Why blood has to be shed? Why blood? What is something special about the blood of Jesus Christ? To answer these questions we will have to go through the entire Bible from the beginning to the end. No worries, we won’t do one year Bible reading plan one day, but we will touch important verses to get the meaning of the blood in the Bible.
Why blood has to be shed?
If you remember in the beginning in the Book of Genesis, God commanded Adam: “..of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat … thou shalt surely die” (Genesis 2:17). Later on, Adam and Eve, disobeyed God’s commandment and ate the forbidden fruit (Genesis 3:6). Right after that “the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked” (Genesis 3:7), they had feeling of guilt and shame. So, they tried to “cover” their guilt and shame with fig leaves. Thus, Lord God killed an innocent animal to “make coats of skin, and clothed them” (Genesis 3:21).
This is the first account in the Bible when the shedding of blood was required in order to cover the sin of man.
Why Blood?
The answer for that particular question is in Leviticus 17 verses 11 and 14. And the point is, that “the life of the flesh is in the blood” and it “maketh an atonement for the soul“. Because the “coats of skin” what the Lord God made for Adam and Eve is temporal covering, it require a continual sacrifices of an innocent blood (see Leviticus 1:3,4 and Numbers 28) along with obeying God’s Law and Statutes.
Scripture
18 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; 19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: -- 1 Peter 1:18-19 KJV
Observation
The whole idea behind offerings, sacrifices and shedding of blood is redemption. To “redeem” means “ransom” or “buy back”, especially the redemption of a bondservant (Leviticus 25:49). In our case, that redemption is from the slavery of sin: “Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin” (John 8:34). A temporary atonement (covering from sin) was the whole idea under the Mosaic system.
What is something special about the blood of Jesus Christ?
The First Epistle of Peter was written to the Jewish Christians who were experiencing great persecutions from the hands of Emperor Nero. Peter encourages his fellow Christians to endure to the end and to endure all the sufferings faithfully. He reminds them, that they “were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers“. The price what was paid for us is way much higher than price of perishable silver or gold. That payment was not corrupt and defiled, but blameless, spotless and eternal. One for all. Peter reminds, that we were redeemed “with the precious blood of Christ“. No more temporal atonements. It is finished! (John 19:30)
But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. -- Isaiah 53:5 KJV
Application
This is the time for your journaling. Reflect on these questions. Ask the Holy Spirit to test your faith and your walk with Christ.
Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates? — 2 Corinthians 13:5 KJV
- Do you have that “strange” feeling when you doing something wrong?
- Do you think it is feeling of guilt and shame?
- When was the last time you have sacrificed something for someone?
- What was the price of that sacrifice?
- What does the sacrifice of Jesus Christ mean for you?
Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father, we praise and glorify Your name. You Lord God our Creator, our Judge and ultimate Redeemer. We thank You for sending Your Son Jesus Christ to be the ransom for us. We thank You Lord Jesus for dying on the cross on our behalf, we thank You for Your precious blood that You have shed for us. We thank You for the eternal life in You Lord Jesus what You gave us through Your resurrection from the dead. May the Holy Spirit be with us always to guide and reprove us, to uphold and strengthen our faith. May we serve You Lord God for Your greater glory.
In Jesus precious name we pray. Amen
