Luke 2:22, 23
22. And when the time of purification according to the Law of Moses was complete, His parents brought Him to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord
23. (as it is written in the Law of the Lord: “Every firstborn male shall be consecrated to the Lord”).
First, He is conceived. Second, He is circumcised. Now He is consecrated.
*Strong's Ex. Conc. No. 2564
Consecrated: to call; I call, summon, invite; I call, name
From the Greek word 'kaleó' (pronounced kal-eh'-o). To call forth, to bid (command, direct).
CONSECRATED FIRSTBORN MALES
Exodus 13:2
"Consecrate to Me every firstborn male. The firstborn from every womb among the Israelites belongs to Me, both of man and beast."
Numbers 8:17
For every firstborn male in Israel is Mine, both man and beast. I set them apart for Myself on the day I struck down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt.
By this it is our understanding that consecrate means "to set apart, be separate from". When we have a dedication ceremony, we are setting apart our firstborn sons to God's service. At it's foundational meaning consecrated means 'called out from among, called aside, called to be set apart from'.
To fulfill the Law, after Mary's days of purification had ended, she and Joseph brought their six-week old son to the temple for His consecration, along with a pair of turtledoves.
Leviticus 12:8
But if she cannot afford a lamb, she shall bring two turtledoves or two young pigeons, one for a burnt offering and the other for a sin offering. Then the priest will make atonement for her, and she will be clean.
We know that they brought a Lamb who would one day become the Atonement for our sins, but on that day, in their poverty, all they could bring was their son and a pair of turtledoves.
THE LAMB OF GOD
Leviticus 12:4, 6-8 are a type and shadow of the atoning power of God in Christ that were to come during His crucifixion. Having been set apart for God's service, first by His heavenly Father, He is again set apart for God's service by His earthly father, Joseph. A double-portion, if you will. A double blessing is His.
John the Baptist called Him God's Lamb: John 1:29 "The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!"
A perfect Lamb. An unblemished Lamb. A silent Lamb. God's Lamb.
Isaiah 53:7
He was oppressed and afflicted, yet He did not open His mouth. He was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so He did not open His mouth.
THE LAMB HAS A VOICE
Have you met the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world? He is Redeemer, Savior, Friend. He is JESUS. And He's calling you and I to step away from the world and into His embrace, His love, His light. He's calling us by name (John 10:14, 15, 27), Come. Come to Me and I will give you rest (Matthew 11:28) Come and dine (Isaiah 55:1; Matthew 5:6; John 7:37, 38).
And He's calling you and I to Follow Him (Matthew 4:19), to suffer with Him(1 Peter 4:1), and to carry our cross (Matthew 16:24; Luke 9:23, 24). That's why He came. That's why He was wrapped in flesh and laid in a manger. That's my Jesus. And I'm sticking like glue to Him. The psalmist wrote in Psalm 63:8 "My soul follows close behind You; Your right hand upholds me."
Today, let us follow close behind Him. Let us take up our crosses and suffer for His sake, for His Name.
LAMB OF GOD by Chris Bowater
REDEEMER, SAVIOR, FRIEND by B.C./A.D.
TAKE UP YOUR CROSS by Jaime Cortez
YOU ARE MY ALL IN ALL by The Gaither Vocal Band
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