THE LAMB

 

Bethlehem, where Jesus was born, was famous for its’ unblemished lambs which were used for the temple sacrifice. The shepherds in the field ‘who watched their flock by night’ were in actual fact priests and the flock they watched over were atoning lambs.

The new born perfect lambs without blemish were wrapped tightly in cloth and placed in ‘the manger’ which was an animal feeding trough made of stone. They would be kept safe there until they were taken to the temple. They were lambs that were cared for with love and devotion ‘because they were destined for sacrifice on the great altar in the Lord’s House, in similitude of the eternal sacrifice of Him who would atone for the sins of the world. (see Bruce R. McConkie, The Mortal Messiah Book 1, 347)

When Jesus was born, an angel appeared to these shepherd priests and announced the birth of the Saviour ‘which is Christ the Lord’, he told them the sign, or proof of His birth will be finding ‘the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger” (Luke 2:9-12). This the shepherds would understand for they had wrapped many lambs in swaddling cloths and placed them in a manger. They knew that the baby they would find in there would be the perfect Lamb of God.

I am amazed how the whole life of Christ is associated with symbolism. One year as I studied the Old Testament I became fascinated with the rituals of animal sacrifice performed by ancient Israel. I looked at it in depth to satisfy my fascination but I did not expect it to take my understanding of the Atonement to the next level.

I learnt that the horns on the ark of the covenant symbolized the power of Jehovah and sprinkling the blood of the animal on them suggested forgiveness can only come through His power. My greatest fascination with animal sacrifice, however, became even more personal to me. It was the practice of applying the sacrificial blood of the animal, by the priest, to the right ear, right thumb and right toe of the person that was to be consecrated to God.

These three parts of the body represented hearing the word of God, acting according to it and walking in His paths according to His commandments, that thereby the consecrated person might be sanctified through the power of the Atonement (see Keil and Delitzsch, Commentary, 1:2:387-88 as quoted by the Old Testament Student Manual).

Learning of the significance of applying the sacrificial blood for the purposes of sanctification and consecration had a great impact on me. I incorporated the practice of consecrating myself to God, through thought, word and deed, in my morning prayers.

As I did so, the image of the priest applying the sacrificial blood to my ear, thumb and toe would come into my mind to accompany my words.  This practice of daily consecration was something that strengthened my resolve to obey the command of ‘practicing virtue and holiness before God continually’ (D&C 46:33) and my obedience became more exact and finely tuned.

I contemplated this week on the principle of ‘the sacrificial lamb’ and wondered why a lamb was chosen to represent the Christ. My research for an answer didn’t yield any startling results so I offer my own understanding here.

The Saviour was and is a dutiful Son. Did He not say: “I do always those things that please him”? (John 8:29). Even His power to lay down His life and take it up again was performed out of perfect obedience to the Father who gave Him the commandment so to do (John 10:18).

Every lamb has a shepherd. So does the Lamb of God who is Christ. His Father is the Shepherd who leads and the Son is the lamb who follows. He does this in perfect obedience because He is the perfect Son.

This Lamb has the greatest shepherd of all, the Eternal Father, the God of Heaven, the fountain of all love and righteousness. He is the Shepherd and the Saviour is the Lamb……the sacrificial Lamb of God given by the sacrificing Father for all His children, a worthy Lamb and a mighty Shepherd to follow.....

I watched from heaven

And heard the angels in the field

Sing praises to Your name;

And I sorrowed knowing, like holy water,

Your love would spill on sacrificial altar.

I will follow….

 

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: Sweet Sleep In the Manger Lowly by Greg Collins)