THEOLOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB OF GOD IN THE BOOK OF JOHN AND THE REVELATION

Abstract

The Gospel of John and the book of Revelation contain more references to Jesus as the Lamb of God, whose blood was shed for redemption, than any other New Testament writings. The objectives of this paper are (1) to examine the redemptive purpose of the blood of the Lamb of God, (2) to examine the Passover theme, eating the flesh and drinking the blood of the Passover lamb in John’s Gospel (3) to examine passages that exposes redemption by blood in Revelation chapter 1, 5, and “the blood of the Lamb” in 6, 12 and 19, and finally (4) concludes with the agreement between John’s Gospel and the Revelation which speaks of the Lamb’s blood as the fulfilment of the Passover in Christ’s death for redemption. Furthermore, the conclusion promotes the view that the Gospel of John and the Revelation have no place for the common practice of pleading the blood of Jesus Christ for material gains like protection from physical pains, healings, and personal earthly problems, as is commonly practiced in our society. It distinguishes true biblical prayers in the New Testament from the cultural practice often known as ‘pleading the blood’.