THE BLOOD
One of the things I remembered about the film 'The Ten
Commandments', was seeing the Israelites, who were in captivity
in Egypt, putting the blood of a lamb that had been killed, on
the door-posts of their houses. Now, as I read the Scriptures, I
could see the significance of this, for God had said to Moses;
"On that same night I will pass through Egypt and strike
down every firstborn-both men and animals-and I will bring
judgement on all the gods of Egypt. I am the Lord. The blood will
be a sign for you on the houses where you are; and when I see the
blood, I will pass over you. No destructive plague will touch you
when I strike Egypt." 1
It was so vitally important that the lamb be sacrificed, and the
blood applied, for this was their only protection from the
judgement which was about to come. God had said: "When I see
the blood I will pass over you." The significance of the
blood became very clear as I read in God's Word: "-Without
the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness." 2
This was demonstrated very specifically on the Day of Atonement,
as the high priest entered the Holy of Holies, in the tabernacle:
"But into the second went the high priest alone once every
year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for
the errors of the people." 3
"-The high priest entereth into the holy place every year
with blood of others." 4
The blood which the high priest brought into the Holy of Holies
was the evidence that the life of an innocent victim, an animal
that had been selected by the priest, had been laid down in
sacrifice. The blood was then offered, to make atonement for sin.
The high priest could never approach God concerning atonement for
sin, without bringing the blood with him. The death of the
innocent victim was substitutionary. In other words, the penalty
for the sins of the people had been borne by another, an innocent
victim, who was sacrificed, and whose blood was offered by the
high priest, to make atonement. The blood was the evidence shown
to God that the penalty for the sins of the people had, in fact,
been paid, though not by them, but by one who stood in their
place, as a substitute for them. Now, this was a COPY, or TYPE of
what would happen when Christ came. I could see this outlined in
such great detail as I read on:
"When Christ came as high priest of the good things that are
already here, he went through the greater and more perfect
tabernacle that is not man--made, that is to say, not a part of
this creation. He did not enter by means of the blood of goats
and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by
His own blood, having obtained eternal redemption.
The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled
on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they
are outwardly clean. How much more, then, will the blood of
Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself
unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead
to death, so that we may serve the living God." 5
I could see here that Christ, as our great High Priest, entered
the Holy of Holies, entered Heaven itself, not with the blood of
animals that had been sacrificed, as in Old Testament times, but
with His own blood. This blood that our great High Priest offered
was evidence that the life of an innocent victim had been laid
down in sacrifice, to make atonement for the sins of the people.
John the Baptist said: "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes
away the sin of the world", 6 as he identified Jesus as
God's lamb, who would be sacrificed for our sins. The death of
Christ, the innocent lamb who was sacrificed, was
substitutionary. The penalty for the sins of others was borne by
Him as He stood in their place, taking upon Himself the
punishment they deserved.
Yes, the penalty for the guilt of the sins of the people has been
paid in full, though not by the people themselves, but by Jesus
Christ, who took their place as their substitute, bearing their
punishment as He suffered and died upon the cross. Now, in
Heaven, Jesus, as our great High Priest, with the nail-prints in
His hands, mediates on our behalf, having offered His own life as
a sacrifice for our sins. According to God's Word, there is no
other priest, no other mediator in Heaven, and no other sacrifice
acceptable to God for the remission of sin.
Jesus Himself said: "For this is my blood of the new
testament, which is shed for many for the remission of
sins." 7
The efficacy of the blood of Christ, of His life laid down in
sacrifice, was very evident as I read what Paul, Peter and John
wrote:
"Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much
more shall we be saved from God's wrath through him." 8
"For you know that it was not with perishable things such as
silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life
handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious
blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect." 9
"But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have
fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His
Son cleanseth us from all sin." 10
"-Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his
own blood." 11
Now I could see the significance of the blood. Now I could
understand why the Israelites applied the blood on the night of
the Passover. It was now very clear that the blood applied was
their only protection from the coming judgement, for God had
said: "-When I see the Blood, I will pass over you." 12
I could now understand why the high priest never went into the
Holy of Holies on the Day of Atonement without blood, for:
"-Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.
" 13
It was clear to me that the sacrificing of the lamb, and the
offering of his blood for the atonement of sin, was a COPY of
what would happen when Christ, the Lamb of God, would be
sacrificed. He Himself offered His blood, offered His life, as an
atoning sacrifice for our sins. As I pondered these things, the
words of the hymn 'How Great Thou Art' came to mind. One of the
verses summed up just how I felt:
"And when I think that God, His Son not sparing,
Sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in.
That on the cross, my burden gladly bearing,
He bled and died to take away my sin."
I found it hard to take in, how a Holy God could so love a sinner
like me, that He would give His own Son to die in my place, to be
my substitute, to bear the punishment for my sin. The words of
another hymn reminded me that there was no other way by which my
sins could be forgiven:
"There was no other way a God of love could find,
To reconcile the world, and save a lost mankind.
It took the death of His own Son upon a tree,
There was no other way but Calvary."
1. Exodus 12:12-13.
2. Hebrews 9:22.
3. Hebrews 9:7.
4. Hebrews 9:25.
5. Hebrews 9:11-14.
6. John 1:29.
7. Matthew 26:28.
8. Romans 5:9.
9. 1 Peter 1:18-19.
10. 1 John 1:7.
11. Revelation 1:5.
12. Exodus 12:13.
13. Hebrews 9:22.
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