The blood of the testament:
The term blood is used in Scripture and the English language in several ways. It is spoken of as a child or any family member; as in descent, lineage, progeny, or descendent.
As in a slaughter or murder; Hosea 1:4, “I will avenge the blood of Jezreel upon the house of Jehu”
Genesis 4:10, God said to Cain, “The voice of thy brother’s blood crieth to me from the ground.”
Of guilt and punishment, Acts 18:6, “Your blood be upon your own heads.”
Of a fleshly nature or the carnal part of man, as opposed to the spiritual nature, or divine life:
John speaks of how a Christian man or woman comes to be. John 1:13, “Which were born, not of blood, not of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.”
Of a Christians’ wisdom and reasoning, Matthew 16:17, Jesus said, “For flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.”
Blood speaks of the sacramental symbol of Christ. Jesus said,
Matthew 26:28, “For this is my blood of the New Testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.”
Blood is spoken of in the death and suffering of Jesus. Romans 5:9, “and Ephesians 1:7, “Being now justified by His = (Jesus) blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.”
Scriptures speak of the price of blood, or anything that is obtained by theft through the shedding of blood.
Habakkuk 2:12, and Acts 1:19, “Woe to him that buildeth a town with blood.
Lastly, it is spoken of the juice of anything, especially if red. Genesis 49:11, “the blood of grapes.”
It’s important that Christians understand the meaning of the blood sacrifices of the O. T. and the fulfilling of those sacrifices by and through the Lord Jesus in the N.T.
The term “blood” and its’ frequent use in the Jewish and Christian religion, renders it very significant in the Scriptures, especially for those who teach the Bible.
Hebrews 9:22, “And almost all things are by the law purged with blood, and without shedding of blood is no remission.”
Hebrews 9:22, “Almost all things are by the law purged (cleansed) with blood.”
Exodus 19:10, Gives to us an example of what is NOT purged with blood. The Lord God said to Moses, “I come unto thee—that the people may hear when I speak with thee, and believe thee for ever.”
The Jews had adopted and then practiced the ways of the pagan nations around them. Now Moses was about to receive the commandments of God for the people.
The nation was now to anticipate this great event that was before them. Extraordinary preparations were to be made. They were to wash their clothes, and abstinence was required of them. They were also to observe the barriers established abound the base of the mountain, where God was to meet Moses. Very stern penalties were annexed by God, for the breach of any of the conditions that had been set down.
This people were: To be sanctified, forsaking their sinful ways, They were to begin frequent religious practices. Meditate on God, and His word. They were to pray without ceasing. This was and still is God’s requirements for His people.
The Jewish blood sacrifice:
The blood of a sacrificed victim is consecrated, or declared sacred, for the service of God. So the blood is set apart to God.
Leviticus 17:11, “For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I (God) have given it to you upon the alter, to make an atonement for your souls; for it is the blood that makes an atonement for the soul.”
The pouring out of blood on the altar was the focus point of the Jewish religious system. This sacrifice was a continual sacrifice, but only a temporary sacrifice to be done yearly.
At the last supper with His disciples, Jesus raised His cup and said, “This cup is the new testament in My blood, which is shed for you.”
The Jewish high priest, with the blood of the sacrificed calves and goats, water, scarlet wool, and hyssop in hand, applied this blood first by sprinkling the books of the law, and secondly sprinkling the people.
This act of sprinkling was symbolic. It prefigured the shedding and sprinkling of the blood of Christ. If His blood is not applied to us, it will be of no benefit to us.
Hebrews 9:20-21, is a quote from Exodus 24: 3-8, “This is the blood of the testament which God hath enjoined unto you. Moreover the high priest sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle and the vessels of the ministry.”
The thousands of sacrifices and services performed by the Jews were but temporary condition. But the blood sacrifice of Jesus Christ remains forever.
Also blood in Scriptures frequently refers to the suffering and death of Christ and is considered to be the only atonement for the souls of sinners.
Romans 5:9, “Being justified by His = (Jesus) blood we (those who receive Jesus Christ) shall be saved from wrath, through Him.”
Again, the phrase, to be “saved from wrath, through Him” refers to the finished work of the cross.
