Today you should read: Leviticus 17
Blood is mentioned some 362 times in the Old Testament and some 92 times in the New Testament. Throughout Scripture, blood is connected with sin for two main reasons. First, shed blood reminds us that sin’s consequence is death. Second, God is sickened by sin, which causes death, a connection first made in Genesis 2:17 and repeated throughout the Bible. So when God sees blood, it points to the reality of sin and death.
Leviticus 17:11 says “For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it for you on the altar to make atonement for your souls, for it is the blood that makes atonement by the life.” Here in this verse and what’s intended in these sacrifices, blood doesn’t just point to sin and death but is instead sacred, representing the life of the sacrificial animal given as substitute for a sinner’s death. Most sacrifices included the sprinkling or smearing of blood on an altar, teaching that atonement involves the substitution of life for life. This points to the final sacrifice made by Jesus, His life for our life, his blood shed to atone for our sins because these animal sacrifices were not sufficient for what we need but was just a foreshadowing of the once and for all blood sacrifice that Jesus made.
With all of this talk about blood I figured we could end this devotion with my favorite old hymn about blood, “There is a Fountain”.
By: Erik Koliser — West Campus Pastor
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Good word today Erik. So the Bible has 454 references to “blood”, combining the Old & New Testaments. It is hard to understand how devout Jews reject to ultimate blood sacrifice made by the Lamb of God. You’d think it would make perfect sense to them.
We need to keep on praying for God’s chosen people & Israel that they may lead the world to see Jesus as the long awaited Redeemer. Erik, I also love There is a Fountain. One of the great old hymns of the Faith.