Nothing But The Blood
“It is the blood that makes atonement for one’s life.”
Leviticus 17:11 (NIV)
I’ve always been squeamish about blood and around blood, therefore I tend to skim over passages of Scripture that deal with blood. Sometimes we have to shove the difficult part of scripture aside and pause.
Leviticus 17:11 teaches a sacrifice had to be made, blood had to be shed in order to atone, or satisfy an individual’s sin. It was the blood that made the purification possible. The blood satisfied the wrongdoing and an exchange was made: one life for another.
Fast forward. The scene is a hill called Golgotha and a carved signed, “The King of the Jews” hung over Jesus’ head and his lifeless, ravaged body hung on the cross. To ensure the certain death of Jesus, “One of the soldiers pierced Jesus’ side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water” (John 19:34). The blood was drained from His body on the altar of Calvary to satisfy all our wrong doing and to give eternal life. The life is in the blood; one life is exchanged for another. Jesus sacrificed His spotless life for you and me.
His life ended that day, but three days later He rose from the dead. Today He is alive, and because of His sacrifice, you and I can live eternally with Him when we confess with our mouth and believe in our heart that Jesus is Lord. I believe! Do you?
Oh, thank you for the exchange, Jesus…Your life for mine.