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When God Sees the Blood

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The gospel is ultimately utterly God-centered: the Father gives His Son to accomplish a perfect salvation, the Son obtains a perfect salvation, and the Holy Spirit applies the perfection salvation. From first to last, it is God.

 

The blood shall be a sign for you, on the houses where you are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and no plague will befall you to destroy you, when I strike the land of Egypt.

Exodus 12:13

 

From the very beginning, God has taught us the devastation of sin and His gracious salvation. In Genesis we read: “But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die” (Gen. 2:17). Death—separation from God—is the result of sin.

However, God also demonstrated His love after Adam and Eve rebelled: “And the LORD God made for Adam and for his wife garments of skins and clothed them” (Gen. 3:21). An animal had to give His life in order for them to be clothed. That truth runs through the Bible.

When God was about to deliver His people out of Egypt, He told them to take an unblemished lamb, kill it, and apply its blood “on the two doorposts and the lintel of the houses” (Ex. 12:5-7). That was vital because God was about to “pass through the land of Egypt that night,” striking “all the firstborn” (v. 12). When God comes in judgment, no one can stand before Him. The only difference between the Israelites and the Egyptians was the blood. Otherwise, God’s people would’ve also suffered the loss of their firstborn.

They had to apply the blood to their doorposts and lintel. That was an act of obedient faith. God had stated it and they believed Him, acting accordingly. It wasn’t even necessary to have great faith; even microscopic faith would’ve been sufficient. Once they had applied it and stayed in their houses, they were safe.

Notice that it states: “And when I see the blood, I will pass over you . . .” It’s not so much our grasp of the infinite value of Christ’s blood, but God’s understanding of it. It’s not so much our seeing the blood with a perfect eye of faith, but God seeing it.

When preaching on this verse, Charles Spurgeon had some wonderful comments: “Your eyes of faith may be so dim that you cannot see the blood of Christ. Yes, but God’s eyes are not dim . . . And this is the only condition of the sinner’s Salvation—God’s seeing the blood. Not your seeing it.” (Sermon #228). Isn’t that amazing?

Lastly, there is a perfect correlation between, “when I see the blood,” and, “I will pass over you.” The Father will act in full accordance with all that Jesus’ blood has accomplished and obtained for His people. That’s our only ground and hope, even when we’re not aware of it.

 

Jan Blonk
The Devotional Writer
www.amazon.com/author/janblonk

 

P.S. Here’s one of the easiest fundraisers for your church, ministry, Christian school, college, university, or non-profit. Anyone can do so … go to www.thecauseofchrist.com to find out!

No Addition

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Do we add things to Jesus’ finished work? Do we fully rest on Christ Alone for our right standing before God? It behooves us to carefully think about these questions.

You shall not offer the blood of my sacrifice with anything leavened . . .

Exodus 23:18

 

What is leaven? Merriam-Webster defines it as follows: “A substance (such as yeast) that makes dough rise and become light before it is baked,” and, “something that modifies or lightens.” The essence of leaven is to cause something to change—an addition that modifies an original state.

The Bible uses the word numerous times, primarily in a negative way. For example: “Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? (1 Cor. 5:6). Or, “For seven days no leaven is to be found in your houses. If anyone eats what is leavened, that person will be cut off from the congregation of Israel, whether he is a sojourner or a native of the land” (Ex. 12:19). That’s quite a serious consequence! Why is God so severe, even to the point of cutting off people?

When we consider the totality of Scripture, the answer is given in Galatians. That book is about adding works (the Law) to Jesus’ sacrifice. Paul wrote: “Look: I, Paul, say to you that if you accept circumcision, Christ will be of no advantage to you. I testify again to every man who accepts circumcision that he is obligated to keep the whole law. You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified [seek your right standing before God] by the law; you have fallen away from grace” (Gal. 5:2-4).

The Galatians started with Christ alone for salvation. Later on, however, they were persuaded that they also needed to add works in order to have a right standing before God. Paul is clear: Nothing should be added to His finished work, lest we fall away from God’s grace. We can only hold on to Jesus. At the moment we also try to hold on to the Law, we lose Him.

Paul continued: “A little leaven leavens the whole lump” (Gal. 5:9). Even if we add just a little bit of the Law to Christ, it will ruin the purity of the gospel and the beauty of God’s grace. In light of these revealed truths, today’s verse becomes clear: there should be no addition to “the blood of my sacrifice.” Jesus’ blood is all-sufficient; it should never be “enhanced” or modified. At the moment we add anything to His finished work, we commit spiritual suicide.

 

Jan Blonk
The Devotional Writer
www.amazon.com/author/janblonk

 

P.S. Here’s one of the easiest fundraisers for your church, ministry, Christian school, college, university, or non-profit. Anyone can do so … go to www.thecauseofchrist.com to find out!

The Need for Atonement

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There are three responses to Jesus’ sacrifice. This post is part of my book launch: Jesus’ Blood: Our Only Hope and Plea

 

For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it for you on the altar to make atonement for your souls, for it is the blood that makes atonement by the life.

Leviticus 17:11

 

God’s holy, righteous, and good law states: “But if there is harm, then you shall pay life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, stripe for stripe” (Ex. 21:23-25). Many times we think or say, “That’s not fair!” Within us, there’s an innate, God-given sense of justice. We even state things like, “He’ll pay for that,” either literally or figuratively. When we’re wronged, we want justice.

Last time we saw that the blood refers to one’s life. Here we see the same: “For the life of the flesh is in the blood.” Ultimately, this verse points to Jesus and His life. The author of Hebrews stated that as follows: “For since the law has but a shadow of the good things to come instead of the true form of these realities, it can never, by the same sacrifices that are continually offered every year, make perfect those who draw near” (Heb. 10:1). The sacrificial system is a shadow of Jesus’ sacrifice.

