Blood And God's Purpose

Leviticus 17:11

“For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls. For it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul”. What importance did blood play in the scheme of God? What role or how was blood going to be used by God? Romans 5:11, reconciliation. A bringing back together.

We can find from what scriptures states that blood was in the forethought of God as he conceived his plan of salvation for man before he created the animals and mankind. God knew that man was going to be capable of sinning against his laws. So God had a plan instituted for man’s reconciliation in his forethought (providence) before creation. And blood played an important role in this plan.

In Genesis 9:1-4, we find that God was now permitting the use of animal flesh for food. Vs. 3, “every moving thing that lives shall be food for you”. Up until this time man was limited to herbs and fruits. However, God place one stipulation on the use of animals for food and that was that the blood was not to be eaten. This was due to God’s already established plan of how blood was going to be used in the reconciliation of man. Genesis 9:4 states, “but flesh with the life thereof which is the blood thereof shall ye not eat”. The life of any creature was contained in the blood. Without blood they were but dead animals. Again, bear in mind, God’s purpose of the shedding of blood for man’s atonement. Blood was going to be the substance and foundation that God would use for substitution and atonement.

We know in Romans 6:23 that “the wages of sin is death”.  The just penalty for sin is death through the shedding of blood in which resides the life of the flesh. But God in his grace and mercy allows the death of an acceptable substitute as payment of sin’s penalty. Without the shedding of blood and thus giving up life there is no remission. The penalty must be made in order for God to be just. Hebrews 9:22 states, “and almost all things are by the law purged with blood. And without the shedding of blood is no remission”. The shedding blood pays the penalty for sin and one can be reconciled to God.

God did not change the shedding of blood as the penalty for sin, but he did choose others sources as to where the blood would come from. He made substitutions for man thereby showing his love and mercy that He bestowed upon man. Under the old Law, the blood came from animals. Today, his Son was the substitute for us. Christ blood was shed for our atonement. We can truly see God’s forethought of how animals created for man along with the blood was to be used according to God’s plan for atonement for man. Never forget how precious the blood of Christ, who was a substitute for us.

I Peter 1:19, “but with the precious blood of Christ, as a lamb without blemish and without spot.

Matthew 26:28, “for this is my blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.

I John 1:7, “ but if we walk in the light as he is in the light,  we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his son, cleanses us from all sin.

- CL Bruner