ENTERING BY JESUS' BLOOD -- Tomorrow:
" Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus" (Heb 10:19)
The "blood of Christ" is not a magical substance, as some suppose. This is a term denoting the life of Christ, poured out as an offering to God. It involved his very "blood," but was not confined to its chemical substance. Scripture makes clear that "blood" stands for the individual. As it is written, "And [God] hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth" (Acts 17:26). That "one blood" was Adam, from whom the entire human race, with the exception of Jesus, sprang. The NIV translates the word for "blood" [hah-e-mah-tos] "man." This is a good interpretation of the word, though not a precise translation. Suffice it to say, "blood," as we will use it, technically stands for the life, or Person, of Christ.
Of old time, God established that "blood" stood for "life"; "For the life of the flesh is in the blood" (Lev 17:11). The "blood" of those ancient lambs stood for their lives--lives of innocent victims, required because of the guilt of another. As used in this study, the "blood of Christ" equates to the willing forfeiture of Christ's life on the behalf of the human race. This forfeiture was "by the hands of lawless men," but according to the "foreknowledge and determinate counsel of God."
This blood is of a victim freshly, or newly, slain. The blood of the substitute victim could not be stored up, to be used at a more convenient time. Valid blood was that of a newly-slain victim; one whose sacrifice was still in vivid memory. This is the significance of John's vision of the Lamb of God; "And I beheld, and, lo . . . a Lamb as it had been slain" (Rev 5:6). The immediate association of God's Son with His death attended the sight of Him. There is too much talk these days about "two thousand years ago," and not enough of the "Lamb as it had been slain."
God does not view the Son in a historical sense, and neither can we. The accomplishments of the Son are vivid, and characterized by newness. It is true that His death occurred in the past, but its effects remain with us. The EFFECTS of His death are what give it validity, not simply its historic occurrence. Our view of "the blood of Christ" must be dominated by what it accomplished.
VICARIOUS SACRIFICE
Though uncommon in current religious emphases, the vicarious, or substitutionary, aspect of Christ's death is the very heart of Scripture. Throughout the administration of Law, the concept of substitution was developed--the innocent fulfilling the obligation of the guilty. The many lambs, rams, he-goats, oxen, and doves that were offered under the law spoke of the validity of innocence being presented to remove wrath caused by guilt. The idea was imperfect, but introductory, under Law. It is perfect in Christ.
The divine requirement is "life for life." Under the law, payment according to kind was demanded. "And if any mischief follow, then thou shalt give life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burning for burning, wound for wound, stripe for stripe" (Ex 21:23-25). While Christ does not allow such options for His disciples (Matt 5:38-40), this remains the principle under which God operates. It is demonstrated preeminently in our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, Who was "made sin for us," thereby suffering the curse of the Almighty (2 Cor 5:21; Gal. 3:10). It will be finally and completely revealed in the "great and notable day of the Lord," when God will revenge Christ's blood upon all that "despised it," trampling it under foot, and despising the covenant it ratified. God be praised we can enter the holiest now "through the blood of Jesus," coming to God because of His sacrificed life.
PRAYER POINT: Father, in the name of Jesus, I thank You for the effectiveness of the blood of Your only begotten Son.