The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!

John 1:29

The Lamb of God. This was a familiar image. Often, an animal would be offered as a sacrifice for the sins of a family. In fact, every year, the nation of Israel would gather in their homes and enjoy the Passover meal with their family. They would talk through the story of the Exodus, remembering the details, and the Lamb was the central piece. It was the Lamb that each family sacrificed so that they could put its blood on their door. In doing so, death passed over their houses. Pharaoh would be forced to let the people of Israel go free into the Promised Land that God had prepared. John the Baptist, from the start, acknowledges that Jesus is the new Lamb. He has come to take away the sin of the world. He will die at Passover, and His blood will cover those who have faith in Him. That faith will lead the people of God into the Promised Land, the place God has prepared for us. We are a forgiven and free people because of the sacrifice of Jesus.