Isaiah 53:7
He was oppressed and afflicted,
yet he did not open his mouth;
he was led like a lamb to the slaughter,
and as a sheep before its shearers is silent,
so he did not open his mouth. (NIV)
Today’s Reading: Isaiah 53:7-9
Jesus was the Lamb of God. We know the Scriptures:
“Tell the whole community of Israel that on the tenth day of this month each man is to take a lamb for his family, one for each household… Take care of them until the fourteenth day of the month, when all the members of the community of Israel must slaughter them at twilight” (Ex 12:3, 6).
“The first offspring of every womb belongs to me, including all the firstborn males of your livestock, whether from herd or flock. Redeem the firstborn donkey with a lamb, but if you do not redeem it, break its neck. Redeem all your firstborn sons. No one is to appear before me empty-handed.” (Ex 34:19-20).
“The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, ‘Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!’” (John 1:29).
“The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, ‘Look, the Lamb of God!’” (John 1:35-36).
“For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect” (1 Pet 1:18-19).
God instilled the ritual of slaughtering a lamb every year at Passover. An innocent lamb without blemish or defect was slaughtered by every Israelite family for thousands of years before Jesus, the Lamb of God would be slaughtered on the day of Passover.
For thousands of years, every year the Israelites would have to redeem their livestock and their firstborn sons by slaughtering a lamb. Then when Jesus came, the Lamb of God would be slaughtered to redeem all the nations.
The word “led” is the Hebrew word yābal which portrays a purposeful movement. Other versions translate yābal as “brought” in that God brought his Son to the altar to slaughter him for the sins of the world. It was purposeful. And we know this because God instilled this very moment in the sacrificial system of his people. He required Israel to slaughter their lambs so that when the Lamb of God arrived they would know who he was. Yet they missed him anyway.
Now the redeemed Jews look back on Jesus and they can see that he was led like a lamb to the slaughter because he is the Lamb. And one day we will have the privilege to worship the Lamb for this great thing that he has done for us! John recorded what he saw when the heavens were opened to him:
“Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing at the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders… He went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who sat on the throne. And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of God’s people… Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders. In a loud voice they were saying:
‘Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain,
to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength
and honor and glory and praise!’
Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, saying:
‘To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb
be praise and honor and glory and power,
for ever and ever!’
The four living creatures said, ‘Amen,’ and the elders fell down and worshiped” (Rev 5:6-8, 11-14).
Christ in the Old Testament 
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