The theme of both the Old and New Testaments is the Coming One—the Lamb of God slain before the foundation of the world. (Revelation 13: 8) There are more than three hundred promises concerning Jesus and predictions of prophets that circle about Him as the central sum of the entire Divine revelation of redemption. Yet, we as believers do not consider the Lamb as a part of the Christmas story. I believe that God would have us stop and focus on the Lamb of God—Heaven’s Perfect Sacrificial Lamb as the centerpiece of God’s plan of the ages during this Christmas season. Probably the most prominent animal in the whole of Scripture is the lamb that is throughout the books of the Bible from Genesis to Revelation. Sheep have been used symbolically throughout the Bible to portray God’s people while the lamb is a representation of His Son, Jesus. The lamb is a foreshadowing of what Jesus did to save humanity—to be the sacrificial Lamb of God. We will look at different places in Scriptures where the lamb has been mentioned, focusing more specifically upon Micah’s prophecy about the birth and rejection of the King as well as its relevance to our lives today.
Since creation, God has been orchestrating world affairs to set the stage for the arrival of His Son. During this time, He used prophecy to keep alive people’s hope for a fresh beginning and a new relationship with Him. The story begins not in a manger, but rather in Adam and Eve’s Garden. It was their disobedience that introduced sin into the world. In Genesis 3: 15 we find the first promise of a Savior that would remove the curse upon mankind through the seed of the woman (Christ) who would destroy the seed of the enemy (Satan). The chain of references which begins here includes the promises and prophecies concerning Christ which were fulfilled in His birth and works at His first advent and will come to complete fruition at the return of Christ. God reveals the pattern for redemption—the shedding of innocent blood is required for forgiveness of sin. (Hebrews 9:22) God killed innocent animals (most likely lambs) and made coverings or clothes for Adam and Eve after their sin. We then see Abel’s sacrifice from his flock acceptable and pleasing to the LORD. Noah who was perfect in his generations sacrificed animals to the LORD after God’s Divine judgment upon all the earth and its inhabitants by the flood. In the account of Abraham and Isaac God provided a substitute sacrificial ram for the life of Isaac as Abraham declared: “God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” In the first Passover in Egypt the blood of an unblemished lamb saved God’s people from death. In the Tabernacle a picture of salvation is seen through the blood sacrifice sprinkled on the mercy seat. All the offerings and feasts given to Moses for the observance by the people picture the perfection of the sacrifice and points to the flawless character of a future sacrifice—an atonement for sin—the Christ without blemish or defect. The priests would make the offering first in order to say, “I would give anything to draw near to You, LORD.”
Exactly as the prophets foretold, Isaiah proclaimed om 7:14, “Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel.” “Immanuel” means “God with us” and functions more as a title than a proper name. The angel told Mary to call her Son “Jesus,” which means “God saves.” So, Jesus is God among us who saves. Micah told the Jewish people their leader would come from the tiny town of Bethlehem in. In Micah 5:2 we read: “But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.” Ephrathah and Bethlehem are the same. Jesse, the father of King David was an Ephrathite. (1 Sam. 17:12) Boaz and Ruth’s union would be the Messiah to be born in Bethlehem. (Mt. 1:5) Joseph had family lineage there and was from the line of David. (Luke 2:1-4)
Let’s explore some details about Jesus’ birthplace that magnifies God’s perfect plan for the appearance of Heaven’s Perfect Sacrificial Lamb! The manger was not a randomly selected one but rather, it was “the manger,” as in a place very specific, chosen by God Himself, and prophesied by name in the Scriptures. In Micah 4: 8 we read: “And thou, O tower of the flock, the strong hold of the daughter of Zion, unto thee shall it come, even the first dominion; the kingdom shall come to the daughter of Jerusalem.” Many people have never heard of the Tower of the Flock. Yet, along with the prophecies of the Bethlehem birth of the Messiah also came a clearly stated prophecy about the location in that village where the child would be born. God orchestrated the circumstances so that the birth of Jesus would occur in Bethlehem.
History records that the Bethlehem fields were a consecrated place because the sheep and cattle used for sacrifice in the Temple were raised in this area surrounding Jerusalem. The fields and the Tower of the Flock were located at Migdal Edar (Gen. 35:21) (David’s birthplace). The shepherds abiding in the field were not ordinary shepherds but were “shepherd priests” responsible for the sacrificial system of temple worship and looked after the sheep that would be given as offerings and were specialists in raising and preparing lambs for the ongoing rituals. It appears to be a sound conclusion that God was going to reveal Messiah from Migdal Eder, close to where the shepherds would be camped in Bethlehem that night.
All of this was foretold more than four hundred years before it happened. There was good reason that there was no room in the inn. In those days, in compliance with the law, a woman who was about to give birth was—to the Jews—considered unclean, like a woman who had an issue of blood. She wasn’t supposed to be around people and had to remain secluded. So, the “no vacancy” notice from the inn-keeper probably wasn’t given because there was literally no room in the inn; rather, it was given because there was no mistaking her condition. She was about to give birth.
