Fear No Fear

(All scripture from the NET, netbible.org, all rights reserved)

Tell the whole community of Israel, ‘On the tenth day of this month they each must take a lamb for themselves according to their families—a lamb for each household… Your lamb must be perfect, a male, one year old; you may take it from the sheep or from the goats. You must care for it until the fourteenth day of this month, and then the whole community of Israel will kill it around sundown. They will take some of the blood and put it on the two side posts and top of the doorframe of the houses where they will eat it.
Exodus 12:3, 5-7 (emphasis added)

In order to qualify to be this lamb, it had to be male. There are only two options in nature (male and female), so it was easy to divide the flock. It had to be no more than one year old. Lambs became sexually active around that time, so they were looking for lambs that had not yet crossed over from youth (virgins) to adult (sexually active members of the flock). So far, so good. Easy to establish. They also had to be PERFECT. No blemishes, no scars, no deformities. For Passover, the lamb was picked in advance. It was kept with the family for three days tied to a stake so that they could 1) keep it safe and 2) go over it again and again and again looking for blemishes, wounds, or anything that would disqualify it from being ‘perfect’. The whole family would be involved. One after another, some in the morning, some in the evening, again and again. Making VERY sure because Yahweh only got the BEST of the BEST. The qualifications for being a sacrifice on Passover, atoning with your blood, paying for them so that they did NOT have to die was very, VERY strict and very, very, VERY high. It’s a wonder any of them ever qualified.

Yet we know that they did. Again and again. Getting that lesson deep into their minds and into their hearts. Learning that a perfect sacrifice giving of its blood can remove the guilt of a sin (expiation). It doesn’t CLEANSE, but it restores relationship temporarily – until the next sin. Yet they could know from the Word that if a PERFECT sacrifice full of TOTAL righteousness gave of its blood, then sin could be paid for. It would be able to appease the wrath of Yahweh toward sin. They would have sin itself removed and washed away (propitiation). But nothing here on earth qualified. “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). All creation is fallen. “For the creation was subjected to futility—not willingly but because of God who subjected it—in hope that the creation itself will also be set free from the bondage of decay into the glorious freedom of God’s children” (Romans 8:20-21). Who could be perfect? Who could take our place in payment of that universal debt?

“And I saw a powerful angel proclaiming in a loud voice: “Who is worthy to open the scroll and to break its seals?” But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or look into it. So I began weeping bitterly because no one was found who was worthy to open the scroll or to look into it. Then one of the elders said to me, “Stop weeping! Look, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the root of David, has conquered; thus he can open the scroll and its seven seals.” Then I saw standing in the middle of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the middle of the elders, a Lamb that appeared to have been killed. He had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. Then he came and took the scroll from the right hand of the one who was seated on the throne, and when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders threw themselves to the ground before the Lamb. Each of them had a harp and golden bowls full of incense (which are the prayers of the saints). They were singing a new song: “You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals because you were killed, and at the cost of your own blood you have purchased for God persons from every tribe, language, people, and nation” (Revelation 5:2-9). Who was this lamb? Who QUALIFIED?

Jesus was a man. It was easy to see. He was male. There were only two options (male and female) and both the woman who gave birth to Him and his closest associates who saw Him in all circumstances, Jesus was male. ““Men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a man clearly attested to you by God with powerful deeds, wonders, and miraculous signs that God performed among you through him, just as you yourselves know—this man, who was handed over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you executed by nailing him to a cross at the hands of Gentiles” (Acts 2:22-23). Jesus qualifies on that point.

Jesus was alive for about thirty-three years, but He did not enter into a marriage covenant. Jesus wasn’t asexual. He was tempted in every way that we are (Hebrews 4:14-16). But Jesus did NOT engage in sexual activity. Like a lamb who hadn’t yet become active, Jesus went to the cross a virgin. If He had been sexually active, He would NOT qualify as that sacrifice. Which is why the devil has been screaming for so long about a lost line of Jesus. This is why you see movies, books, stories, and television shows that try to link known women in Jesus’ circle (such as Mary Magdalene) with Jesus. They try and give Him a girlfriend of our modern values. Though Jesus did not have one, if He had He would have followed Torah about His relationship and not entered into sexual activity anyway. Jesus went to the cross pure virgin and qualifying as a ‘year-old lamb’.

