Before the foundation of the world (2)

Friday 23 April 2021

You were redeemed... by the blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot, fore-known before the foundation of the world. 1 Peter 1.18-20

John saw Jesus coming to him, and he said : Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. John 1.29

Before the foundation of the world (2)

"The Father loves the Son" (John 5. 20). Before the foundation of the world, God the Father loved his Son Jesus Christ, who was :

- A "pre-known" Lamb, known in advance. In the Bible, the lamb tells us about a sacrifice. Before the foundation of the world, a Lamb had been prepared to be sacrificed. Abraham had announced that God would find the lamb for the burnt offering (Genesis 22. 8). 2000 years later, the prophet John the Baptist very clearly designates this lamb. Seeing Jesus, he declares : "Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world !"

Jesus, the Son of God, is therefore also the Lamb of God announced to Abraham, and provided for the sacrifice.

Why a sacrifice ? Because of the disobedience of the first man, by which sin entered the world. "The wages of sin is death" (Romans 6:23). To deliver us from the consequences of sin, Jesus came to this world. Perfect victim, he died, and his shed blood "purifies from all sin" those who believe in him (1 John 1. 7). "He was made manifest... for the abolition of sin by his sacrifice" (Hebrews 9:26).

We find the Lamb of God in Revelation (5. 6, 8, 12, 13). Everyone can see that he has been immolated, that is to say sacrificed. Thanks to him, God can now save anyone who believes in him.

The fact that this Lamb was appointed before the foundation of the world therefore proclaims that God has always been ready to sacrifice his beloved Son for sinful men.

Source (The Good Seed)