Daily Bread – February 4, 2023 (The Seventh Day – Genesis 2:1-3) John 1:29 – The next day, John saw Jesus coming towards him and he said, “Look! The Lamb of God, Who takes away the sin of the world.” The Passover Lamb John gave witness to Jesus before Satan was allowed to tempt Him in the wilderness and then again after the temptation. Jesus was the spotless Lamb Who was without sin before He went up into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. Jesus also remained the spotless Lamb after the temptation to which John once again gave testimony. This examination by John was similar to the examination the priest had to give to ensure that the offerings were without blemish. Jesus was not just any kind of lamb, He was the Passover Lamb. The Passover was used by Jesus to declare the New Covenant – and in fact, was changed by Him to be the occasion of celebrating the birth of the New Covenant. The Passover supper is the model for New Testament communion (1 Corinthians 11:20-30). The fact that Jesus is represented by the Passover lamb of the Old Testament is further emphasized in that He was killed at the time of the slaying of the Passover lamb (John 19:14,31, 18:28). Jesus was shown to be a Lamb without spot or blemish, and His body was to be taken and eaten, and not a bone was to be broken – a treatment specifically required of the Passover lamb (John 19:31-37, 6:51-56; Exodus 12:26; Numbers 9:12). Paul taught that Jesus was the Passover Lamb in 1 Corinthians 5:7, “for Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us”. Peter also taught that Jesus was a “lamb without blemish and without spot” (1 Peter 1:19). Finally, Isaiah the prophet called Him a lamb (Isaiah 53:7; Acts 8:32). Blessings, Pastor Mark Spitsbergen
Daily Bread 2/4/2023
