Weekly Devotional 1-20-25 God’s Propitiation of Man
Writing of the Antichrist, John wrote “All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world” (Revelation 13:8). Our focus in this devotional however is not the Antichrist but the Lamb who was slain from the foundation of the world.
What or who is this, Lamb? In this scene the Lamb was not an animal but a person, Jesus, the risen, glorified Lord. Years before John had referred to Jesus as the Lamb of God (John 1:35). In both passages (John 1:35 and Revelation 13:8) John’s usage of the word Lamb had/has the connotation of God’s propitiation for man. Remember what God did for Adam and Eve back in the garden of Eden after they had disobeyed Him and took of the forbidden fruit; God covered not only their naked bodies, but their sin, with the hides of animals. This necessitated the animal’s death. Throughout the Old Testament God required Israel (His chosen people) to shed the blood of lambs in sacrifice for the covering of their sins. Notice the sacrifice of the lambs did not pay the penalty (God’s judgment against sin) it only covered their sin. Why? The writer of the book of Hebrews answers….“1 For the law, having a shadow of the good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with these same sacrifices, which they offer continually year by year, make those who approach perfect. 2 For then would they not have ceased to be offered? For the worshipers, once purified, would have had no more consciousness of sins. 3 But in those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year. 4 For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins. 5 Therefore, when He came into the world, He said: ‘Sacrifice and offering You did not desire, But a body You have prepared for Me. 6 In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin You had no pleasure. 7 Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come– In the volume of the book it is written of Me– To do Your will, O God.’ 8 Previously saying, ‘Sacrifice and offering, burnt offerings, and offerings for sin You did not desire, nor had pleasure in them’ (which are offered according to the law), 9 then He said, ‘Behold, I have come to do Your will, O God.’ He takes away the first that He may establish the second. 10 By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all” (Hebrews 10:1-10).
It was always in the mind of God, even before He created the world that Jesus Christ (God in flesh) would be sacrificed for man’s redemption. Not all persons, but for those whose names were written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.
The question is, is your name, is my name written in the Lamb’s Book of Life? The qualifier is, do you, do I worship Him? Worship is a matter of the heart. Non-worship is also a matter of the heart.
John 3:18-21 18 He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19 And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. 21 But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.”
Steve
Stevelampman.com
Transforming Power; The Work of God on Behalf of Man