By R. L. Wilson: If you spend much time in the Old Testament, you will soon come to realize the important role sheep played in the sacrificial system. Daily, weekly, monthly, yearly the Israelites would make animal sacrifices. God told them, “For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves on the altar; it is the blood that makes atonement for one’s life” (Leviticus 17:11). These sacrifices had to be offered over and over again until,… Well, we’ll get to that. What does the Bible mean when it says ‘I am the Good Shepherd?
We all remember the story of the Passover when the blood of the lamb was applied to the doorframe, and the lives of the firstborn sons of Israel were spared.
We can remember the story of Abraham and Isaac where God provided a ram in the thicket in exchange for Isaac’s life.
Each of these stories involve the death of the sheep. But an astonishing thing happened in the New Testament. Instead of the sheep being sacrificed, the Shepherd came as “the Lamb of God which takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29).
We all remember the story of the Passover when the blood of the lamb was applied to the doorframe, and the lives of the firstborn sons of Israel were spared.
We can remember the story of Abraham and Isaac where God provided a ram in the thicket in exchange for Isaac’s life.
Each of these stories involve the death of the sheep. But an astonishing thing happened in the New Testament. Instead of the sheep being sacrificed, the Shepherd came as “the Lamb of God which takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29).
Connect With John Ankerberg