“The Blood of The Covenant”
Text: Exodus 24:3-11
4-6-2023
In the name of Jesus who shed His blood so that we may receive new life, dear friends in Christ. The Jewish religious system of animal sacrifices must have been an awfully bloody affair. Did you ever stop to think about that? An animal was brought to the priest as an offering. Whether it was a lamb, a goat, or a bull, the throat was cut and it bled to death. I’ve watched plenty of animals being butchered and to put it bluntly, it’s a bloody mess. But the Jewish priests did something strange when they killed the sacrificial animals. Rather than let all the blood spill on the ground or run down the drainage channel, they caught some of it in a bowl. It would then be mixed with water and sprinkled on the sides of the altar. I’ve often wondered what that looked like, along with the curtain in the Holy of Holies, and the Ark of the Covenant. All of these items at the Temple were sprinkled with the blood of numerous sacrifices over the years.
But in our reading from Exodus 24, not only did Moses sprinkle blood on the altar, he also sprinkled the blood on the people! Blood stains things. It leaves an indelible mark that doesn’t easily go away. Those people would have had a visible reminder of that important event. Those stains would be on their place of worship, on their bodies, and on their clothes. So is that why God had them save the blood—so they could sprinkle it on people and things? Just for a visible reminder of a religious event? No, there was a much deeper meaning to it than that.
In order to get at that, we need to ask a question. Why the blood? What’s so significant about blood that God would have them save it and use it for this strange ritual? The first part of our answer can be found in Deuteronomy 12:23. The Israelites were given strict orders about killing animals for food. God commanded, “Be sure that you do not eat the blood, for the blood is the life, and you shall not eat the life with the flesh.” Did you get that? The life is in the blood. We all know that both animals and humans cannot exist without blood pumping through their veins. Blood carries life to every single cell in our bodies. So, the blood is not just a symbol of life. It is the very essence of life.
The other part of our answer is found in Hebrews 9. Verse 22 says, “Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.” In the ancient, Jewish system, an animal was sacrificed for the sins of the people. That innocent animal died in their place. The lifeblood was drained so that their sins could be removed. It’s a strange concept for our modern minds to comprehend, but the blood that stained everything it was sprinkled on—that blood actually ended up cleansing them. In a strange reversal, the lifeblood that was sacrificed on their behalf, washed away the guilty stain of their sins in God’s eyes. That lifeblood was sprinkled on the altar because the people who approached that altar were sinful. Likewise, that lifeblood was sprinkled on the people to purify them of their sins so they could stand in God’s holy presence. The lifeblood that was shed for their forgiveness was applied to them personally and they received new life through the shedding of it.
All that shedding of blood was preparing the world for the coming of Jesus Christ. He was the ultimate sacrifice which would end the need for spilling the blood of any more innocent animals. Just as those animals died in the place of the people, so Christ died once and for all in our place. He became our substitute. In His suffering and death, His innocent lifeblood was drained from Him. But His blood wasn’t caught in a bowl so that it could be sprinkled on an earthly altar or on the bodies and clothes of people. In Hebrews chapter 9 it says that the blood of Jesus was sprinkled on God’s heavenly altar in order to atone for our sins. At the same time, that blood of Christ was also sprinkled on us, to “purify our conscience” from the guilt of our sins. Through the sprinkling of His blood, Jesus purified us so that we could stand in God’s holy presence for all eternity.
The sprinkling of that lifeblood also served another purpose. In our reading from Exodus, after Moses had sprinkled the people with the blood, he said, “Behold the blood of the covenant that the LORD has made with you in accordance with all these words.” The lifeblood that was poured out for their forgiveness and then sprinkled on them, was a seal of God’s covenant with His people. It was God’s stamp of approval, verifying that the sacrifice for their sins was acceptable to Him. It was God’s guarantee that His promise of everlasting love and forgiveness was theirs.
We have been sprinkled with the blood of Christ in Holy Baptism. By it, we’ve been washed clean of our stain of sin. And something similar happens in Holy Communion. Did you notice what words Jesus used when He passed the cup of wine at the Last Supper? It ought to sound familiar. He said, “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many.” Do you see the connection? In Holy Communion, Jesus invites us to drink His lifeblood that was poured out for us. He invites us to eat the very flesh that was sacrificed for our sins. 1 John 1:7 tells us that the blood of Jesus “cleanses us from all sin.” As we drink it, the lifeblood of Christ is poured out on us personally so that we can receive the new life that He purchased for us on the cross.
This heavenly food in the Lord’s Supper is the seal of God’s new covenant with all believers. It’s His stamp of approval verifying that the sacrifice of Jesus for your sins is acceptable to Him. It’s His guarantee that you indeed have received His promise of forgiveness and everlasting life.
Over the centuries, there have been numerous paintings and drawings of the crucifixion of Jesus. But there are several which make the point of what we’re talking about here. One of these appears on the front cover of your bulletin. It’s by Albrecht Dürer who was a German artist from the late 15th century. As you can see, Jesus is nailed to the cross, bleeding and dying. As the blood pours from His hands, His feet, and His side, angels are catching that precious blood as it falls. And do you see what they’re catching it in? Communion cups! What a perfect picture for us to meditate on as we prepare to receive the Lord’s Supper tonight. Jesus Christ invites you to come and receive His lifeblood, poured out for you for the forgiveness of your sins. It’s the lifeblood of God’s new covenant with you. May that blood of Christ invigorate you with new life as you live in the love and forgiveness of your Savior who shed it for you. Amen.
Soli Deo Gloria!