What does the "unblemished lamb" symbolize in Ezekiel 46:6? Reading the Verse in Context Ezekiel 46:6: “On the day of the New Moon he is to offer a young bull without blemish, six lambs, and a ram, also without blemish.” The prophet describes worship in the future temple. Every animal placed on the altar must be flawless, and the lambs receive special mention because they echo God’s earlier pattern of redemption. The Unblemished Lamb – A God-Given Picture of Perfection - “Unblemished” speaks of physical wholeness—no defect, no stain, no injury (Leviticus 22:20-22). - God requires perfection because His own nature is perfectly holy (Habakkuk 1:13). - The lamb’s outward purity illustrates the inward moral purity God accepts. How the Symbol Points to Jesus Christ - John the Baptist introduced Jesus as “the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). - Peter connects the Old Testament requirement directly to Christ: “You were redeemed…with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or spot” (1 Peter 1:18-19). - Isaiah foretold a Servant “led like a lamb to the slaughter” (Isaiah 53:7), fulfilled when the sinless Savior willingly died. - Hebrews confirms that Christ “offered Himself unblemished to God” (Hebrews 9:14), accomplishing once-for-all what animal sacrifices only pictured. Threads Woven Through the Old and New Testaments - Passover (Exodus 12:3-13): a year-old male lamb “without blemish” saved Israel from judgment—a direct foreshadowing of Christ, our Passover sacrifice (1 Corinthians 5:7). - Daily burnt offerings (Numbers 28:3-4): two unblemished lambs kept continual fellowship between God and His people. - Future worship (Ezekiel 46): millennial offerings will commemorate Christ’s finished work just as the Lord’s Supper does today (1 Corinthians 11:26). Living in the Light of the Lamb’s Perfection - Salvation rests solely on the flawless sacrifice God provided—not on our imperfect efforts (Ephesians 2:8-9). - Because the Lamb is unblemished, believers are called to pursue practical holiness: “Be holy in all you do” (1 Peter 1:15). - The vision of an unblemished lamb fuels confident hope. The risen Lamb, still “standing as though slain” (Revelation 5:6), guarantees that every promise in Ezekiel and beyond will be literally fulfilled. In Ezekiel 46:6 the unblemished lamb is much more than a ritual detail; it is God’s vivid, enduring signpost pointing to the sinless, sufficient, and utterly trustworthy Lamb—Jesus Christ—who alone secures our access to His holy presence. |
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