Animal sacrifices, circumcision, murder, the blood of Christ … why does the Bible talk so much about blood? Throwing blood on the altar and sprinkling it on the priests and the people seems so foreign to modern sensibilities.
And what about the different kinds of laws? Leviticus talks a great deal about the ceremonial laws including the blood sacrifices, but what about the moral laws having to do with sexual sin? Why does one set of laws still apply and the other doesn’t? It can be so confusing!
In today’s post, I’ll try to dispel some of the confusion.
Welcome, to “God’s Word Day by Day” where I blog through the Bible in a Year. I hope you’ll join me every day. If you’re not already signed up, you can do it here. This year I’ve added a couple of new features. First, check out the “Free Resources” tab at the top. You’ll find a downloadable, printable PDF with “Going Deeper Study Questions” for each day’s post. And … this year you’ll find the daily “Bible in a Year” posts on YouTube. The daily emails now have a link to both these Soul Survival posts and the YouTube videos. I hope you’ll sign up. (If you already receive them, no need to sign up again.)
Today’s Readings:
Leviticus 17 & 18
Psalm 27.1-3
Proverbs 10.9
Mark 4.21-41
Why Does the Bible Talk So Much about Blood?
Leviticus 17 & 18:
Naked & Guilty
Animal sacrifices, circumcision, murder, the blood of Christ … why does the Bible talk so much about blood? To understand we need to go back to the beginning, to the book of Genesis.
When Adam and Eve sinned against God, they experienced guilt and shame for the first time.
Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths (Gen. 3.7).
They were naked, not just physically, but exposed and vulnerable to the consequences of their sin. In response, they tried to cover themselves and hide from God (Gen. 3.8).
God confronted them with their sin, but mercifully shed the blood of animals and symbolically covered their sins by covering their nakedness with the skins (Gen. 3.21).
In the next chapter of Genesis, sin was in full swing when their son Cain killed his brother in anger and jealousy. Interestingly, Cain’s anger had to do with his improper attitude toward sacrifices.
When God confronted Cain for murdering his brother, He said, the voice of your brother’s blood cries out to Me from the ground” (Gen. 4.10).
Atonement
In today’s reading, God said this:
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 (Lev. 17.11).
John MacArthur in his Daily Bible notes says:
This phrase is amplified by “Its blood sustains its life” (17:14). Blood carries life-sustaining elements to all parts of the body; therefore it represents the essence of life. In contrast, the shedding of blood represents the shedding of life, i.e., death (see Gen. 9:4). New Testament references to the shedding of the blood of Jesus Christ are references to His death. Since it contains the life, blood is sacred to God. Shed blood (death) from a substitute atones for, or covers, the sinner, who is then allowed to live.
God had commanded animal sacrifices to temporarily cover the people’s sins and as a picture of the yet-future once and for all sacrifice of Christ.
The Sanctity of Blood
God regards blood as sacred. He took it seriously when Cain shed Abel’s blood by murdering him and He still takes it seriously today. That’s why he commanded that whoever sheds man’s blood (murderously) should be put to death himself (capital punishment, Gen. 9.6).
And here in Leviticus 17, we see that He took it seriously when blood was offered to demonic gods (Lev. 17.3-4, 7).
The people were not to regard the shedding of blood lightly, as pictured by the commands about not eating blood.
More Blood
God is a covenant-keeping God. He made various covenants throughout the Bible. Many were sealed with animal sacrifices. God, also, commanded the men of Israel to be circumcised as a sign of the covenant they had with Him (Gen. 17.9-14) … more blood.
There were commands to sprinkle blood for cleansing and other purposes and just before the exodus, blood was applied to the frame of the door to protect God’s people (Ex. 12.7, 22).
The New Testament is full of references to the blood of Christ and its significance.
God’s Mercy through the Blood of Animals
God ordained animal sacrifices to cover sin temporarily. But as we’ve seen, the blood of bulls and goats could never do away with sin, only cover it temporarily. Only another man could die in someone’s place, but not just any man. To satisfy the justice of God, He had to be a perfect man. Any other man would be dying for his own sins.
So God allowed His Son to be implanted in the womb of a young girl. Her son would be all God (perfect and holy) and all man (flesh just as we are), the perfect sacrifice.
When He allowed His blood to be shed on that cross, He was the final sacrifice. As He died He said, “It is finished.” Man’s sin was done away with not just covered. There was no longer the need for animal sacrifices. He fulfilled the sacrificial or ceremonial law.
But partaking in that truth is not automatic.
Faith & the Blood of Christ
Ephesians 2.8-9 says:
For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.”
God’s grace is readily available, but we must receive it by faith … faith in His grace … faith in the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ … faith in the power of His shed blood!
The Moral Law
The sacrificial laws and the need for animal sacrifices were fulfilled in Christ but what about the moral laws concerning sexual sin in chapter 18?
