“…Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.”

It had been months in the planning, and now it was about to happen.  Everything was ready.  The sanctuary had been decorated, with a white runner leading to a white latticework arch wrapped in vines bearing beautiful flowers.  Ditto with the huge fellowship hall: Streamers, crepe paper bells, and lace all turned it into a customary sight, with the head table on a raised platform.  Wedding invitations had been sent out weeks before, and the guest list had been counted more than once.  Now the day had arrived.  The groom, pastor, best man and groomsmen were inside with the other guests, awaiting the arrival of the bride.  Then she drove up, with her bridesmaids in two vehicles following her.  As they were collecting their things one invited guest, a mechanic, swerved into the parking lot, hastily parked his car, jumped out and began running toward the church.  He had lost track of time working too long on a repair job.  He had cleaned up as best he could and quickly drove over.  When he saw the bride he ran over to her and gave her a brief hug wishing her the best.  As he ran into the church a bridesmaid screamed, “Oh, no!”  Everyone turned to the bride, who now had grease all over one side of her dress — definitely not in the plans.  “I can’t go in there like this!” she said desperately.  “This will ruin everything!”

Marriage is important.  So are weddings.  So are the particulars, like the vows, the dress, the cake and the guest list.  After all, a new covenant will be made and a new family begin — serious business.  That’s why the details are important.  They must be done in a certain way, in a certain order because they represent higher ideals and standards.  A smudgy, dirty or stained wedding dress simply will not do.  Everyone knows that.  Only the best — perfect, if possible — will do.

How about when the New Covenant was established?  Should we expect anything less when God is involved?  If weak, imperfect and fallible human beings know the importance of such things, God’s standards, reflecting a perfect God, must be similar, if not higher.  “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways…” Isaiah tells us (55:9).

There are no absolutely perfect wedding services on earth, even the ones that appear so.  Something, even a very minor thing, will go wrong.  Not so when God initiated the New Covenant, which centered on the sacrifice, “a lamb without blemish or defect” (1 Peter 1:19).  Absolute perfection was in order.

God set the precedent when he told Abraham to offer his son Isaac as a burnt offering (Genesis 22:2).  Taking the wood, knife and fire they set out for the region of Moriah without an animal.  Atop the mountain, Isaac lay bound up as a sacrifice on the altar when God stopped him.  It was then that Abraham spotted a ram caught by the horns in a thorn bush.  Since it was snared by the horns, it was not scratched up.  It was also trapped by the thorn bush, the biblical symbol of God’s punishment for sin.  Thus it was “perfect” on all counts, and the ram died in place of Isaac.

Passover lambs likewise had to be “without defect” (Exodus 12:5), as were all burnt offerings made under the Old Testament law (Leviticus 22:18-25).  To insure there was no misunderstanding, God said, “Do not bring anything with a defect, because it will not be accepted on your behalf” (v. 20).  Defect could be intrinsic and extrinsic.  Intrinsic defects are those the animal is born with.  Extrinsic are those the animal pick up along the way.  Jesus had no earthly human father, thus escaping the ravages of human sin intrinsically.  Extrinsically, Jesus asked the Jews, “Can any of you prove me guilty of sin?” (John 8:46).  They’re lack of a response was telling, especially since they doggedly tried to find the ‘dirt’ on him.  His conviction at his trial stemmed not from evidence of credible witnesses but from the high priest’s incorrect interpretation of Jesus’ words.  From beginning to end he was and always will be “the righteous for the unrighteous” (1 Peter 3:18).  That is why “he was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake” (1:20).  Because he is perfect, and was the lamb without blemish or defect, God has fully accepted both him and us…forever!  “Through [Christ] you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God” (v. 21).

Believe…raised…glorified.  That’s the combination and the order.  How’s your faith and hope today?