"... Without the shedding of blood is no remission of sins.” Hebrews 9:22

Numerous sermons have been preached, articles have been published and books have been written to explain and extol the place of the Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ in man’s redemption. I would like to briefly touch on a few aspects of the Blood of Christ that is less considered by most Christians in order to enhance our appreciation and application of the Blood of the Lamb of God shed for us.

First we need to see that true worship of God is not possible without the Blood of Christ. The first act of worship recorded in the Bible was that of Abel’s offering of "the firstlings of his flock" in Genesis chapter four which involved the shedding of blood as God required. That was the reason why God “looked with favor upon Abel and his offering” (Gen 4:4). It is a testimony that there can be no approach to God and no fellowship with Him by faith apart from the blood. The first recorded act of Noah after he came out of the ark was the offering of a burnt sacrifice to God (Gen 8:20) – also involving the shedding of blood – as an act of worship that is well-pleasing to God. In typology, the blood in all of these instances typified the Blood of Christ. Thus, we see that man cannot gain entrance into the presence of God and fellowship with Him apart from the Blood of Jesus Christ.

At Passover before the exodus of the children of Israel from Egypt, God required each household of His people to slay a lamb slain and sprinkle the blood on the door posts for them to be spared of the sword of death. Thus, God taught His people that life was possible only through the blood of a lamb given in their place and appropriated. Later, when God gave the covenant to Israel through Moses, the covenant was established by the sprinkling of blood on the altar and then on the book of the covenant as well as on the people, with the declaration, "This is the blood of the covenant" (Exo 24:8). This was how God's people in the Old Testament were brought into covenant relationship with God. In this case, the blood was sprinkled not on the door posts nor the altar, but on the people themselves, thereby making the application closer and more effectual.

In the building of the Tabernacle, God gave detailed explicit instructions about the making of a tabernacle where they were to meet with Him and where He would dwell in their midst. Once again, we find that the blood was in the center of the Tabernacle. All the articles in the tabernacle, the tabernacle itself, and the priests serving therein were consecrated by the blood. On the altar of burnt offering, from morning to evening, there was the sprinkling of the blood. In the Holy Place on the golden altar of incense the blood was also constantly sprinkled. Finally in the Holiest of All where God dwelt, there the High Priest alone entered once a year to bring in the blood and to worship God. Therefore, we see that the way of entering into a deeper and a more intimate fellowship with God in the Tabernacle, which is a type of the Church, is through the Blood of Christ.

When Lord Jesus Christ came, He was introduced as "the Lamb of God Who takes away the sin of the world" (Jn 1:29). Jesus Christ culminated His mission and his ministry to man by dying for us; thus, shedding His precious blood for us in accomplishing an eternal salvation for us and in reconciling us to God. As He instituted the Lord’s Supper He said, "Drink, all of you. This cup is the New Testament in My blood that is shed for you and for many for the remission of sins." (Matt 26:27-28). "Without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sins.” And without remission of sins there is no life. By the shedding of His blood, Christ Jesus not only accomplished our salvation from sins, the nature of sin, the world, Satan, the old man, death, etc., but He has also given His life for us by conjoining us to partake of ‘the drinking of His Blood,’ because the Bible tells us that the life is in the blood (Lev 17:11,14, Deut 12:23).

The book of Hebrews was written to show that the symbolism of the Old Covenant has given way to the blessed New Covenant in Jesus’ Blood. Still we see the prominence of the Blood of Christ: "By His own blood he [Jesus] entered in once into the holy place" (Heb 9:12). "The blood of Christ…shall purge your conscience" (verse 14). "You are come to Jesus the Mediator of the New Covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling" (12:24). "Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood suffered without the gate" (13:12). "God…brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus…through the blood of the everlasting covenant" (13:20). Most importantly, the Blood of Christ has gained for us a most intimate entrance and approach to the Father – an entrance more intimate than ever before – as conveyed to us in Hebrews 10:19, "Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus." The entrance into the Holiest of all, not of the earthly tabernacle but the heavenly, is now available not just for the high priests, but it's the privilege of all believers in Christ. Thus, we see that so great a salvation was accomplished and obtained for us by the Blood of Jesus Christ! May we have a renewed appreciation, and a greater appropriation through faith, of what Christ did for us by shedding His blood on the cross.