Follow the Blood

Today we hear “follow the money” to uncover corruption and fraud as Paul warns in 1 Timothy 6:10 that: “The love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. By craving it, some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows.” On the other hand, a central theme from Genesis through Revelation is blood. As we follow the blood in the Bible it represents life, sacrifice, covenant and redemption. The blood in the Bible traces a divine narrative or plan—from the life of creation, to covenantal sacrifice, to the redemptive sacrifice of Jesus Christ, and finally to eternal cleansing and victory. In Leviticus 17:11 God states “For the life of flesh is in the blood; and I have given it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul.” That establishes blood as the means of forgiveness and reconciliation with God. It is not merely a physical substance but a powerful symbol of Divine love, justice, and salvation. It is important that we follow the blood so that we better understand the HEART OF GOD.

First, the LORD God designated Satan as the enemy in Genesis 3:14-15 that introduced sin into the world and declared his defeat as the seed of the woman would crush his head. In Philippians 3:18-19 Paul further identifies the enemy, “For there are many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, who walk (live) as enemies of the cross of Christ (the Anointed One). They are doomed and their fate is eternal misery (perdition); their god is their stomach (their appetites, their sensuality) and they glory in their shame, siding with earthly things and being of their party.” Then in Genesis 3: 21 God sets forth the pattern of redemption in the blood as the LORD God made coats of skins and clothed Adam and Eve. The shedding of blood and the coats of skins are types of Christ, who became for us righteousness—a divinely provided garment that the first sinners might be made fit for God’s presence. Paul makes it clear in I Corinthians 1: 29-30 that no flesh should glory in God’s presence but those who are in Christ Jesus who was made wisdom, righteousness, sanctification and redemption.

Therefore, God had established that blood is the means of cleansing from sin. This was confirmed in Hebrews 9:22 that says that purification is by means of blood and without the shedding of blood there is neither release from sin and its guilt and punishment. It was Abel who presented a blood sacrifice in conformity with what God had revealed in Genesis 3: 21 and thus confessed himself a sinner. Cain rejected God’s divine way of forgiveness and His way of worship and began all false religion which is man’s coming to God in his own way. Abel’s offering was by faith and was commended in Hebrews 11: 4; “By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts; and by it he being dead yet speaketh.”

We move forward to the account of Noah as sin once again prevailed upon the earth and resulted in the judgment of the flood. But God brought forth a new earth from the judgment and baptism of water and Noah’s first recorded act after he left the ark was the offering of a burnt sacrifice to God. The new beginning was not without blood!

Likewise, after God called Abraham, He confirmed the Covenant made with him with blood. We read in Genesis 15: 7-17 that God required him to slay animals and lay them out in pieces. God caused a deep sleep to come upon Abraham and darkness came upon him. God then spoke the terms of the Covenant that He was making with him: that he and his people would be in a strange land for 400 years; that He would judge that nation; that they would come out with great substance. A covenant was to be ratified as both parties walked among the pieces of the sacrifice, but it was God alone who confirmed the covenant while Abraham slept. This action affirmed that the Covenant with Israel is unconditional as God will bring it to pass according to His plan in His time. Four personal promises were given to Abraham with the words, “I will.” The ultimate fulfillment is made to rest upon the divine promise and the power of God rather than upon human faithfulness.

By the divine call of Abraham, and the miraculous birth of Isaac, God undertook the formation of a people to serve Him. But this purpose was not accomplished apart from the shedding of the blood. God had already entered into a covenant relationship with Abraham, and his faith had already been severely tried, and had stood the test. It was counted to him for righteousness. Yet he had to learn that Isaac, the son of promise, who belonged wholly to God, would have to be surrendered to God. Isaac had to die. For Abraham, as well as for Issac, only by death could freedom from the self-life be obtained. Abraham had to offer Isaac on the altar. It was the revelation of a divine truth, that it is only death that a life truly consecrated to God is possible. Isaac’s life was spared as God provided a ram for sacrifice. Isaac was a type of Christ “obedient unto death.” (Phil. 2: 5-8) Abraham was a type of the father who “spared not His own Son but delivered Him up for us all.” (Rom. 8: 32) The ram was a type of substitution—Christ offered as a burnt offering in our stead. (Heb. 10:5-10).

Four hundred years pass, and Isaac became, in Egypt, the people of Israel. Through her deliverance from Egyptian bondage Israel was to be recognized as God’s first-born among the nations. Neither the electing grace of God, nor His covenant with Abraham, nor the exercise of His omnipotence, which could so easily have destroyed their oppressors, could dispense with the necessity of the blood. By the sprinkling of the door frames of the Israelites with the blood of the Paschal lamb; by the institution of the Passover as an enduring ordinance with the words—"When I see the blood I will pass over you,” the people were taught that life can be obtained only by the death of a substitute. Life was possible for them only through the blood of a life given in their place and appropriated by ” the sprinkling of that blood.”

