This is a devotional survey of the mentions of the blood of ourLord Jesus Christ.
It was the Lord who said, “Bring the fish which ye have now caught” (John 21:10). In preparing for a gospel meeting yesterday, I caught a little fish, and so while it is yet fresh I would like to bring it to you for your consideration.
The late William Warke once remarked, “The Bible is a living Book. Wherever you cut it, you will find blood.” Consequently, we discover the word, “blood,” mentioned 447 times in 375 verses of your Bible. The first hint of blood is in Genesis 3:21, “For Adam also and for his wife the LORD God made coats of skins, and clothed them.” Blood was shed by God to clothe the guilty pair, establishing a divine pattern at the opening of the Sacred Book. The divine explanation for the shedding of blood as a sacrifice is found in Hebrews 9:22, “Without shedding of blood is no remission.” Thus we discover the divine necessity of blood being shed for the remission of sins. The blood of animals is not sufficient for eternal cleansing as indicated in Hebrews 10. The shedding of a mortal’s blood is also insufficient, seeing that every mortal has a character defect. The only solution to the problem of sin and its total elimination was found in the Person of our Lord Jesus Christ. I wish to consider, with you, the various ways in which the Holy Spirit refers to the blood of our blessed Lord.
(1) “The Blood of His Cross” (Col 1:20). The cross was the instrument needed for the shedding of His blood. Not stoning, not throwing over the brow of a hill, not beheading – but the cross! The reason being, “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree” (Gal 3:13).
(2) “The Blood of the Lord” (1 Cor 11:27). This points to the dignity of His death. Let us always appreciate, that even though he was crucified between two malefactors, yet there was a divine dignity associated with that One upon the middle tree. Scripture never speaks of Christ dying on the cross. He was never a dying Man. The malefactors on either side were slowly dying, but our blessed Lord laid down His life by His own voluntary act.
(3) “The Blood of His Own” (Acts 20:28 J.N,D.). Tenderness. The relationship between God and His Son is expressed by, “His own,” reminding us of God’s statement of Him as He commenced His sacred ministry amongst men, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Matt 3:17). In His relationship with the Father, He dwelt in His bosom (Jn 1:18). This is not a geographical location! Even though forsaken by God on the cross, He never left the bosom of the Father, the place of love and affection. Another thing to consider is, that even though God, as God, turned from His Son on the cross, the tender relationship was never extinguished.
(4) “My blood of the New Testament” (Mk 14:24). Acceptance by God. Testaments (covenants) are ratified by blood. This testament was to be new, that is, fresh, never to grow old. Only one sacrifice could accomplish ratification. Christ says, “My blood.”
(5) “The Blood of the Everlasting Covenant” (Heb 13:20). Endurance. The Old Covenant is in direct contrast to the everlasting covenant. “He hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and groweth old is ready to vanish away” (Heb 8:13). As the endless ages roll along, the covenant that has been secured on our behalf will endure, for it was sealed by the blood of the Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep. Thank God, we shall never perish!
(6) “The Blood of this just Person” (Matt 27:24). Appraisal. What a confession from a depraved man! He had scrutinized Christ but found no fault. Even the ungodly had to bear testimony to the fact that Christ met the requirements of the sacrifice that God required: “without blemish.” Men today may scorn and reject Him, for it is their day. However, the time is coming when it will be God’s day. Considering this, Paul writes, “Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things on earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Phil 2:9-11).
(7) “His Own Blood” (Heb 9:12). His access into the holy place. Israel’s high priest entered once every year into the holiest of holies to make atonement for the nation. His access was afforded only through the death of a sacrifice and the presentation of its blood before the mercy seat of God. By virtue of the sacrifice of our Lord and His glorious resurrection, Christ now enters into a new office of the Great High Priest. There is a similarity and also a contrast between the high priest of the Old Covenant and that of the New Covenant. Israel’s priest entered into the holiest in virtue of the blood of a slain animal, while Christ enters the holiest in virtue of His own sacrifice and blood shed. Israel’s priest entered yearly, due to the fact that his sacrifice could never put away sin. However, Christ enters but once, due to the all-sufficiency of His sacrifice in the eternal putting away of sin. Let us all exclaim, “Hallelujah, what a Savior!”
