The Atoning Blood of Jesus

Continuing my Holy Week meditation on the Blood of Jesus, I was just thinking about the two old testament statements about blood:

1. Leviticus 17:11 NIV "For the life of a creature is in the blood..."

2. Exodus 30:10 NIV "Once a year Aaron shall make atonement on its horns. This annual atonement must be made with the blood of the atoning sin offering for the generations to come. It is most holy to the Lord.”

If we combine these two foundational scriptures, we see that what is happening is that the life of the animal, in the temple it was a bull and a goat, was poured out to make atonement for the sins of the people. This is the precedent for forgiveness that God set up in the temple, and a picture of the future reality that was fulfilled by Jesus. He gave His life, represented by His Blood, for the forgiveness, or atonement of all the people's sins, for all generations to come.

Atonement speaks of covering, literally to come between two things and hide one from the other's sight. The Hebrew word is Kaphar and it means 1. to cover, purge, make an atonement, make reconciliation, cover over with pitch. So the blood of Jesus, in being offered as an atonement covers over our sins, purges or cleanses these sins from our lives, reconciles us in our relationship with God, and hides them forever from His view.

I was reminded of two verses concerning our wins and God's forgiveness of them:

Isaiah 1:18 NIV:
“Come now, let us settle the matter,” says the Lord. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool."

Psalm 103:11-12 NIV:
"For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; [12] as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us."

This is why we hear the phrases washed in the Blood of Jesus or covered by the Blood of Jesus, for both are accurate statements concerning the atonement by blood.

Finally, the author to the Letter of Hebrews discusses this whole topic in chapters 9 & 10, as the Hebrew people fully understood practices of the old testament worship in the temple. Here is a short excerpt that explains it best:

Hebrews 9:11-15 NIV
But when Christ came as high priest of the good things that are now already here, he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not made with human hands, that is to say, is not a part of this creation. [12] He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption. [13] The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. [14] How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God! [15] For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance---now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant.

It is right to consider what Jesus did for us, and to celebrate and remember this every day. For this is not a gift idly given, or easily paid for, but required Jesus life. I am so thankful Lord for what You did for us all!