Was Jesus without blemish? Well, the religious thinkers of the day (Pharisees, scribes, Sadducees, etc) certainly examined Him. Matthew Chapter 22 records the Pharisees, the Sadducees, Herodians, and the teachers of the torah. Their questions and challenges were theological, halachic, doctrinal, and anything else which might disqualify him as Messiah – not the only time Jesus was challenged, but a good cross-section. Jesus defeated each and every argument with the TRUTH about Himself. There are 365 prophecies that I know of (there could be more) that Jesus FULFILLED during His life, ministry, death, and resurrection. His character, nature, deeds, circumstances, birth, residence, parents and ancestors, actions, and responses from those around Him. And that isn’t counting the miraculous signs and wonders that followed in the wake of His teaching ministry. Jesus never sinned. He was NEVER found to be in the wrong or to be doing something contrary to the true intent of the Law. It was so clear that the religious leaders of the day (not the people) chose to kill Him to shut Him down. Death usually does that. But Jesus was raised to life – reliably and provably (even more than the life of Alexander the Great or Julius Caesar. Jesus qualified as righteous.

Jesus hits the three points to be the sacrifice for our sins. He was the suffering servant who gave up His life for ours. By His stripes, wounds, and bruises He healed us spiritually, physically, mentally, emotionally, relationally, and every other way. “(My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin.) But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the Righteous One, and he himself is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for our sins but also for the whole world” (1 John 2:1-2). Jesus qualified. Jesus went through with it. Jesus WAS the lamb slain before the foundation of the world (Revelation 13:8). It was obvious and recognisable. “On the next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! This is the one about whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who is greater than I am, because he existed before me.’ I did not recognize him, but I came baptizing with water so that he could be revealed to Israel.” Then John testified, “I saw the Spirit descending like a dove from heaven, and it remained on him. And I did not recognize him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘The one on whom you see the Spirit descending and remaining—this is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ I have both seen and testified that this man is the Chosen One of God.”” (John 1:29-34).

Jesus was our lamb. Jesus was our sacrifice. Jesus redeemed us. In HIM we find all prosperity: spirit, soul, body, mind, health, finances, situation, relationship, and everything else. Jesus IS Lord and King (Revelation 17:14). In HIM, we have ABUNDANT life (John 10:10). He qualified so that in Him, we can too.

Daily Affirmation Jesus IS Messiah: Isaiah 16:4-5

“Please let the Moabite fugitives live among you. Hide them from the destroyer!” Certainly the one who applies pressure will cease; the destroyer will come to an end; those who trample will disappear from the earth. Then a trustworthy king will be established; he will rule in a reliable manner, this one from David’s family. He will be sure to make just decisions and will be experienced in executing justice.” Messiah would reign in Mercy. He could hardly do anything else since it is a characteristic of Yahweh’s nature. But so often mercy is not seen on this earth. But Messiah WOULD be Merciful even as He was Just and True. His reign would be characterised by expressing, or showing mercy. Being compassionate, sympathetic, tender, benignant, forgiving, lenient, clement, kind. All while being righteous, just, and true. “He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of his father David. He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and his kingdom will never end.”” (Luke 1:32-33). This was spoken over Jesus by an angel – a mouthpiece of Yahweh. Jesus showed mercy when He didn’t have to (John 8:11). Jesus was sympathetic and kind AND acted on it (Luke 13:10-17). Jesus was lenient, clement, and forgiving (Luke 7:36-50). Jesus was compassionate (Luke 7:13-14). It was His nature. It was WHO He was. Jesus IS the Messiah!

Your Daily Confession of Jesus/Yeshua’s Identity:

Yeshua is the Christ, the Son of the living God.

Matthew 16:16b