Unlike the sacrificial laws, the moral laws were repeated and strengthened in the New Testament.
Leviticus 18 addresses:
… incest (Lev. 18.6-18). In the New Testament, the Apostle Paul said such things shouldn’t even be named among God’s people (1 Cor. 5.1-3).
… adultery and fornication (Lev. 18.20). The New Testament addresses these sins repeatedly (Matt. 5.27-28; Gal. 5.19-21; Eph. 5.3; 1 Thess. 4.3-7 and many more).
… sexual perversion that involved the sacrifice of children and was often associated with religious practices (Lev. 18.21). God said such things profaned His name. This hardly needs addressing, but when the woman at the well wanted to debate religious practices Jesus said those who worship Him must worship in spirit (sincerity) and in truth (the way God says He should be worshipped) (Jn. 4.24).
… homosexuality (Lev. 18.22). God confirmed this prohibition in the New Testament by listing it at the bottom of the downward spiral of sin in Romans 1 (Rom. 1.26-27).
… and bestiality (Lev. 18.23), covered under the passages on sexual immorality.
The New Testament condemns any sex outside of the marriage relationship. Hebrews 13.4 says the marriage bed is undefiled, but all other sex is referred to as immorality.
The Argument
I want to make one last point. Often when someone wants to argue about whether homosexuality is wrong, they bring up verse 19, “Also you shall not approach a woman to uncover her nakedness as long as she is in her customary impurity.” The argument goes if that’s no longer a sin, how can you say homosexuality is?
First, that command may have been tied to the other prohibitions about blood. But the main point I’d like to make is that in Leviticus 15.24 the penalty for sleeping with a woman during menstruation was for the man to be unclean for seven days. The penalty for sexual immorality was death!
If you would like to read more on this subject, you might check out the following posts. They were written several years ago but the information is still important to understand.
“What Set the Stage for What We See Today?”
“Homosexuality: ‘Many Voices’”
“Homosexuality: 10 Ways to Love Biblically”
Today’s Other Readings:
Psalm 27.1-3:
Fear of the Lord
Whom shall I fear? … Of whom shall I be afraid? … My heart shall not fear; … In this I will be confident.
We continue to see David’s faith and trust in the Lord even in the face of great adversity—something we need to remember during difficult times in our lives.
But while we are not to fear man, we are to fear God.
Psalm 33.18 says:
Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear Him, on those who hope in His mercy.
The fear of the Lord is not a cowering fear; it’s reverential respect; it’s awe. It’s understanding that He is God and we are not. He’s the creator. It’s respect for His Word and a willingness to submit to His authority.
Proverbs 10.9:
Walking in Security
He who walks with integrity walks securely, but he who perverts his ways will become known.
We sometimes believe wicked people get away with “murder,” but this verse reminds us that sin will be revealed and dealt with in God’s time.
Mark 4.21-41:
Growing in Understanding
In verse 24 Jesus said:
Take heed what you hear. With the same measure you use, it will be measured to you; and to you who hear, more will be given. For whoever has, to him more will be given; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.
“Hearing” in this passage is more than a casual hearing. It’s hearing with a desire to understand and apply what we’ve heard. That desire to understand will drive us to study the Scriptures, pray for understanding, and seek out truth. The phrase “more will be given” reminds us that as we apply the truth we have, more truth, understanding, and wisdom will be given to us.
Closing Thoughts:
Sometimes it’s hard to hear the truth about things that are so common in our world today, like homosexuality, living together, and other sexual sins. I pray that you will diligently search the Scripture for yourself and trust that the God who created us knows what is right and good.
But while we need to settle these truths in our minds and be willing, when necessary, to stand up for the truth, we must also seek to be like God in how He deals with sinners: patiently, mercifully, and always willing to forgive when there is genuine repentance.
Coming Up:
In the coming days, we’ll talk about friendship, the secret things of the Lord, and 4 keys to waiting on the Lord. We’ll also look at the question, “Can demons be religious?”
I hope you’ll sign up so you don’t miss them.
Blessings as you grow in Christ,
Donna ♥
Note about this post:
I began blogging through the Bible in 2012 and have done so every year since then. These posts are the product of many edits and additions throughout those years. Some days I make major changes, other days fewer.
A while ago, I read Jen Wilkin’s book None Like Him about the attributes of God. One is His incomprehensibility. In it, she says, “God is incomprehensible. This does not mean that he is unknowable, but that he is unable to be fully known.”
I have found that to be true each year as I’ve gone back through the Bible. Sometimes I find myself feeling as if a passage just appeared there for the first time. I’m reminded that no matter how many times we read through the Bible, we have only scratched the surface. I hope you feel the same.
Indeed these are the mere edges of His ways,
And how small a whisper we hear of Him!
But the thunder of His power who can understand?” (Job 26.14)
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