In Exodus 24:8, Moses sprinkles blood on the people after God made the Covenant at Mount Sinai, declaring: “This is the blood of the covenant that the Lord has made with you.” This act symbolizes the binding agreement between God and Israel, sealed with blood. Therefore, even the first covenant was not inaugurated without blood. For when every commandment had been spoken by Moses to all the people according to the Law, he took the blood of the calves and the goats, with water and scarlet wool and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book of the covenant itself and all the people saying, “This is the blood of the Covenant which God commanded you.” And in the same way he sprinkled both the tabernacle and all the vessels of the ministry with the blood. And according to the Law, one may almost say, all things are cleansed with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.” (Hebrews 9: 18-22) Peter tells us; “But knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ.” (1 Peter 1:18-19) There is, however, a marked difference between the manner of applying the blood in the former cases as compared with the latter. On Moriah the life was redeemed by the shedding of the blood. In Egypt it was sprinkled on the door posts of the houses ; but at Sinai, it was sprinkled on the persons themselves. The contact was closer, the application more powerful.

Immediately after the establishment of the covenant the command was given, “Let them make me a sanctuary that I may dwell among them.” (Exodus 25:8) They were to enjoy the full blessedness of having the God of the Covenant abiding among them. Through His grace they may find Him and serve Him in His house. He Himself gave, with the minutest care, directions for the arrangement and service of that house. But notice that the blood is the center and reason of all this. Draw near to the vestibule of the earthly temple of the Heavenly King, and the first thing visible is the altar of burnt offering, where the sprinkling of blood continues, without ceasing, from morning till evening. Enter the Holy Place, and the most conspicuous thing is the golden altar of incense, which also, together with the veil, is constantly sprinkled with the blood. Ask what lies beyond the Holy Place, and you will be told that it is the Most Holy Place where God dwells. The golden throne where His glory shines, is itself sprinkled with the blood, once every year, when the High Priest alone enters to bring in the blood, and to worship God. The highest act in that worship is the sprinkling of the blood. At the consecration of the House, or of the Priests; at the birth of a child; in the deepest penitence on account of sin; in the highest festival; always, and in everything, the way to fellowship with God is through the blood alone. This continued for fifteen hundred years. At Sinai, in the desert, at Shiloh, in the Temple, on Mount Moriah it continued till our Lord came to make an end of all shadows.

It is sometimes said that the words “Not Without Blood” belong to the Old Testament, but what does our Lord Jesus Christ say? Notice, first, that when John the Baptist announced His coming, he spoke of Him as filling a dual office, as “The Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world” and then as “the One who would baptize with the Holy Spirit.” John understood that the plan of God even before the foundation of the earth was that “The Lamb of God” would be slain! The outpouring of the blood of the Lamb of God had to take place before the outpouring of the Spirit could be bestowed. Only when all that the Old Testament taught about the blood had been fulfilled could the dispensation of the Spirit—the Church begin.

Jesus became God in the flesh and exhibited the Divine Love that John spoke of in 3: 16; “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him would not perish but have everlasting life.” The Lord Jesus Christ Himself plainly declared that His death on the Cross was the purpose for which He came into the world; that it was the necessary condition of the redemption and life which He came to bring. He clearly states that in connection with His death the shedding of His blood was necessary. Our Lord confirmed the teaching of the Old Testament Offerings—that man can live only through the death of another and thus obtain a life that through Resurrection has become eternal. Christ Himself offered Himself as our substitute so that we can be born by His blood and become a child of God. Jesus paid the ransom for our sin so that we can have everlasting life with the Father.

Blood is really the central power of our entire redemption. “Not Without Blood” is as valid in the New Testament as in the Old. Nothing but the Blood of Jesus, shed in His death for sin, can cover sin on God’s side, or remove it on ours! As a believer, we have come to that Blood—the Blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel. Better is a key word in the book of Hebrews. It appears there 12 times. It refers to something that is strong, superior, more excellent, and nobler. It’s wonderful to know the Blood of Jesus is saying better things about us! His Blood says Mercy! Jesus’ blood cries for mercy, forgiveness, restoration, health, pardon, justification, peace, cleansing, reconciliation, redemption, protection, eternal covenant, overcoming victory; and everything else we will ever need now and throughout eternity. Glory to God!