Hebrews 9:11-22 KJV
11 But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building;
12 Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.
13 For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh:
14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purgeyour conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
Hebrews 9: 18-22 KJV
18 Whereupon neither the first testament was dedicated without blood.
19 For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and of goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book, and all the people,
20 Saying, This is the blood of the testament which God hath enjoined unto you.
21 Moreover he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle, and all the vessels of the ministry.
22 And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.
BLOOD HAS BEEN REQUIRED FROM THE BEGINNING
From the beginning, in God’s plan or design, sin has been atoned for with sacrifice and blood.
It could be because blood is representative of life. Without blood, there can be no life.
Because of this, God chose blood to atone for sin and represent new life.
Think back to Adam and Eve, who sinned against God and then realized their nakedness before Him. Animals were killed and blood was shed, to provide coverings for them.
Then we see what God required on the first Passover, when the Hebrew people were in bondage in Egypt. A lamb without spot or blemish had to be killed and the blood placed on the doorpost of the house. If the blood was on the doorpost, God would pass over this house, sparing it from His final plague.
Under the Old Covenant with the Hebrew people, the blood of lambs without blemish was used as atonement for the people’s sins. It is clear however, that the blood of sacrificial animals as atonement for sin was only temporary and the permanent sacrifice was yet to come.
When this covenant was sealed with the people, Moses sacrificed animals and sprinkled their blood on the people.
From this time forward under the law of the Old Covenant, lamb sacrifices were used for the atonement of sin, both in the traveling Tabernacle and then in the Temple. The blood of the lamb was the atonement or covering for the sins of the people.
JESUS IS THE LAMB OF GOD
John the Baptist introduces Jesus in this manner; “Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sins of the world.” John the Baptist, the forerunner of Jesus, knew exactly who He was and why He came to this earth.
John 1:29 KJV
29 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.
John 1:34-36 KJV
34 And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God.
35 Again the next day after John stood, and two of his disciples;
36 And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God!
Because of the sacrificial and atoning death of our Lord Jesus Christ, animals no longer have to be killed or blood sprinkled on the door posts.
It is through, and only through the blood of Jesus, that we are saved and cleansed of all unrighteousness in God’s eyes.
Ephesians 1:7 KJV
7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;
1 Peter 1:18-19 KJV
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:
However, just like those Hebrews on that first Passover night, we must have faith to obey what God has told us and accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior. It those Hebrews didn’t put the blood on the door post, they were not spared or saved. Likewise, if we do not accept Jesus Christ as our Savior, we too are lost and undone.
Have you accepted Christ and the redeeming power of His blood?
As the old hymn says, there is truly power in the blood of the Lamb.
RVH