The Apostle Peter writes of things he calls “precious,” (of inestimable value). From the beginning of time, God has always regarded blood as a most precious thing. He gave solemn warnings for man’s misuse of the blood of a human or animal. “Flesh with the life thereof, which is the blood, shall ye not eat. And surely your blood of your lives will I require; at the hand of every beast will I require it, and at the hand of man” (Gen 9:4-6).
In the early chapters of Exodus, God gave to Moses a plan of redemption. Their deliverance was not effected by the judgments inflicted upon Pharaoh. The instruction for the people in bondage was, “Take the lamb.” They treasured that lamb for five days, rejoicing in its acceptableness to God for their salvation. The living lamb could not meet the claims of the destroying angel; the lamb must die. With the appointed hour of crisis in view, death or deliverance, God said, “Take the blood.” God pledged,”When I see the blood I will pass over you.”
How often in the sacrifices of Leviticus 1-16, God emphasizes, “all the blood!” He looked upon those animal sacrifices as their blood was shed with only a temporary satisfaction. His Word states; “It is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins” (Heb 10:4). The Day of Atonement for Israel was as a credit card payment. The spotless, sinless, holy Lamb of God must come and at Calvary pay in full the atoning price. He came, and accomplished all Scripture relating to God’s atoning work, making it honorable by His love and obedience. He cried triumphantly, “It is finished!”
The value of the blood of Christ lies in His virtues and incomparable greatness. Jesus Christ is God incarnate. He is sinless in His nature, therefore incapable of error, failure, or compromise.
“It is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul” (Lev 17:11). The atoning efficacy of the shed blood of Christ answers to every claim against sin. “Without the shedding of blood, there is no remission” (Heb 9:22). The shed blood is the great atonement Godward. There is no hope of pardon for the sin of any man apart from its punishment being fully endured. It is not arbitrary. God must punish sin. The Lord Jesus Christ came and made a complete atonement at Calvary. There is no other plan by which sinners can be made right with God.
The blood of Christ redeems from the law. God’s law said: “This do and live.” Christ has paid the ransom price of a broken law. A believer knows a full redemption from the law, its curse, its penalty, and its power through the precious shed blood of Christ.
God’s Word reveals that the precious shed blood of Christ assures a cleansing from sin (1 John 1:7); a reconciling and acceptance with God (2 Cor 5:20); a preserving power over death (Rom 5:9, 21), and a sanctifying power in the believer’s life (Heb 13:12). Upon the value of that shed blood the universe of God’s creation will forever be purged from sin and its consequences (Heb 1:3-12). How glorious is the salvation secured in the precious blood of Christ shed at Calvary! Sin’s power is vanquished, death is robbed of its darkness and defeat, creation is delivered from sin’s curse, fears and doubts are dispelled, heaven’s door is opened, and together we join the anthem in glory: “Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for Thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by Thy blood out of every kingdom, and tongue, and people, and nation” (Rev 5:9).
Precious, precious blood of Jesus,
Shed on Calvary,
Shed for rebels, and for sinners,
Shed for me!