Let’s look at the exact location of Jesus’ birth. The area was known as the “Shepherds’ Field” and about a dozen shepherds’ towers were scattered throughout the valley so that they could watch over their sheep. The bottom level of each tower was also used for birthing rooms—specialized stables for the lambs. These lambs were cared for with the utmost concern because they needed to be spotless—without blemish. Allowing them to be born naturally out in the field would have put them at risk of injury. Placing them in a manger/stall off the rough ground, protected them within the walls of the observation towers. They also wrapped them in special cloth bands called swaddling bands made from the priestly clothes which ensured the animals’ perfection.
Jesus was born in the Tower of the Flock because He came to be the ultimate sacrificial Lamb. It made perfect prophetic sense that the Lamb of God would be born in the same place as the lambs for Temple sacrifice. The details of the swaddling bands in Luke 2 ties to Old Testament foreshadowings because that same detail involves not only the physical but also the spiritual. We are also overshadowed by, swaddled in, and wrapped in the eternally protective blood of the Lamb. We read in Galatians 3: 26-27: “For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” This “holy child” was to be Heaven’s perfect sacrificial Lamb, the one who would also be our Great High Priest, as well as our Good Shepherd.
Let’s return to the prophecies of Micah made in the 8th Century BC. Micah means “Who is like the Lord?’ as God chose a little known prophet to disclose meaningful prophecies about the future kingdom in the last days that relates to a two-fold travail of Israel that brings forth a “male child” (Christ) according to 5:3 and that which brings forth in the last days a believing remnant out of the still unbelieving nation of Israel. The Ruler comes from Bethlehem in time, but His activities have been from eternity. His goings forth were in creation, preservation, providences, theophanies, and redemptive activity. Verse 5:3 indicates that there would be a rejection of Christ at His first coming so the LORD will abandon Israel until the believing remnant appear. “Therefore will he give them up, until the time that she which travaileth hath brought forth; then the remnant of his brethren shall return unto the children of Israel.” This is the interval that we are presently in which has extended 2,000 years as the nation of Israel is regathered but in unbelief awaiting Messiah. According to biblical prophecies, a future event will occur where a Jewish remnant will recognize Jesus Christ whom they pierced. In Zechariah 12:10, it is written that the Spirit of grace and supplication will be poured out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem leading them to look upon Jesus, whom they have pierced, and mourn for Him as one mourns for an only son, and be in bitterness for Him as one who is in bitterness for his firstborn. Revelation 1:7 echoes this prophecy which occurs at the Second Coming of Christ, stating that Jesus will come with clouds, and every eye will see Him, including those who pierced Him and all the tribes of the earth will wail on account of Him.
At key points in biblical history, the Lamb emerges again and again as the key to the Lord’s plan of redemption. The “Heavenly Perfect Sacrificial Lamb” appears at historically significant moments, to certify the relationship between God and man. We have done an overview of the Lamb from before the foundation of the world, throughout the Bible and then the Lamb steps forward in Revelation. Outside of the Book of Revelation, the Lamb is mentioned only four times in the entire New Testament, but it is mentioned twenty-eight times in Revelation. In Rev. 5: 1-7 we see the seven-sealed scroll that according to Jewish law was a legal document that had been officially sealed. Only the Lamb was qualified to unseal the document as Christ carried out the plan of God’s creation and everything that was made was made by Him according to Colossians 1: 16-17. He brought order out of chaos and Adam was given dominion over all creation. However, because Adam disobeyed he relinquished that dominion to Satan, who became the god of this world. It seems that the rightful owner of the heavens and the earth is reclaiming His Title Deed. In His hands is a sealed indictment containing a list of charges accrued across the ages by fallen mankind and fallen angels—specifically Satan. In the opening of its seals, the Lamb will right the wrongs over millennia and establish peace and justice. In verse 5 we see the connection of the seed of the woman from the lineage of David and the tribe of Judah as it says “the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book and to loose the seven seals.” This goes back to Luke 3:33 and Genesis 49:9-10 to Jacob’s prophetic blessing of his sons. He said, “Judah is a lion’s whelp…” Why did the Lion become the Lamb? It is the Lamb’s redemptive work of salvation that proceed His kingship in His 1000-year reign on the Throne of David as He rules as the Lion of the tribe of Judah. He first had to be the Lamb slain before the foundation of the world. It is the end of the old and creation of the new that fulfills all of the Abrahamic Covenant God made with His Chosen People Israel.
Revelation 19: 7-10 describes the Marriage Supper of the Lamb which is the consummation of the marriage of Christ and the Church as His Bride. We were betrothed, legally binding when we accept Jesus as Savior and become a part of the body of Christ. The Bridegroom comes for His Bride at the Rapture of the Church, then comes the Marriage Supper of the Lamb and then in verses 11-16 the Bride returns with the Lamb in the clouds at His Second Coming! Jesus will eternally carry the title “Lamb” as we read in Chapters 21-22 in the new heaven and new earth! The Son of God became the Lamb as He entered the world not to partake of the Passover, but to become the Passover. At the moment of sacrifice, the Lamb leapt from the finite to the infinite. He is the perfect model of eternal life. The little baby born among the shepherds was “Heaven’s Perfect Sacrificial Lamb” who defied death and won the victory for evermore and invites us to follow in His steps and bask in His glory—forever! Today, as the Lamb, He graciously offers His salvation to the wicked world. But when He finishes His current work of grace, the Father and the Lamb will illuminate the heavenly city, the New Jerusalem! And then shall we ever be with the Lamb!