The finished work is for all believers, both Jew and Gentile. And from the first moment of justification, when the wrath of the Father is turned away from us, until the Judge, Jesus Christ who sits on the great white throne, shall judgements be sent upon them that, “obey NOT the Gospel.”
His blood continues to cover a repentant sinner. Jesus work on the cross can be summed up in Jude 24, “Now unto Him = (Jesus) that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His (the Father’s) glory with exceeding joy.”
Given a future glimpse of heaven, John was asked by an elder, Who are these that are dresses in white robes? John answered, “Sir you know.” The answer is found in,
Revelation 7:14, “These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.”
Isaiah 1:18, “Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.”
John 15:3, Jesus said, “Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.”
There are two purposes for the blood of Christ : It is the procuring cause of our justification, and is the only means by which we are able to be sanctified.
In the first case, the term blood means Jesus atonement, as presented to the Father, secondly the doctrines of Christ’s suffering and crucifixion, as applied to the sinner’s inner conscience. The sinner begins to meditate and understand the things of God in their spirit and not the flesh. Believers are now separated from the ways of the world.
We read in Titus 2:14, “Who gave HIMSELF for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto Himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.”
Jesus gave “Himself,” His whole self, this being the greatest gift ever. This is a wonderful gift no person should ever overlook or ignore. In and for our behalf, Jesus redeemed us from bondage of sin, by paying the price with His precious blood (His life.)
Titus 2:9-10, States that we are saved “from all iniquity,” or from the transgression of the law, to which all men were in bondage until then.
At times the metaphorical term for blood is used in personification, it meaning the giving to a non-living thing the attributes of a person. Example,
Genesis 4:10, God said to Cain, “What hast thou done, the voice of thy brother’s blood crieth unto me from the ground.” Compare with,
Hebrews 12:24, “Ye are come to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.”
Jesus blood was poured out on the ground in many ways and cries out to us.
1. He sweat drops of blood.
2. As the crown of thrones was placed upon His head, His blood was poured out.
3. When He was beaten with whips, His blood was poured out.
4. When the nails were placed in His hands and feet, His blood was poured out.
5. When His lifeless body was pierced with a spear, the last of His precious blood was poured out.
Christ’s precious blood was incorruptible.
1 Peter 1:18-19, “Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.”
This precious blood of Jesus Christ upon His ascension into heaven; Jesus as our great High Priest, entered the heavenly and holiest place, the throne of His Father.
Hebrews 9:12, this by “His own blood” that blood which He shed for us, in that cup which His Father had given Him, and which He now presented back to the Father.
Jesus fulfilled and is yet filling His Priestly duties; the office of High Priest being established in the law. Unlike the high priest of the tribe of Levi, who had to preform this service for themselves first, and then the people every year.
Jesus became the last High Priest, NOT in the line of the Aaron, = (Levitical priesthood) but in the order of Melchizedek, the King of righteousness, King of Salem, which is King of peace.
Hebrews 9:7, “But into the second,= (this second, is a reference to the second most inner room of the tabernacle, which was called the holy of holies) went the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, (he entered with the blood of the sacrifice) which he offered for himself, and for the sins of the people.”
Hebrews 9:12, “Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by His (Jesus) own blood He entered in once unto the holy place, (His Father’s throne in heaven) having obtained eternal redemption for us. Jesus did not enter into the earthly sanctuary, but the heavenly sanctuary of His Father.”
Hebrews 9:25, “Nor yet that He = (Jesus) should offer himself often, as the high priest enters into the holy place every year with blood of others; For then must he (Jesus)
often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world (ages) hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.”
The Fleshly Part of the Sacrifice;
Hebrews 13:11, “For the bodies of those beasts,= (sacrificed animals) whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned without the camp.”
According to Jewish law, the flesh of the sin-offering was not to be consumed. After the blood of the victim was sprinkled before the holy place, this for the atonement of sin, the skin, flesh, entrails, etc., were to be carried outside of the camp, or city gate, and there completely consumed by fire. This gave precedence to the blood of the sacrifice.
The Jewish people were to look for the coming Messiah. His sacrifice was to be received, being the only real pardon for sin, which the shedding of His blood could alone give them.
The Rejected Messiah:
Even after the death of the Jesus, the Jews continued to offer their animal sacrifices, refusing to acknowledge the finished work of their King, their Messiah. In this, they had no right to any of the blessings procured by Jesus; and it is evident that they could receive no benefit from their own animal sacrifices. All was lost for the nation and the people.
