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It is difficult for some to comprehend the significance of blood in the plan of God's redemption. This understanding is absolutely
impossible for the unbeliever and is difficult for many who are the objects of grace. In recent years, one translation of the New Testament
has virtually excluded all references to blood. Some feel that such actions indicate a conspiracy against blood as a significant
ingredient in the plan of salvation. If there is a conspiracy, there is no doubt that its origin is Satan, who from the beginning has opposed
God and blinded the minds of mortals (2 Cor. 4:3-4).It is the objective of this study to set forth the importance of the role of blood in our
relationship with God.
I believe that most people in our society are aware of the necessity of blood for the existence of human life. When an injured person has
a significant loss of blood, he may die. Many have taken their lives simply by cutting a wrist and allowing this precious chemical to drain
from the body. One treatment used in early medicine was bleeding the patient, presumably to rid the body of disease. In our day, many
diseases are treated by means of medication which enters the circulatory system and aids our natural defense sin combating that which
has invaded our bodies.
Medically speaking, the red fluid called blood is the mainstream of life. Without blood, no part of the human body can live. Blood
carries oxygen and food to every living cell and carries away waste which is deposited in certain organs. It was designed by God to remove
this waste from the human body. This precious liquid also functions in the fight against the invasion of diseases which would otherwise
destroy us.
Blood is made up of four main parts: (1)plasma, which is the liquid part of the blood and is made up mostly of water; (2) red blood cells,
which make up the transportation system to carry oxygen to cells and carbon monoxide away; (3) white blood cells, which are the
soldiers of the body, fighting disease and infection; and (4) platelets, which gather at places of injury forming the clots which prevent
bleeding to death. There are also a great many other parts, and science has been able to understand much about the chemical proportions
and functions of each in the mystery of life. However, with all their knowledge, scientists are still unable to manufacture blood. Our only
source of blood is still the human body. An individual weighing one hundred and sixty pounds will have from five to seven quarts of blood
and can be a donor, giving blood to replace that lost by others due to injury or surgery. Without such blood, many would die. It is no
wonder that the Bible declares, "For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for
your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul" (Lev. 17:11).
The above Scripture should awaken our souls to the fact that blood is not only a necessity for natural life but for spiritual life also! From
the beginning it was so, as observed in God's dealings with Adam and Eve. They were made pure but fell into sin and death. As they
became aware of their dreadful condition, they sewed fig leaves together in an effort to conceal their nakedness from God. It did not
occur to them that such efforts were futile; more was needed than that which they could provide. It is the same today; man still cannot
provide the means of his salvation. We are as dependent on God as were Adam and Eve. Grace, not works, will save us (Eph. 2:8-9). In
the beginning God made coats of skins for Adam and Eve and clothed them (Gen. 3:21).We cannot know the animals from which God took
the skins, but we do know that the animals had to die and their blood was shed! Even so, life had to be taken and blood was shed to purchase
for us life eternal. No wonder the New Testament declares, "And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without
shedding of blood is no remission" (Heb. 9:22).
Almost from the beginning, blood has played a vital role in our relationship to God. By means of the sacrifices and offerings of the
Law, we recognize the mysterious sacredness of blood. Although the shedding of human blood was forbidden by God (Gen. 9:6, Prov 6:16-17),
yet He did require the shedding of the blood of animals. The high priest was directed by God to use blood for the atonement
(Ex. 30:10). The New Testament reminds us of this ancient practice: "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 ..." (Heb. 9:7). Even before the Law was given, God revealed
the significance of blood as the children of Israel were about to depart from Egypt's bondage. On that dreadful night when the death angel
passed through the land claiming all the first born of Egypt, only one thing stood between the Jews and death - blood upon their door posts
and lintels (Ex. 12:7).God declared, "And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood,
I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt" (Ex. 12:13).Even so, the blood
of Jesus Christ stands between us and eternal death and damnation.
It seems that the divine design of all the former references to blood were intended to strengthen and enforce the importance of the blood
of Jesus. Notice the symbolism expressed in Scripture which connects the blood of sacrifices and the blood of Christ. In Hebrews 9:12, we
read, "...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." Peter thus described the symbol of the sacrificial lamb: "...Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible
things, ...But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot" (l Peter 1:18-19).Paul admonished
us to "walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour"
(Eph. 5:2). As animals were offered to God and sacrificed upon the alter, their blood was shed. So also, when Jesus became our sacrifice,
He shed His precious blood upon the cross of Calvary. As God sees us through the atoning blood of Jesus, eternal judgment for sins passes
away and we stand before God - redeemed! Paul said, "In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according
to the riches of His grace..." (Eph. 1:7). Grace was God's giving His only begotten Son, to suffer, bleed, and die for the sins of the elect,
thereby securing our salvation and assuring us of glory.
Some may wonder why the blood of another person could not have served equally well. The simple fact is that no one else in all humanity
was sinless. The blood of all humanity has been contaminated by sin. From the "fall of man" all the descendants of Adam were sinners with
the exception of Jesus Christ. He alone was born of a holy birth by which He was exempt from the presence of sin. Jesus was and is the
Son of God, therefore His blood was pure and became the only acceptable blood for the atonement of sin. God has always required
pure blood; since animals are instinctive creatures and do not sin, their blood is pure. This probably accounts for the fact that God used
their blood to prefigure the blood of Jesus. When Jesus shed His precious blood, He became the last sacrifice by death that God
accepted and blood sacrifices ended forever. Because of His sinless condition, He became the one and only sacrifice which God received
for the payment of our sins. By His blood, our sins were washed away (Rev. 1:5), rather than being rolled forward for a year, as they were
under the Law. He said, "...For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins" (Mt. 26:28).
Who else or what else, other than Jesus and His shed blood, could have disposed of our sins so completely and so permanently? "Much
more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him" (Rom. 5:9). Perhaps we may never fully understand
why His blood so perfectly satisfied God in His righteous demands for the payment of sins. Nevertheless, when He shed His
precious blood (l Peter 1:19)and died for our sins, it became evident that it was the only remedy for sin. Since God Almighty accepted
His blood as an atonement for our sins, we are saved and shall live with God in heaven. As the elect we are cleansed through the shed
blood of Jesus. It is a vital link in the endless plan of God for the salvation of His people, and there is great significance in the blood
of the Bible. The Bible builds our Christian hope upon the firm foundation of the unfailing blood of the Lord Jesus Christ.
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