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!” (Revelation 5:12).
The symbols of Easter are all around us. We can’t miss them, actually. Every time we walk into a store: supermarkets, department stores, Walmart, Target…we are bombarded with Easter.
All have replaced their Valentine’s displays and offerings, with colorful candy, chocolate eggs, marshmallow bunnies, Easter eggs, and the like.
Personally, the marshmallow peeps are a favorite weakness. Some of us still hard boil and color our own eggs — and the Easter egg hunts are still a happy tradition for the kids.
To be honest, what are your first thoughts when the word “Easter” pops up? How about your kids? If you’re like many — dare I say, most? — the commercialism of Easter often overwhelms what Easter is meant to truly celebrate.
So much so that some number of years ago, the term “Resurrection Sunday” began to pop up in Christian circles, as a reminder of what we celebrate.
Frankly, I am not one to criticize or denounce the fun of the Easter family gathering, nor the candy and egg hunts. I do not believe, as some do, that we are paying homage to pagan traditions.
But it is important that we remember what it is we truly celebrate — why we gather to give thanks…give thanks to “the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world” (John 1:29).
The Origins of Easter
Easter is quite similar to the other major Christian holiday — Christmas — in that both have evolved and transformed significantly over the centuries.
Both have histories that are somewhat unclear, with seemingly very close ties to the timing of pagan holidays — a fact many critics take pleasure in pointing out in order to dismiss the attachment of any Christian meaning.
The Bible does not mention what time of year Jesus was born. There is evidence that it was more likely in the spring, rather than winter, as shepherds remained out with their sheep — not likely to occur in the dead of winter.
Many scholars believe that the sole reason the birth came to be celebrated on December 25 was to combat or provide a Christian counter to the pagan celebration of the winter solstice — the shortest day of the year.
Easter has a similar history. While the crucifixion and resurrection clearly took place at and around the Jewish Passover celebration — the date of Easter is now a moving target, changing from year to year, being connected to the first full moon following the spring equinox.
But spring also means the return to a life of plants and trees that have been dormant through winter, as well as the birth of new life in the animal kingdom. The fact that new life and rebirth have so much symbolism, it was only natural to celebrate the resurrection of Christ at that time and at the time of Passover.
Yet even the name “Easter” has a bit of an uncertain origin — perhaps a pre-Christian goddess named Eostre, who was celebrated by English Christians — in a time before Christianity — who decided to simply retain the name. But that history is a bit speculative.
Here in America, the Puritans refused to celebrate Christmas and Easter, as they regarded both as too tainted by pagan influences to be appropriate for Christians. The holidays tended to be treated as opportunities for heavy drinking and merrymaking. I guess that much has not changed.
What has changed, however, is that our celebrations have nothing to do with pagan rites or rituals, regardless of what non-believers try to accuse. We don’t celebrate the solstice or the equinox.
What We Really Celebrate
The Book of Exodus was devoted entirely to the escape of the Hebrews from Egypt and from the grips of slavery and Pharoah. Moses, who had grown up as an adopted prince of Egypt, had himself escaped after being accused of murder and then returned at God’s call to help his people escape slavery after 400 years.
At the point where God was about to administer the last of 10 plagues on the Egyptians and their gods, he chose to provide the Israelites with a means to be identified by the Angel of Death, who was being sent to take the lives of the firstborn member of each Egyptian household (Exodus12:1-7).
The blood of the lamb was used by the Hebrews to separate themselves and to identify themselves with God.
We next see the reference in Leviticus, where further guidance is provided, directing the Hebrews to offer an animal sacrifice in order to atone for their sins.
These sacrifices provided a means where the Israelites could maintain a right relationship with a holy God — a substitute to atone for the sins of people: a bull for the high priest and entire congregation; a male goat for a king; or a female goat or lamb for the common person; a dove or pigeon for the slightly poor; or an ephah of flour for the very poor (Leviticus 4:1–5:13; 6:24–30; 12:6–8).
In all cases, the animals were to be perfect and without defect.
Take note — a perfect lamb, without defect, was to be the sacrifice for the common person.
But it is some 500 or more years prior to Exodus that the lamb of God is mentioned first — in Genesis 22:7-8. God had called on Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac.
Abraham had obviously been tormented by this command — as Isaac was the son of God’s promise to him that he would be the father of many nations. During a night of torment and prayer, Abraham came to a conclusion.
By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac on the altar. He who had received the promises was ready to offer his one and only son, even though God had said, “Through Isaac your offspring will be reckoned.” Abraham reasoned that God could raise the dead, and in a sense, he did receive Isaac back from death. (Hebrews 11:17-19).
Then, when the time came to sacrifice Isaac: “God himself will provide the lamb for the offering.” Some scholars have said the original Hebrew could have been translated — “God will provide the lamb for the offering…Himself.”
And then, some 1,800 years later: in the Gospel of John, John the Baptist — a Jewish itinerant prophet who was “…the voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘make straight the way for the Lord’” (John 1:23) — describes Jesus this way:
The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! This is the one I meant when I said, ‘A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’ I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel” (John 1:29-30).
“The Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.”
Jesus Christ the Lamb of God
When we read in the Book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ, in chapter 5 we find a description of the Lamb of God. Among a great many unique characteristics, the lamb has seven horns and seven eyes.
Throughout Revelation, we notice that the number seven represents perfection — and completeness. A horn on the head represents power and strength. Seven eyes are “the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth.”
Christ indeed is the lamb who was slain. He was perfect and without defect — but this is no weak lamb. This lamb is not defenseless or powerless. This lamb has the complete, sovereign power of God. Verse 12 tells us how the lamb was being worshiped:
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!”
What we celebrate at Easter is the death and the resurrection of our Lord and Savior, who was the sacrifice to reconcile us to the Father. For now, and forevermore.
Yes and amen. God has provided the perfect Lamb for the offering — Himself.
For further reading:
What Is the Marriage Supper of the Lamb?
How Is Jesus the 'Lamb of God' and the 'Lion of Judah'?
Photo Credit: ©iStock/Getty Images Plus/kevron2001