In our modern, humanistic society, the idea of blood sacrifices seems preposterous and cruel. The issue, however, isn’t based on whether or not we consider it absurd and harsh, but if it’s based on truth and reality? For the most part, we’ve lost the concept of a holy God who created us to live in accordance with His will.

While we’ve removed God from our culture, it doesn’t diminish the reality that there’s a holy God to whom we are accountable. We can try to “suppress the truth” (Rom. 1:18), but that doesn’t mean it disappears. We can refuse to acknowledge God (Rom. 1:28), but that doesn’t erase Him as the grand reality in this universe.

Man has willfully sinned against God and greatly offended Him. There’s a just price to pay for that. He will require it from us. Nevertheless, in His great love and mercy, He has given us a way of escape by providing a substitute—One who will “make atonement for your souls” by giving His life on our behalf.

Paul wrote that the message of atonement is a stumbling block to religious and moral people, who think they’re good in and of themselves. He also wrote that the humanistic mind considers it folly. However, to those who realize their need for such an atonement, it’s “the power of God and the wisdom of God,” because they believe in Jesus’ finished work (see 1 Cor. 1:21-24).

 

Jan Blonk
The Devotional Writer
www.amazon.com/author/janblonk

 

P.S. Here’s one of the easiest fundraisers for your church, ministry, Christian school, college, university, or non-profit. Anyone can do so … go to www.thecauseofchrist.com to find out!

Defining the Blood

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What is significant about blood? How does God, our Creator, define it?

But you shall not eat flesh with its life, that is, its blood.

Genesis 9:4

 

As our Creator, God has made us in such was as pleased Him. One of the major components of our physical existence is our blood, circulating through our body. Right at the beginning, in Genesis, God described its significance, as seen in today’s verse. A few books later we read: “For the life of every creature is its blood: its blood is its life” (Lev. 17:14). How is that related to the theme of this book?

Today’s verse indicates that our blood is much more than red fluid; it’s our very life. That highlights the essence of these devotionals. When Jesus died and shed His blood, He poured out His life for us—all that His life accomplished and obtained.

Therefore, when we consider Jesus’ Blood, we consider the very life of Christ, from the moment of His birth till He cried, “It is finished” (John 19:30). The totality of His life, as contained in His blood, was given and poured out for us.

When we consider His life, we consider His immaculate righteousness. When John was reluctant to baptize Jesus, He said: “Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness” (Matt. 3:15). Later on Jesus said: “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them” (Matt. 5:17).

Jesus is the only One who could say: “I always do the things that are pleasing to him” (John 8:29). He fulfilled all righteousness—all right living. All His thoughts, emotions, motives, words, and actions had only one stamp: perfectly right.

The consummation of His life was in His death. Paul stated that as follows: “And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross” (Phil. 2:8). When He cried, “It is finished,” He had completed all righteousness and poured out His life for us.

Indeed, “Who gave himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen” (Gal. 1:4-5). As we start our journey, let’s realize that His blood contains His whole life, freely given to us.

 

 

Jan Blonk
The Devotional Writer
www.amazon.com/author/janblonk

 

P.S. Here’s one of the easiest fundraisers for your church, ministry, Christian school, college, university, or non-profit. Anyone can do so … go to www.thecauseofchrist.com to find out!

Jesus’ Blood – Our Only Hope and Plea

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First of all, Happy New Year to you! May you “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18) this year.

Quite a few years ago, I started a devotional book on Jesus’ blood. I had almost finished it but then put it on the shelf. Recently, I picked it up and only need to write two more devotionals to finish the book. Obviously, there’s still some editing to be done.

There are a total of 40 devotionals. What better way to start the new year than with a fresh emphasis on “Our Only Hope and Plea” (the subtitle).

Here’s the introduction …

INTRODUCTION

“What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus; What can make me whole again? Nothing but the blood of Jesus.” Later on we sing: “This is all my hope and peace, Nothing but the blood of Jesus; This is all my righteousness, Nothing but the blood of Jesus” (from Nothing but the Blood by Robert Lowry). This hymn is simple with its lyrics, but incredibly profound in its truth.

Throughout the Bible we see the importance of the shedding of blood. We read: “Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins” (Heb. 9:22).

The Old Testament sacrificial system has one main message: the death of an animal and the shedding of its blood are vital for our forgiveness and acceptance with God. It’s the sole means for our atonement—the turning away of God’s wrath against our sins.

The sacrificial system was only “a shadow of the good things to come instead of the true form of these realities” (Heb. 10:1). No blood of an animal can atone for sin. Rather, it pointed to “the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29). His blood is all-sufficient to remove our sins—all of them.

Why is the blood so central in the message of the Bible? It contains the life of a person. Thus, it signifies the giving of one’s life for someone else. That is the message of the gospel. Jesus gave His life—shed His blood—in order for us to have eternal life.

How does that affect you today? As Nothing but the Blood so clearly states, your forgiveness and wholeness is due to Jesus shedding His blood. While the full benefits will only be realized in glory, you can already experience God’s forgiveness and the process of becoming whole, which you daily need.

Jesus’ Blood contains forty devotionals about His blood and its eternal worth. We may well end this introduction with heaven’s song: “Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth” (Rev. 5:9-10).

Indeed, as the hymn ends: “Glory! Glory! This I sing—Nothing but the blood of Jesus, All my praise for this I bring—Nothing but the blood of Jesus.” His blood is our only hope and plea!