The Lamb Illustration

If you lived in Moses’ time, and you sinned, you would have to take an unblemished lamb to the priest outside of the entrance to the sanctuary.  You would then lay your hands upon the head of the lamb and confess your sins.

Symbolically, your sins were transferred to the innocent lamb.  You would have to inflict a fatal wound to the lamb. The priest would then offer the lamb as a sin offering for you.  You would walk away forgiven of your sin, and behind you the innocent lamb was dying in your place.  In essence, the lamb’s death was your death!

This is what Calvary was all about!  God gave the sacrificial system to point forward to Jesus -- the real Lamb of God! That is why when John the Baptist saw Jesus he exclaimed, “Behold, the Lamb of God who taketh away the sins of the world!”  (John 1:29.)  When we, by faith, look to the cross today, it has the same effect as when they laid their hands on the lamb’s head in Moses' day.  The difference is that now our sins go to Calvary where Jesus paid the price for them!