Hebrews 10:29, Paul did not write, by the (power) of His blood, but, “By his blood.” But for those Jews and all who reject the works of God, it is written,
“Of how much sorer = (worse) punishment, suppose ye, shall he (those who reject the sacrifice) be thought worthy, who hath trodden = (trampled) under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, where with he was sanctified, an unholy thing, (unworthy, blasphemous thing) and hath done despite =(malice and hatred) unto the Spirit of grace?”
Those who reject the sacrifice of Jesus, reject both the Father and Son, for it was the Father who glorified His Son as our High Priest. The Jews’ consider Jesus to be no better than any other man or prophet, rejecting Him as God, Lord, and Savior.
Therefore, they are in agreement with those who say that His claim to be the Son of God was a lie. In their judgment, Jesus committed blasphemy, and so deserved to die.
Mark 3:29, Jesus said, “But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, but is in danger = (subject to) of eternal damnation.” Those Jews and Gentiles who show malice or hatred toward the Spirit of grace insult Him (the Father) who had granted this saving grace.
We are made sons, so are we to become slaves to sin? “God was manifest in the flesh,” but we introduced evil unto ourselves. It is the curse of evil eternally to propagate evil: so for those who profane Jesus without themselves, = (in action and deed) and blaspheme Jesus within themselves, = (with their mind) there is no renewal, change of mind, or will.
Hebrews 6:4-6, “It is impossible for those who were once enlightened,= (having known the word of God) and have tasted = (experienced) of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost.”
The Jews knew God through His word, and had partaken in the services at the temple, and yet willfully rejected their promised Messiah. The book of Hebrews states,
Verse 6, “If they (both Jews and Gentiles) shall fall away = (this is a complete and willful apostasy), to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh = (again) and put him to an open shame.”
Verse 4 states, it would be impossible for them to return to God, because they have hardened their hearts toward the Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ, and the Father.
Hebrews 10:26, “For if we sin willfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, = (the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ) there remaineth no more sacrifice for sin.”
The Blood, and The Body of Christ are Represented Separately:
1 Corinthians 10:16, “The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion= (fellowship) of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?”
The presenting of the blood itself continues still in heaven, before the Father; this is that perpetual ransom price of the eternal covenant.
Hebrews 13:10, “Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant.”
Once, and for all time, Jesus sprinkled = (cleansed us) with the blood of the everlasting covenant at His ascension.= (resurrection)
Hebrews 9:12, “By His = (Jesus) own blood He entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.”
Hebrews 9:14, “How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot (blemish) to God (the Father).”
Hebrews 10:22, “Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.”
The book of Hebrews was written by a Jew, to the Jews. But we can see in both the Old and N.T. that God did not intend to leave out any nation or people from His wonderful gift of salvation.
Isaiah 52:15, “So shall He = (Jesus) sprinkle many nations (all people); the kings (the nation’s leaders) shall shut their mouths at Him: for that which had not been told them shall they see; and that which they had not heard shall they consider.”
The sprinkling of Jesus blood upon the Christian community bears some resemblance to the sprinkling of blood by the Jewish high Priest on the Jewish Passover.
Revelation 5:6, John wrote, “And I beheld, and lo, in the midst of the throne (the Father’s throne) —- stood a Lamb as it had been slain,”
From this point on, Satan had no right to accuse.
The term, “flesh and blood” is an expression, which points out the natural state of a man’s condition, unaided by the Holy Spirit. Upon Paul’s conversion, Paul did not consult with men (flesh and blood).
Galatians 1:15-16, Paul reveals that it pleased God that He should, “reveal His = (the Father ) Son = (Jesus) in me (Paul), that I might preach Him (Jesus) among the heathen (Gentiles) immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood (men).”
Matthew 16:17, when Peter declared his belief, that his Master was Christ, the Son of the living God, Jesus answered, and said unto him, “blessed art thou, Simon Barjona, for flesh and blood = (men) hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.”
There is one sure Scriptural fact, no person in his natural state, and in his own wisdom, can or will enter into the glory, and Kingdom of the Lord Jesus, and of the Father.
Phillip LaSpino www.seekfirstwisdom.com