I’ve recently tweeted about the lamb’s blood in Old Testament and that made me feel like writing about some Old testament depictions of Christ’s blood.
First, I’d like to talk a little bit about the Mercy Seat. The meaning of the Ark of the Covenant was what took place involving the lid of the box, known as the “Mercy Seat.” When the priest got into the tabernacle and sacrificed the lamb, its blood would be shed all over the whole lid of the ark which the Tables of the law remained in. God’s people haven’t obeyed the law as they said they would. But when God looked at the Mercy seat from above, all He saw was the blood of that lamb covering the broken law under it. This is why many peope call that place “propiciatory”. Because that means “a place to make peace”. If it wasn’t for the blood on the lid of the box, God would see the broken law and no one, not a single man, would be saved. All men deserve His wrath.
The same happens with Rahab. She put a red cord on her house so when Joshua’s army started the war, her entire family would be saved. The red cord, once again, means the blood of Jesus covering her house.
Brothers and sisters, we were all born in iniquity and deserve damnation. But one day Christ shed His blood so now when God looks at us, He sees His son. He sees Christ’s blood and then we have peace with God. Jesus reconciliated the entire universe to God. For one man, Adam, has been the door to sin and damnation into this world, but one man, not exactly a man, but truly man and truly God, has been the door to eternal life.
There is nothing we can do out of Christ’s covering that can atone for our sins. We could just be great people, doing good things, helping others, obeying all the commandments, and yet all these deeds would stink to God because even the most virtuous man is corrupted in his virtues. The only way to please God with our works is when we do them under Christ’s blood. His blood is like a filter so God may gladly receive us. That’s why we should cherish this blood. This holy and pure blood which we were washed in. Our merciful God gave His own son so we could receive this blood. Oh, by the way, we can taste this redemption blood every service in Lord’s supper. We can have salvation in a touchable, testable and visible way!
One day a 9 year old student of mine asked me what does Christ’s blood taste like. In that moment I had no idea about what to answer. “How can I tell him it tastes like bread without disappointing him?”. In the end I just said it tastes like bread. But one day later I went to service and I had communion and then I felt different. I prayed to God “Well, yesterday my student asked me what does your blood taste like and I didn’t know how to respond. But now I finally got it. It tastes like salvation and forgiveness”. Praised be our Father God for the blood shed by our sweet savior Jesus Christ and given to us thank to the holy Spirit who opened our eyes to see His salvation.
