The Lamb that was slain from the creation of the world!

“The Lamb that was slain from the creation of the world.” Revelation 13:8.

The context of the passage is the book of Revelation 13. It describes the future great tribulation that is going to come on this earth. Bible says the world is going to move into more difficulties and sufferings. Life is not going to get better but going to get worse for a God-rejecting world. That is the time the antichrist will appear and rule on this earth. It is a period of great tribulation as the name itself indicates, a time of great distress, affliction, sufferings, trials, and persecutions. Such difficulties, pain, and suffering had never been since the beginning of the world. Our today’s insight says in this horrible time “all that dwell upon the earth shall worship the antichrist, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.”

It says there is a clear distinction between people who dwell on the earth in those days. The people whose names are written in the book of the Lamb and those whose names are not written in the book of the Lamb. Bible says in Revelation 21:27 there is a reservation book or a roll book in heaven, and it means only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s Book will be there in that beautiful heaven. All people whose names are not written in the book of the Lamb that was slain from the foundation of the world will accept Antichrist as their leader and worship him during the great tribulation period. But the sad thing is this – later when the door of heaven opens up, they whose names are not found in the book of the Lamb, the reservation book of heaven, will not enter into heaven. You see, heaven is not reserved for good people. Why? Nobody is good enough to come to heaven and live with God because all are sinners. Bible says heaven is reserved for forgiven people by the blood of the Lamb of God.

Beloved, the Lamb that was slain from the foundation of the world is none other than Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Bible says before the creation of the heavens and earth, before all began, before the creation of Adam, and before his first disobedience and original sin, God knew that man would disobey God and fall into sin. God in his foreknowledge planned the perfect Lamb of God, the Son of God, who would incarnate into this sin-bound earth and provide the perfect and complete sacrifice for all of our sins. In other words, God in His foreknowledge had a pre-determined plan for our salvation and rescue though we fell in sin and lost the fellowship and friendship with Him.

God temporarily made a sacrifice in the Garden of Eden and took the skin of an animal to cover the shame of the nakedness that resulted from the original sin. Adam and Eve understood the seriousness of sin and what would need for the forgiveness of sins. God later gave a temporary arrangement of animal sacrifices for the forgiveness of sins. The book of Leviticus describes all about it. He asked the nation Israel to bring a lamb or another prescribed animal and slaughter them for the forgiveness of their sins. Bible says “without the shedding of the blood there is no forgiveness” (Hebrews 9:22). However, all these sacrifices of lambs with no blemishes were the shadows of God’s perfect and permanent plan for the once for all solution of sins by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. In those olden days, each time when they sinned, they had to bring a lamb or a prescribed animal to the altar, but now with the fulfillment of the shadow in the person and the work of Christ Jesus, Bible says we have a permanent and eternal solution and forgiveness for our sins.

Bible says in John 1:29 this about Jesus, “ Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” This was the fulfillment of several old testament prophecies. One of which is Isaiah 53:7 which says about the coming Christ almost 2800 years ago. It says, “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.” Jesus was the lamb of God who was sacrificed for all our sins. Bible says in 1 Peter 1:18. It says, “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.” Marvelous and beautiful verse, isn’t it? There is no way we can be redeemed, rescued, or saved even with gold and silver which are also eventually perishable. However, we can be perfectly, fully, and wholly redeemed, rescued, and saved by the precious blood of Jesus Christ, who is the perfect lamb with no blemish or defect.

Beloved, our rescue, redemption, or salvation cannot be achieved by anybody else or anything else. No religious leaders or gurus can or will do it. Jesus Christ is the only savior of the whole world. There is no other way out there. Why? Because He was the Lamb of God, who was sacrificed to save all of us. There was nothing like this ever happened in human history. Christ, the Son of God, came to this earth, carried our sins and sorrows, died in our place, buried, and rose again on the third day. He did it victoriously for our sake. He is the savior and Lord. He said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

Bible says Jesus Christ was slain from the creation of the world. It means our salvation in and through Jesus Christ, the lamb of God, was God’s predetermined eternal plan in His foreknowledge. As we progress our days on this earth, Bible says people’s hearts will be more hardened and darkened, and the way is opening up as the Bible predicts for the appearance of the antichrist who is the agent of the devil. God says “in the time of my favor I listen to you, and in the day of salvation, I helped you. I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.” 2 Corinthians 6:2. Please do not postpone it for tomorrow or another time. Tomorrow may never bring God’s favor on you if you harden your hearts again.

Got a moment for today’s prayer? “Father in heaven, I know I am a sinner. I need Jesus Christ, the lamb of God for my salvation. I know when I accept Christ as my savior, my name will be written in the book of the lamb in heaven. I believe in Jesus Christ, the lamb of God that was slain in my place for all of my sins. Thank you for calling me today. I come to you Lord and accept Christ as my savior. Please help me to live for you every day of my life. Thank you for saving and granting me eternal life. In Jesus Christ’s name, I pray. Amen.”