Dear friends:This is the third part of a series on the blood of Jesus, mostly taken from my 1988 book, The World's Greatest Truths. Be blessed, and praise God for His precious blood. Parts 1 and 2 can be found at www.insights.injesus.com. If you are interested, footnote references and the whole book can be found at http://www.choicesforliving.com/truth/.
Jim
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The Amazing Blood Covering
All of previous Hebrew history was but a preparation and a portrait of this divine love-plan. It didn't just start with Abraham, but can be traced all the way to the garden of Eden. When Adam and Eve disobeyed God and sinned, they used fig leaves to "cover" themselves. But God determined the mere vegetable product to be unsuitable and replaced the leaves with the skin of an animal, the first symbolic act of "blood-covering."In this initial instance of sin, blood had to be shed to "cover" it. Surely God loved the little animal and was saddened to see its death. But He chose flesh as an atonement to demonstrate the seriousness of human sin. Sin brings human death (physical) and spiritual death (separation from God). Bloodshed typifies the seriousness of sin, because a loss of life is necessary.
But on the positive side, there is a more important reason for the blood covering. It is a medical fact that blood's most important function is to bring life. It is a life-giving substance rather than a symbol of death. Therefore, in addition to demonstrating the seriousness of sin, a blood sacrifice restores life to the guilty one. It covers us. It clothes us. The Bible says:
"And the LORD God made for Adam and his wife garments of skins, and clothed them."16
An often overlooked truth in man's fall is that Adam and Eve by their own efforts had attempted to "cover" (or justify) themselves by using fig leaves. This was human reasoning causing human effort to cover human failings, a condition so prevalent in the world ever since, and especially today. But it is not God's way.
In a message also applicable to us, God said to Adam and Eve, in effect, "Your failings may be overlooked, but only My way. None of your self-effort can accomplish anything. You can't do anything, but I can. I will cover your sins Myself, and with blood. It is something I will do Myself. In fact, I will ultimately shed My own blood for your covering. I will do that for you, because I love you." He did. That is the blood of the eternal covenant.17
The “Lost” Ark of the Covenant
The subject of the popular movie, "Raiders of the Lost Ark," was the famous ark of the covenant that the Israelites used according to God's instructions. The ark provided further prophetic symbolism of the eternal blood covenant to come. It was a box that contained the original tablets of the Ten Commandments. It was kept in the Holy of Holies behind a curtain in the Holy Place both of the tabernacle and the later temple. This is the place where God manifested a special presence -- the most holy of places, ever (until God later chose a different type of temple in which to reveal Himself as described in Chapter 8).The top of the box was called the Mercy Seat (Hebrew word for "cover"). The sins of the people were covered, or forgiven, once a year when the high priest would sprinkle the blood of sacrificed animals on the Mercy Seat.18 In effect, the Commandments within the ark were declaring the guilt of the people before the presence of God. But the blood on the Mercy Seat "covered" the accusations before they could even reach God!
The New Testament fulfillment of this symbolism was the Messiah, called the Great High Priest, whose own sacrifice is the "covering" for sins. The Commandments still declare our guilt, as no one can keep them perfectly by letter or spirit. But the blood of the eternal covenant "covers" the accusations. Such covering renders a "not guilty" verdict before God for those who have entered into the covenant, just like in the Old Testament practice.
(What really happened to the "lost" ark, the subject of the aforementioned movie? It actually disappeared in history and hasn't been seen since. I believe I have discovered the ark's location and why it hasn't been found! See Appendix II for this fascinating information).
How to Enter Into the Covenant
How does one enter into the covenant? By faith - "consuming" this truth within ourselves. As we do so, we "eat" His flesh and "drink" His blood, consuming the Passover Lamb, just like the early Israelites consumed the slain lamb. The Lamb and His blood give us life and cleanse us from all of sin's impurities. We enter into an irrevocable covenant with God Almighty who has promised eternal life: "I will raise him up at the last day."For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.19
God demonstrated this love by shedding His own blood, through which He made a covenant. We enter into this covenant by "believing" in Him and what He did.
The words faith and believing mean more than just intellectual agreement; rather they carry the idea of "relying on," and "trusting in." Basically, it means to entrust ourselves to God, an act of commitment. We "covenant" with Him. He gave His life to us; we give our life to Him. And in a mystery to be discussed in Chapter 8, the blood covenant brings an inter-union of the two covenant makers.
It took God centuries of human history to orchestrate the events leading to the enactment of the blood covenant. But a person can enter into it in a moment, whether 10 years old or 110. In only One Minute or less. Sudden insight into Truth - a spark of faith - an inner acceptance and commitment - and shazam! That's just the way it works. (Follow-through? See Chapters 8-12.)
When we do, we are no longer captive to an existence constantly stalked by death. Everything in this world dies. All flesh decomposes, as does all vegetation. Even the sun has a limited life and is gradually dying. But we have found real and permanent life through that life-giving substance, blood - a special and very unusual blood:
You were ransomed (Webster: freed from captivity or punishment by paying a price)… with the precious blood of Christ (Messiah), like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.20
Interestingly, it was through Judaism and the Old Covenant that God instituted blood sacrifice as a means of removing sin and guilt. But when Messiah, the Lamb of God, finally came, He became a final and lasting sacrifice for all time. Coincidentally, in the first century, animal sacrifice ceased in Judaism. Although ostensibly for naturally explainable reasons, God obviously had a profound spiritual reason - its prophetic purpose had been fulfilled.
This leaves a troubling problem for those who would reject Yeshua (Jesus) as the sacrificial Lamb. The first-century writer of the Letter to the Hebrews reminded them that:
"without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins."21
Nowhere in the Jewish Scriptures did God change His mind and decide that blood was no longer required as a sin sacrifice. It always was, and still is, required. But the old symbolic way ceased. Now, for Jews and Gentiles, there is still a blood covering through the "blood of the new covenant." God appeared in human form to sacrifice His own flesh one time, only one time, and for all time. He did it not just for the Jews who were the "chosen people" to communicate and implement His plan, but for all people, Jews and Gentiles of every nation, everywhere.
Even God's real name describes this incredible love-mission. It is really "the world's greatest name." This fascinating and mysterious subject is discussed in the next chapter.
Continued....