God showed this to us at the very beginning – with the sin of Adam and Eve. Most people have no idea the scope of what happened when Adam rebelled against God and trusted Satan who convinced them to sin.

“Then the eyes of both of them were opened,
and they knew that they were naked;
and they sewed fig leaves together
AND MADE THEMSELVES COVERINGS.”
Genesis 3:7

When Adam and Eve sinned before God by partaking of the fruit of the one tree forbidden to them, their eyes were opened and they were no longer innocent. They realized a change had taken place in them and in fear, they took large fig leaves and made coverings for themselves.

When people sin, they try to cover themselves. They try to justify themselves and they focus on their good deeds. The goodness of the works of their hands, no matter how “good” are totally insufficient before God. One can never be good enough. The stain of sin remains. The covering for sin can only be provided by God himself, and he does not cover them with the works of their hands …blood has to be shed.

“Also for Adam and his wife
the Lord God made tunics of skin,
and clothed them.”
Genesis 3:21

“…without shedding of blood there is no remission.”
Hebrews 9:22

God did not allow them to be covered with coverings they made from the leaves of a tree – that is, a covering made from their own efforts. No, God himself covered them with animal skins – and this was a foreshadowing of the fact that only the blood of the chosen sacrifice is able to do it. In the Old Testament God prescribed the lamb sacrifice to cover sin, and there were many details that had to be followed in order to carry this out perfectly, all of which pointed to the perfect One who would come and BE the perfect Lamb sacrifice for all time. Watch the unfolding revelation:

THE LAMB – watch the progression:

1. In Genesis God provided A LAMB sacrifice for a man.

2. When God delivered the Jewish people out of Egypt under the leadership of Moses, God instituted Passover. Every one who had THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB on their doorpost was “passed over” when the judgment of death went through the land. A LAMB for each family.

3. Later, in the days of Israel, God established the Levitical priesthood wherein the high priest would enter the Holy of Holies in the Temple and bring THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB SACRIFICE for the forgiveness of the sins of the nation of Israel. A Lamb FOR A NATION.

4. And then finally, God sent his Son to take away the sin of the world. John the Baptist was baptizing people in the Jordan river one day, and when he looked up and saw Jesus coming. listen to what he said.

“…John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said,
‘BEHOLD THE LAMB OF GOD
who takes away the sin of the world!’”
John 1:29

THE PROGRESSIVE REVELATION:

1. A lamb for a man.
2. A lamb for a family.
3. A lamb for a nation.
4. The Lamb for the world.

The only way you can receive forgiveness, is by receiving Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God whose shed blood covers all the sins of the believer.

Come to him. Acknowledge before him that you are a sinner. Don’t try to cover your sin with anything other than the Blood of the Lamb. Confess your sin to him and ask him in all humility to become your Savior and the Lord of your life. Then surrender yourself and your life to him. He who made you is ready to receive you, to grant you forgiveness and to give you a new life when you come to him under the Blood of the Lamb.

That’s why he had to die …to spare your life.