Where is the Lamb?

 Where is the Lamb?

Genesis 22: ⁶ So Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife, and the two of them went together. ⁷ But Isaac spoke to Abraham his father and said, “My father!”

 

And he said, “Here I am, my son.”

 

Then he said, “Look, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?”

⁸ And Abraham said, “My son, God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering.” So the two of them went together.

 

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Isaac must have seen Abraham sacrificing lambs to GOD his whole life. Abraham may have gotten this desire to share an animal with GOD from his father Terah. Terah may have heard from Shem that Abel sacrificed an animal, following the LORD’s example. Abel may have done this in acknowledgement that GOD was right for throwing Adam and Eve out of the garden.

 

Abraham may have carried on this ritual of sharing an animal with GOD. But Isaac did not see a lamb this time. He was carrying the wood and saw the fire, but no lamb.

 

My Observations:

• Abraham did not know he was saying a prophecy of JESUS being the Lamb for mankind.
• Abraham believed his son would somehow be brought back to life.
• Abraham questioned GOD before, but not this time.

 

Being willing to give up someone he loved dearly because GOD told him to was incredible. GOD only needed one human, Abraham, to do this. During this difficult situation, Abraham still realized that GOD would provide what was needed. Same with you and me.

 

We think the situation is impossible. But we may have to do something that GOD told us to do that seems counter to what the world would say. GOD will provide “for HIMSELF” the lamb. HE did indeed and HIS name is JESUS.

 

Challenge

• Why do you think GOD told Moses about this conversation between Isaac and Abraham?
• Did GOD give you strange instructions that seem counter to HIS plan?
• Is GOD attempting to grow your faith by having you do something counter to the culture?

First of Many

First of Many

Revelation 14: Then I looked, and there was the Lamb standing on Mount Zion; with him were 144,000 people who have his name and his Father's name written on their foreheads. ² And I heard a voice from heaven that sounded like a roaring waterfall, like a loud peal of thunder. It sounded like the music made by musicians playing their harps. ³ The 144,000 people stood before the throne, the four living creatures, and the elders; they were singing a new song, which only they could learn. Of the whole human race they are the only ones who have been redeemed. ⁴ They are the men who have kept themselves pure by not having sexual relations with women; they are virgins. They follow the Lamb wherever he goes. They have been redeemed from the rest of the human race and are the first ones to be offered to God and to the Lamb. ⁵ They have never been known to tell lies; they are faultless.

 

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Standing on the playground, I waited to be picked. I expected to be picked last because the jocks would win and I was not very coordinated. To my surprise, I was picked early. I had the best game of my kickball career! I not only kicked the ball and got on base, but I caught one during the game!

 

• I was one of the first chosen.
• There was nothing special about me, but I was chosen.
• Out of the whole playground, I was chosen early, but many followed.

 

John, the disciple JESUS loved, saw JESUS somewhere else, standing on Mount Zion. He also saw those who had received a special seal when the sixth seal was opened. They were not the only ones saved, rather the first in a point in time, who kept themselves pure and followed CHRIST without following the world.

 

My Observations:

• The special woman gave birth to a special child through a chosen people.
• The chosen people are called the bride of JESUS.
• Being the first of many required 12,000 from each tribe, chosen by GOD.

 

Numbers and gender can trip people up after reading this passage. I mean, only 144,000 men being redeemed, can seem like everyone else in the world is useless. BUT GOD is revealing something different.

 

HE is the one who gave the words to a writer “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” Our cursed mind and eyes can question GOD’s sequence of events, missing out on the purity and not lying. I am glad JESUS redeemed all who believe in HIM.

 

Challenge

• How does the writer try to show how the group was “with” JESUS?
• Does any part of this passage trip you up?
• Will you look at GOD’s salvation of all humans differently and seek a great relationship with HIM today by believing in JESUS as the Savior?

Least Important Became Most

Least Important Became Most

Revelation 5: ⁶ Then I saw a Lamb standing in the center of the throne, surrounded by the four living creatures and the elders. The Lamb appeared to have been killed. It had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God that have been sent through the whole earth. ⁷ The Lamb went and took the scroll from the right hand of the one who sits on the throne. ⁸ As he did so, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each had a harp and gold bowls filled with incense, which are the prayers of God's people.

 

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When problems hit, I began to plan. “My” plans had worked before, so why not now. But the problem got worse and seemed to split into multiple problems. The more “I” tried to fix things the worse thing got. “Pray” someone said. Everything else failed, so I did. The problems started going away.

 

• I thought my plans would work.
• I thought I needed to take action.
• I realized that prayer should have been first.

 

John, the disciple JESUS loved, saw JESUS as the sacrificial Lamb standing, not sitting, in the center of the throne. HE had been viewed as the least important and was murdered by HIS own creation. The Lamb was able to take the scroll from the one who “sits” on the throne. Twenty-eight bowls filled with prayers of GOD’s people were there.

 

My Observations:

• JESUS was overlooked and was labeled the least important.
• JESUS volunteered to be blamed, slandered, and murdered for our sins.
• Prayer, surprisingly, is the only thing I can create here on earth that makes it into heaven.

 

One item that seems to be most valuable to GOD is prayer. HE loves prayer so much that HE stores each prayer up in a bowl. It makes me realize that it is not about the situation, rather it is about my prayer that GOD adores.

 

HE loves when I see beyond the circumstance to ask, or praise, or simply to give thanks. Every work I speak in sincere prayer makes it into the bowl. People say “You can’t take it with you” referring to money. But prayer is something I can take with me to heaven.

 

Challenge

• What does the writer say about the seven continents of world?
• Have you ever been in a situation that you thought more money or more fame would get you out of the problem?
• Will you pray to GOD and “ask” or “praise” or “thank” HIM for what HE’s already done so your prayer can be placed in a bowl before GOD’s throne today?

Behold the LAMB - by my wife

29The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! 30This is the one I meant when I said, 'A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.' 31I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel." 32Then John gave this testimony: "I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him. 33I would not have known him, except that the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, 'The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is he who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.' 34I have seen and I testify that this is the Son of God." Behold the Lamb

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When I was a child, I remember singing the nursery rhyme “Mary had a Little Lamb”. As I sang about the lamb whose “Fleece was white as snow”, I never thought about the song could also apply to our savior.

John introduces Jesus as “The Lamb of God”. It’s interesting to consider someone so powerful with such a gentle title. Our Savior as a Lamb. That’s exactly the role he served in and the sacrifice he made for us. Isaiah told us that this would happen. Isaiah 53:7 states” 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” During these times, a lamb was sacrificed in the morning and in the evening to atone for the sins of the people.

The lamb needed to be male, no broken bones, and without blemish. Jesus was the perfect Lamb. He humbled himself to die on the cross for all of our sins, so that we might have eternal life. As the song would say “That’s love”.

I want to be like Mary and take Jesus with me wherever I go. I appreciate his humility. I appreciate his sacrifice. I hope that in my endeavor to be more Christ like, I can love others as unselfishly as he does.

What do you think?
Do you think it’s easy or difficult to demonstrate humility and selfless love?

Have a blessed day!