(Some of the content of this message comes from an article written by Pastor Bob Yandian written on May 19, 2022 entitled, “Examine the Sacrifice”.)
(John 3:16-17 NKJV) For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. (17) For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.
Jesus The Lamb
John the Baptist called Jesus the Lamb of God. This was more than a title; it carried a great amount of prophetic significance.
(John 1:29 NKJV) The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!
(John 1:35-36 NKJV) Again, the next day, John stood with two of his disciples. (36) And looking at Jesus as He walked, he said, “Behold the Lamb of God!”
Now the time had come for Him to be examined by the people. John told the multitudes, “Behold (look closely, examine), the Lamb of God”. Jesus would be closely watched by the multitudes for the next three years.
His approval by men would come at the triumphal entry into Jerusalem on a donkey. The people would cry out, “Hosanna, blessed is he that comes in the name of the Lord”. Their king, their Messiah, would enter into the holy city to be offered.
His Time Had Come!
(Matthew 21:1-11 NKJV) Now when they drew near Jerusalem, and came to Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, (2) saying to them, “Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Loose them and bring them to Me. (3) And if anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord has need of them,’ and immediately he will send them.” (4) All this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying: (5) “TELL THE DAUGHTER OF ZION, ‘BEHOLD, YOUR KING IS COMING TO YOU, LOWLY, AND SITTING ON A DONKEY, A COLT, THE FOAL OF A DONKEY.’ ” (6) So the disciples went and did as Jesus commanded them. (7) They brought the donkey and the colt, laid their clothes on them, and set Him on them. (8) And a very great multitude spread their clothes on the road; others cut down branches from the trees and spread them on the road. (9) Then the multitudes who went before and those who followed cried out, saying: “Hosanna to the Son of David! ‘BLESSED IS HE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD!’ Hosanna in the highest!” (10) And when He had come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, “Who is this?” (11) So the multitudes said, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth of Galilee.”
(Zechariah 9:9 NKJV) “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King is coming to you; He is just and having salvation, Lowly and riding on a donkey, A colt, the foal of a donkey.
This was one of the most dramatic events in the ministry of the Lord Jesus. He has come to the last three days of His earthly ministry and he has withheld telling many that He was the Messiah. Outside of the woman at the well, Jesus has told no one He is the Chosen One of Israel to redeem their sins. The disciples have known, but only through divine revelation. Jesus asked them what people were saying of him in the cities.
They replied that the common consensus was John the Baptist raised from the dead, Elijah or any one of the Old Testament prophets. He then asked Peter who he thought He was and the reply was, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:16 NKJV). Jesus told Peter this revelation came from the Father. When demons told of His identity, He commanded them to tell no one. He told them His time had not yet come.
- On the day of His triumphal entry into Jerusalem, Jesus’ time had come.
For three years He had worked Himself from the countryside of Israel into the city of Jerusalem. He had performed signs, wonders, and miracles and fulfilled the Old Testament scriptures concerning His life and ministry. He now presented Himself to the multitudes as the Messiah, the Redeemer. He was in town to be seen by the crowds, examined before crucifixion.
The Sacrifice Was Examined
- Before a lamb could be sacrificed, it had to be examined.
No imperfections were allowed. The lamb had to be perfect and spotless to be qualified for a sacrifice for sins. This took three days of examination.
(Exodus 12:3 NKJV) Speak to all the congregation of Israel, saying: ‘On the tenth of this month every man shall take for himself a lamb, according to the house of his father, a lamb for a household.
(Exodus 12:5-6 NKJV) Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year. You may take it from the sheep or from the goats. (6) Now you shall keep it until the fourteenth day of the same month. Then the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it at twilight.
Everyone took a lamb, good men and bad, rich men and poor, and large families and small. Each family had to find the best lamb possible. The lamb was observed for three days.
The sacrifice was brought to the priest where it was examined again. The owner had watched the sheep for three days and found no blemish. The priest gave the final examination and approval for the lamb to be used for a sin offering.
Jesus came into this world to be examined by His Father first of all. For thirty years, Jesus had proved Himself before His heavenly Father. On the day Jesus was baptized in the Jordan River, His Father could now say, “This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased”. Jesus had the stamp of approval from heaven.
- Jesus was examined by God and approved for sacrifice.
The Offering Represents Your Desire for Purity
(Deuteronomy 15:21 NKJV) But if there is a defect in it, if it is lame or blind or has any serious defect, you shall not sacrifice it to the LORD your God.
- An offering with any blemish at all was forbidden by God.
It should not only be repulsive to God, but also to the one bringing the offering. Why?
- The offering represented what the person wanted to become.
Did the person with the offering want to be sick? No. Then why would a person offer a sick sacrifice? Did the person want to be lame or blind? No. Then why would they offer a lame or blind sacrifice?
- Jesus was not only a perfect sacrifice for God, but also for us.
He is everything we desire to be. He is spotless with regards to sin and sickness so we can be whole, spirit, soul, and body. Only a spotless animal could take the sins of the congregation. Only a spotless Redeemer could take the sins and iniquities of the world. Thank God for Jesus, the Lamb of God.
Jesus Is Better Than an Earthly Lamb
(Hebrews 9:13-14 TPT) Under the old covenant the blood of bulls, goats, and the ashes of a heifer were sprinkled on those who were defiled and effectively cleansed them outwardly from their ceremonial impurities. (14) Yet how much more will the sacred blood of the Messiah thoroughly cleanse our consciences! For by the power of the eternal Spirit he has offered himself to God as the perfect Sacrifice that now frees us from our dead works to worship and serve the living God.
The blood of animals could never remove sins from a person’s life. Animal’s blood could only cover for a short period of time and another animal had to be offered. Jesus’ blood was eternal. Once the blood of our Redeemer was shed, no animal or man had to shed blood again for our redemption.
- Jesus was the perfect sacrifice and put an end to all sacrifices.
(1 Peter 1:18-19 NKJV) knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, (19) but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.
Let me paint a picture in your mind. Jesus is our Passover Lamb. He was examined by His Father for thirty years and examined by the people for three years. He was announced to be without spot or blemish. He fulfilled the type of the Old Testament lamb offered before the priest. After examining the sacrifice for three days, the person brought the sacrifice to the priest to be examined. The person examined the sacrifice, and the priest examined the sacrifice. The priest did not examine the person. When we come to God with a heart attitude of repentance, He forgives us.
If we come as a sinner for salvation or as a believer for forgiveness of sins, God does not examine us. He examines Jesus, the sacrifice.
- God declares Jesus to be spotless. Then He declares us, the ones seeking forgiveness, to be spotless too.