— Galatians 4:4-5
After 400 Years of Silence, God Speaks Again
After 400 years of silence, God sent the angel Gabriel to announce the birth of the promised messenger. His name would be John, and he would prepare the way for the Lord.
This was the fulfillment of Malachi's prophecy about Elijah coming before the great day of the Lord!
John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness, preaching repentance and baptizing people. He was the fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy about a voice crying in the wilderness.
Written 700 years before John was born
The exact fulfillment of prophecy
John's message was simple but powerful: "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!" He called people to turn from their sins and prepare their hearts for the coming King.
John fearlessly confronted religious hypocrisy and demanded genuine repentance, not just religious ritual.
Behold! The Lamb of God Who Takes Away the Sin of the World!
When John the Baptist saw Jesus coming toward him, he made the most stunning declaration in human history. He identified Jesus as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.
— John 1:29
In one sentence, John connected all of Old Testament history: the Passover lamb, the sacrificial system, the Day of Atonement - all pointing to this moment, this Person, this perfect Lamb.
Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God, equal with the Father in power, glory, and essence. He is the Creator of all things and the sustainer of the universe.
The eternal Son of God took on human nature, being born of the virgin Mary. He lived a perfect, sinless life as a man while remaining fully God.
Only someone who is both fully God and fully man could be the perfect mediator between God and sinful humanity. As God, He has the power to save. As man, He can represent us before God.
The Transfer of the World's Sins to the Lamb of God
In the Old Testament atonement system, the high priest would lay his hands on the head of a lamb without blemish to transfer the sins of the nation or individual onto the sacrificial animal. This was God's established method for transferring sin from the guilty to the innocent sacrifice.
"Aaron shall lay both his hands on the head of the live goat, confess over it all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions, concerning all their sins, putting them on the head of the goat" — Leviticus 16:21
The laying on of hands transferred the nation's sins to the scapegoat.
"And he shall put his hand on the head of the burnt offering, and it will be accepted on his behalf to make atonement for him." — Leviticus 1:4
Personal sins were transferred through the laying on of hands.
John the Baptist was not just any preacher - he was from the lineage of Aaron, the high priestly line. His father Zacharias was a priest serving in the temple. This was no coincidence - God appointed John as the last high priest to perform the ultimate transfer of sins.
Both John's father and mother were from priestly families, making John qualified to serve as high priest.
Jesus came to John as the perfect Lamb of God - without sin, without blemish, the only sacrifice that could take away the sins of the world. Just as the Old Testament lambs had to be perfect, Jesus was the perfect, sinless Son of God.
Jesus was the perfect sacrifice that all the Old Testament sacrifices pointed toward.
When John baptized Jesus, he laid his hands on Jesus's head and transferred ALL the sins of the world onto the Lamb of God. This was not just a symbolic act - it was the actual transfer of sin from humanity to Jesus Christ, fulfilling all righteousness.
Jesus said His baptism was necessary to "fulfill all righteousness" - meaning to complete God's plan for transferring sins.
After receiving the world's sins through the laying on of hands, Jesus was submerged in the water. This immersion symbolized His death and resurrection - He would die for the sins that were now upon Him and rise again victorious over sin and death.
Symbolized His coming death for the sins now upon Him
Symbolized His resurrection and victory over sin and death
The next day after the baptism, John saw Jesus and declared, "Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!" John could now identify Jesus as the sin-bearer because the sins had been transferred to Him the day before through baptism.
John could now point to Jesus as the one carrying the world's sins - because he had transferred them the day before.
As the Lamb going to the slaughter, Jesus was crucified to pay the wages of the sins that had been transferred to Him at His baptism. When He cried "It is finished!" He had paid the full price for every sin that was placed upon Him.
The perfect sacrifice was complete - all sins transferred at baptism were now paid for at the cross!
Jesus Christ willingly went to the cross and died as a substitute for sinners. He took upon Himself the punishment that you deserve for your sins.
God's justice demanded that sin be punished. Jesus satisfied that justice by taking the full wrath of God upon Himself. God's justice is now satisfied for all who believe in Jesus.
On the third day, Jesus rose from the dead, proving that His sacrifice was accepted by God and that He has power over sin and death.
Jesus ascended to heaven where He sits at the right hand of God the Father. He intercedes for believers and will one day return as King of kings.
Jesus Christ is the perfect fulfillment of every Old Testament prophecy, type, and shadow. Everything in the Old Testament pointed to Him.
Perfect, without blemish, blood saves from death
High priest enters with blood once for all
God provides the substitute sacrifice
Unlike the animal sacrifices that had to be repeated year after year, Jesus offered Himself once for all time. His sacrifice is perfect and complete.
The work is FINISHED! The perfect sacrifice has been made!
Every question has been answered! Every prophecy fulfilled! Every need met! Jesus Christ is the perfect Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.
You have learned about your sinful nature, your need for repentance, and God's requirement for blood sacrifice. You have seen how the Old Testament sacrifices could only temporarily cover sin. Now you know the answer: Jesus Christ is the perfect sacrifice for sin!
Learn how to receive this perfect salvation