I had a solid white male lamb die unexpectedly this past week. He appeared to be a perfect little lamb without spot or blemish. But he died. He lay on a clump of hay. His lifeless body in the exposed sun motionless. From a distance he looked like he was just taking a nap in the sun. You could visualize him just getting back up and walking again. But he was dead. Death was final for the lamb. His body had to be buried, because there was no hope for life again.
As I contemplated this little lamb’s death, I couldn’t help but think of Jesus Christ. Christ is the sinless “Lamb of God” who was crucified for our sins (John 1:29). He was offered as an atoning sacrifice for the sins of the world (1 John 2:2). Peter describes our redemption as coming through the “precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot” (1 Peter 1:19). His body was taken off of the cross and it was put into a tomb. He was dead. You bury dead things. Death must be treated as physically final. No passover lamb ever came back to life after it was sacrificed. Christ’s tomb was sealed. Guards were set to prevent anyone tampering with the tomb. The Jewish leaders had solved their problem–Jesus was dead. Like that lamb that lay in my field; death had its victim.
Praise God this was not the end of Jesus’ story. He was not a normal man, and certainly not a normal lamb. He was the sinless Passover lamb of God (1 Cor. 5:7). Death’s sting had no power over him because of his perfection (1 Cor. 5:21, Heb. 2:14). His lifeless body, which lay in a dark tomb, came back to life. He arose from the tomb and lived again (Mat. 28). He was triumphant over death. He conquered through lamb power. He humbly, sacrificially, and tenderly offered himself. Through his humble obedience He won the victory over death as the firstfruits of the resurrection (1 Cor. 15:20).
When I stared at that dead lamb, I thought of the true “Lamb of God” and how he lay dead, but the impossible happened. He arose (Mat. 28). In more somber and serious moments when death enters my life. When it pains my heart stealing those I love. I feel the finality of the grave. I am reminded of the great hope of the resurrection. We have such a hope because He arose! He did what no one else could do or can do, He came back to life! I trust Christians will too because of Him!
