The Value of Blood

I have been thinking about the role of blood in the Christian's life lately. Honestly, all the pat answers and explanations I have heard over the years to explain the role and importance of blood have left me unfulfilled. The one speaking often comes across as a parrot, not having been apprehended by God on the matter. I really want to understand this because it is something that defines our relationship to Christ and one another.

Leviticus 12 has been a passage I have been visiting lately. In this passage the Spirit speaks to the people of Israel about a woman's duties after bearing a child. The issue of blood is a central theme here. A woman is instructed that she is unclean for many days as a result of the blood from child birth. This is no small thing either because it requires a sacrifice equal to that made on the Day of Atonement,

Leviticus 12:6-8 (KJV)
6[And when the days of her purifying are fulfilled, for a son, or for a daughter, she shall bring a lamb of the first year for a burnt offering, and a young pigeon, or a turtledove, for a sin offering, unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, unto the priest: 7Who shall offer it before the Lord, and make an atonement for her; and she shall be cleansed from the issue of her blood. This is the law for her that hath born a male or a female. 8And if she be not able to bring a lamb, then she shall bring two turtles, or two young pigeons; the one for the burnt offering, and the other for a sin offering: and the priest shall make an atonement for her, and she shall be clean.

It makes me think of what is said in 1 Peter 2:10 about our not having been a people but how through Christ's sacrifice we are now the people of God. This mirrors what was told the children of Israel when God brought them out of Egypt. Before the slaying of the first born, the final plague, the Lord instructed each household to select a lamb or goat to be offered unto the Lord and then to place the blood on beams and lintel of the door that they might be passed over in the judgement of Egypt. That lamb was a symbolic covering for the birth of an entire people. Have you wondered why the Lord used Egypt as a place for the people of Israel to gestate until they might be born, being brought out and separated from the World. As they came to the appropriate time to come forth there were very real birth pangs as a result of the sins of the nation of Egypt. It seems like there is a lot here.

In the prophets there are many references to people or cities being bloody such as Nahum 3:1,

Nahum 3:1 (KJV)
Woe to the bloody city! it is all full of lies and robbery; the prey departeth not;

I think we consider these things too lightly, and decide not to really look at what we are. Some gun freaks I know have recently posted an application for theoretical suitors. It includes threats to shoot, beat, torture, maim, and dismember them if said suitor lays a hand on their daughter. God has dealt with me for a similar thing. As delivery driver I became angry at the slow drivers on the road that impeded me. I got to the point of where I wished they would self destruct and clear the road. God dealt with me for my hatred and the blood I had put on my hands for this. When hear people joke about things that show their hatred make me sick. Do you really want blood on your hands? If your own blood requires the shedding of Christ's to make you clean how much more that of another?

Sin in the flesh is condemned and the life of the flesh is in the blood, so because of my sin, my blood is required in judgement so sin in the flesh is condemned to death, "you shall surely die".

My flesh is still condemned but the Spirit is life in Christ, for surely His blood shed on the Cross is not for my flesh, only quickened that it might contain the Life Giving Spirit, and Incorruptable Seed of the Father, when planted in the ground, bring forth a new body like His, that the Blood of Christ gives me eternal life, that life is not in the flesh but in the Spirit, of whom I now contain that life giving Spirit, the Spirit of Christ, who's shedding of blood in the flesh and resurrection in the flesh gives me rebirth in the Spirit and will also give me new birth in the flesh on resurrection day. New life, body, like His, soul by the Holy Spirit and spirit by the Spirit of JEsus Christ.

The blood shed on the altar of this earth in the court yard and the base of the Cross, has taken away the sin of the whole world, if we believe, that, "Jesus Christ is the Son of God" and His Blood cleanses me from all sin, His life in me by rebirth has given me eternal life by His life that is in me. That blood was so powerful that none other could be the power of salvation unto new life in Christ who is now my wisdom which is wiser that the foolishness of man, even unto the foolishness of God which is wiser than man, He is my strength which is stronger, than man's, even more than the weakness of God, For not many wise or strong are called, but, New life which will be just like Christ when this flesh is changed in the twinkling of an eye, All new in every way that I can now enter the Kingdom of God, which His precious Blood paid the price, total and complete, a new creature in Christ, a son of God, with the Heavenly Body like His whom we will see Him as "He is".

In Christ, by the Blood of Christ by His Spirit that is in me: Phillip