Reflections on the Cross

Worthy is the Lamb who was slaughtered—to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing. (Revelation 5:12)

In the Old Testament, God instituted a system of sacrifices for his people which sustained their covenant relationship with Him. The shedding of blood was necessary for the remission of sins. And the sacrificed animal had to be without blemish, perfect.

When Jesus came on the scene, John the Baptist cried out, “Behold, the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world.” Jesus was the perfect sacrifice.

We read in 1st Peter 1:18-20:
For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And it was not paid with mere gold or silver, which lose their value. It was the precious blood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God. God chose him as your ransom long before the world began, but now in these last days he has been revealed for your sake.

We are no longer required to bring a sacrifice for the cleansing of our sins - Jesus has fulfilled every requirement in order for us to be redeemed.

In a glimpse of heaven in the book of Revelation, we read: Then I looked again, and I heard the voices of thousands and millions of angels around the throne and of the living beings and the elders. And they sang in a mighty chorus: “Worthy is the Lamb who was slaughtered— to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing.”

He is worthy.

And we are encouraged to offer our lives as a living sacrifice, as a fitting act of worship. (Romans 12:1)

Prayer: Lord, teach me how to be a living sacrifice. I’m thankful that you are the perfect Lamb of God, and that there remains no more sacrifice to be made for my salvation. I can only imagine the sound of thousands and millions of angels singing, “Worthy is the Lamb!” Help me to honor your sacrifice with my life. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Scripture passages: Tyndale House Publishers. (2013). Holy Bible: New Living Translation.. Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.