John 1:29 – Verse of the Day 3/5/14

John the Baptist made this statement about Jesus’ identity before he baptized him in the Jordan river. John recognized Jesus for who he really was:  the ultimate Passover lamb (Exodus 12:1-11) and the prophesied suffering servant (Isaiah 53). Jesus is the eternal Son of God, who took on flesh in order to take away the sins of all who place their trust in him.

Just as the sins of Israel were placed on the lamb sacrificed in the Passover celebration, Jesus came in order to take the penalty for sin that should have belonged to us. The only difference is that the Passover lamb was a mere shadow pointing to the ultimate sacrifice that was to come, and Jesus’ sacrifice was fully sufficient for all our sin. Praise the Lord that Jesus defeated sin in order to save all those who repent and place their trust in Him.