(8) “The Blood of Jesus” (Heb 10:19). Our access into the holy place. As priests, we are afforded access into the holy place solely through the blood of Jesus. Notice, the Spirit does not say, the blood of the Lord, nor the blood of Christ. The emphasis is on the humanity of Jesus. Lord, is His title. Christ, denotes His office. However, Jesus is His name, the name of a unique Man, an actual, human Man. Thus a human Being has actually entered into heaven by virtue of His own blood, giving us the authority, as human beings to also enter, in virtue of His blood. The veil mentioned in this verse has never been rent. A rent veil would make void His priesthood. No brethren, the unrent veil conveys to me the fact that, the only way Aaron had into the immediate presence was through an unrent veil, so, in like manner, the only way we have access into the immediate presence of God is through the veil, the spotless humanity of Christ presently in the glory. The Scriptures never speak of us entering into the holiest through a rent veil, but rather through a veil, an unrent veil!
(9) “The blood of Sprinkling” (Heb 12:24). Superiority. Cain and Abel were taught the proper method to find acceptance before God. The Spirit tells us that it was “by faith that Abel offered unto God” (Heb 11:4). He accepted the teachings from his parents of the divine plan and was accepted. However, the blood of the Lord Jesus is far superior to the blood of Abel’s offering for three reasons. (1) Abel had to provide for himself an offering. God provided for us our offering. “The Father sent the Son to be the Savior of the world” (1 John 4:14). (2) Abel’s offering provided righteousness only for himself. In contrast, through the sacrifice of Christ, the Spirit can proclaim, “The righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe.” (Rom 3:22). (3) Finally, Abel’s sacrifice was only temporary, a shadow of a better sacrifice to come. In Christ we find the substance of that shadow and with great delight we read, “But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down on the right hand of God; … Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin” (Heb 10:12,18). The word sprinkling, reminds us of the Passover. However, the context forces us into Leviticus 16 where the priest, entering the holiest, sprinkles the blood seven times upon the mercy seat. God’s eye is looking down upon that mercy seat and seeing the perfect application seven times before the mercy seat. As the priest approached that sacred place, his eye fell toward the mercy seat and saw the perfect application of blood, assuring him that God had met the needs of His people. Sprinkling denotes the fact, that for all of these sacred truths to become a divine reality, the blood must be applied, it must be sprinkled!
(10) “The Precious Blood of Christ” (1 Pet 1:19). Divine appraisal. It is the only time you find this expression in the Scriptures. We submit for your meditation, four basic reasons why His blood is termed precious: (1) Because of the Person who shed it. “To you therefore who believe He is precious” (1 Pet 2:7). (2) Because of the vast claims that it met. (3) Because of its cleansing and securing power. “The blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin” (1 Jn 1:7). (4) Because it was shed for you!
(11) “Thy Blood” (Rev 5:9). Worthiness of praise. The expression is unique and is found no where else in Scripture. The scene is heavenly, but also pictures the redeemed on earth during the tribulation. Their tribute of praise is tremendous. The anthem rises to the Lamb standing before the throne of God, expressing to Him their appreciation of His blood. How fitting at the Lord’s supper to keep hymns of praise concerning ourselves to a minimum and praise regarding Himself and the shedding of His blood to a maximum! In our gospel preaching, let us make very much of the blood and very little of ourselves. Thank God for the blood!
(12) “The blood of the Lamb” (Rev 7:14). Personal application. This expression is unique to the Book of the Revelation and is only found elsewhere in 12:14. Tribulation saints, by death, have come out of great tribulation (the last three and one half years). Notice: (1) Their number: “a great multitude”(vs.9). The Spirit will do a tremendous work on earth in salvation, after the Bride is raptured. However, those who have heard the gospel and obeyed not shall be damned. God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie (2 Thes 2:11, 12). (2) Their array: They are clothed with white robes (they are righteous) with palms in their hands (they are victorious). (3) Their theme: They cried with a loud voice, saying, “Salvation to our God who sitteth upon the throne, and to the Lamb” (vs.10). (4) Their status: “They… have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb” (vs.14). (5) Their blessing. “They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. For the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them to living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes” (vs.16-17).
Thus brethren, I have given to you a little fish that I caught yesterday, and I trust that it will help you appreciate in a greater measure THE PRECIOUS BLOOD.
