here we discover the saints are (1) revealed, (2) relieved, and (3) rewarded.

As Christ is called the Lamb of God, so we are also considered His lambs. Jesus told the disciples in Luke 10:3, "I send you forth as lambs among wolves." Jesus is portrayed as the Good Shepherd gently carrying the lambs in His arms, as Isaiah said, "He will feed His flock like a shepherd; He will gather the lambs with His arm, and carry them in His bosom." (Isaiah 40:11). Again in Jeremiah 31:10, "He who scattered Israel will gather him and keep him as a shepherd does his flock." Jesus' last words to Peter were, 'Feed My lambs!' (John 21:15).

Lest we get the impression that Christ is no more than the Lamb of God, meek and humble, and the gentle keeper of tender lambs of His flock, remember that His second coming brings out another facet of His personality and character.

THE LAMB OF GOD BECOMES THE LION OF JUDAH

As the month of March may come in like a lamb, it will go out like a lion. Jesus was prophesied to be this Lion of the tribe of Judah in Genesis 49:9, where Jacob makes these divine prophecies concerning his sons.

"Judah is a lion's whelp ... As a lion, who shall rouse him? The sceptre shall not depart from Judah nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh comes, and to Him shall be the obedience of the people." It is 'the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David', who prevails to develop the kingdom of God on earth. (Revelation 5:5).

Concluding in the Revelation, we find the saints prevailing and presiding over the weaker elements of the earth (Revelation 12:11 ) 'And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony.' In Rev. 13.8: 'All who dwell on the earth will worship Him, whose names have been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.'

To Rev. 14:1, we find 'the Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with Him one hundred and forty-four thousand... (v.4) These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes. These were redeemed from among men being firstfruits to God and to the Lamb..." And judgment is poured out in the presence of the Lamb." (v. 10). in Revelation 15:3, "They sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb..."

Finally in Revelation 22:1, we find "a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb..."

What have we learned about the Lamb of God?

(1) That He is the Son of God and Son of Man, Jesus Christ, the King of Glory.

(2) That He is called the Lamb of God because He performs the functions of a meek and lowly lamb in submitting to being the sacrifice for sins.

(3) That He alone is worthy to receive power and glory and blessing and honour, because He is the Lamb of God.

(4) That He comes to reveal His power and to reward His people who follow Him and do His commands..

(5) That the Lamb of God is also the Great Shepherd of God's Israel sheep people.

(6) That He has ordained shepherds to feed His lambs and tend His sheep until He comes.

(7) That while His first Advent function was that of being the Lamb of God, the Saviour of the world, His coming again will assume the Lion of God, ruling over the dysfunctional world as King of kings with power and great glory.

From 'Straight Talk'

ARE YOU READY FOR CHRIST'S RETURN?

Can you answer "YES" to each of these questions?

1) DO I BELIEVE IN JESUS CHRIST?

"He that believeth on the son hath everlasting life; and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him"   -  JOHN 3:36

"But as many as received Him, to them gave he power to become the Sons of god, even to them that believe in His name"  -  JOHN 1:12

2) HAVE I REPENTED OF MY SIN?

"Repent ye therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out"  -  ACTS 3:19

"Repent ye for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand" -   MATTHEW 3:2

3) HAVE I CONFESSED CHRIST AS MY LORD AND SAVIOUR?

"If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shall be saved" -  ROMANS 10:9

4) HAVE I OBEYED THE LORD JESUS BY BEING BAPTIZED?

"Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for remission of sin"  -  ACTS 2:38

"Here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized? And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart thou mayest"   -   ACTS 8:36-37

5) HAVE I RECEIVED THE HOLY SPIRIT?

"And ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost"  -    ACTS 2:38

"Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed" -  ACTS 19:2

"After that ye believed ye were sealed with the Holy Spirit of Promise, which is the earnest of our inheritance ...... " -      EPHESIANS 1:13-14

6) AM I FOLLOWING JESUS AS MY MASTER EVERYDAY?

"Then said Jesus unto His disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow me"  -    MATTHEW 16:24

"Not every one that saith unto me Lord, Lord shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven" -   MATTHEW 7:21

7) AM I PART OF A BIBLE BELIEVING FELLOWSHIP OUTSIDE THE "ONE-WORLD CHURCH SYSTEM"?

"And they continued steadfastly in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship and in breaking of bread and in prayers"  -   ACTS 2:42

"Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together"   -   HEBREWS 10:25

8) AM I WATCHING FOR CHRIST'S RETURN?

"Take ye heed, watch and pray: For ye know not when the time is"  -   MARK 13:33

JESUS SAID "BEHOLD I COME QUICKLY AND MY REWARD IS WITH ME"  -   REVELATION 22:12

APOSTACY

The Light of the World being dimmed.

The following appeared in The Times of London, July 2, 1999.

The Times reports that the Rev. Inderjit Bhogal has been elected the next President of the Methodist conference in Great Britain. The Rev. Bhogal ministers to his Methodist Church in Sheffield on Sundays, and then goes to a Sikh temple nearby. His two children are being raised both Sikh and Methodist.

'NEVERTHELESS, WHEN THE SON OF MAN COMETH SHALL HE FIND FAITH (THE TRUE FAITH) UPON THE EARTH'  -   LUKE 18:8

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SAY THANKS

Did you ever say thanks to your maker

Did you ever say thanks for your sight

There are many who never see flowers

There are many who have nothing but night.

There are many who never see springtime

Nor the change of the leaves in the fall

When you see the dawn of morning

To your maker say thanks for it all.

He welcomes the Thanks of His children

He's earned it a thousand ways

He gives every good thing we cherish

Thank Him without fail every day.

There is no end to why we should thank Him

All good is from His loving hand.

Say thanks for friends and family

Or just thank Him for this - a free land.

OPENING THE SEALS OF THE APOCALYPSE

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