Scripture: Exodus 24: 3-11
Message Title: What’s up with all the Blood!
Message Author: Anthony Perry Jr.
Exodus 24: 3-11: When Moses went and told the people all the Lord’s words and laws, they responded with one voice, “Everything the Lord has said we will do.” Moses then wrote down everything the Lord had said.
He got up early the next morning and built an altar at the foot of the mountain and set up twelve stone pillars representing the twelve tribes of Israel.
Then he sent young Israelite men, and they offered burnt offerings and sacrificed young bulls as fellowship offerings to the Lord. Moses took half of the blood and put it in bowls and the other half he sprinkled on the altar. Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read it to the people. They responded, “We will do everything the Lord has said; we will obey.”
Moses then took the blood, sprinkled it on the people and said, “This is the blood of the covenant that the Lord has made with you in accordance with all these words.”
Moses and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and the seventy elders of Israel went up and saw the God of Israel. Under his feet was something like a pavement made of sapphire, clear as the sky itself. But God did not raise his hand against these leaders of the Israelites; they saw God, and they ate and drank (NIV).
INTRO: When I was younger I loved the story of King Arthur and the search of the Holy Grail. I used to think the Holy Grail was this magical cup that whoever would drink it would live forever. I had no idea that it was based on a biblical legend.
It wasn’t until I saw Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade that I decided to do a little research on this legend that kept showing up in motion pictures.
“I found out the ancient legend of the Holy Grail begins with Joseph of Arimathea. He is the man who got permission from Pilate to take the body of Jesus down from the cross and bury it. He was said to have caught the blood from Christ’s wounded side in a cup. It is said the cup was the same cup that Christ used at the Last Supper.
The legend says he took the cup with him to England and formed an order of Knights whose work was to protect the precious blood inside of it. The chief of these knights was made their king. At certain times the king unveiled the cup that held the precious blood, and it is said that a glorious and radiant light would fall on the faces of all who stood near, filling them with rapture and imbuing them with strength from on high. People needed to beware however, because only the pure in heart could look upon the cup and behold the wondrous light which streamed from the precious eternal blood within. “
Tan, Paul Lee: Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations : A Treasury of Illustrations, Anecdotes, Facts and Quotations for Pastors, Teachers and Christian Workers. Garland TX : Bible Communications, 1996, c1979
We need to remember this is just a legend. The entire notion of carrying a cup of blood around the world and saving it seems a little odd and unsettling, but when we turn to the Bible we see some gruesome scenes and hear some stomach turning things that we also might not understand when it comes to the use of blood.
For example in our scripture today Moses is throwing the blood of animals on the altar and throwing it on the people. If someone were to do this today we would probably have them committed or think they were a Satan worshipper. We might even think we are watching a horror movie.
Another example would be in the Gospel of John. We hear Jesus in John 6 tell people, “Whoever drinks my blood will have eternal life.” Not a very pleasant picture to say the least.
This issue of blood is very important especially when it comes to the Biblical idea or notion of Covenant. Blood was considered to be the fluid of life. It is very important in the Biblical approach to dealing with sin. For us as Christians, we are taught that it is the shed blood of Christ that bought us and brought us into a right relationship with God. We are forgiven because of the blood, cleansed because the blood, and set apart as holy people because of His blood. Hebrews says. “Jesus’ blood is the blood of the new covenant which God has commanded us to keep.”
This morning I am going to try and answer two questions for us. 1. What’s up with all the blood? 2. What is the New Covenant that God has initiated with all of humanity through the shed blood of Jesus Christ?
1. Let’s begin with our Scripture from Exodus, because the use of blood in this scripture is used as a part of a ceremony where God and the people of Israel seal the agreement made between them and sign on the dotted line.
A. An Old Testament Covenant Supper- Explain the Covenant Ceremony and point out the similarities of this scene with the Last Supper scene. (Both were having a meal in the presence of God!)
2. A New Testament Covenant Supper-
Matthew 26: 27-28: Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the (NEW) covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins (NIV).
Luke 22: 19-20: And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you (NIV).
A. What is this New Covenant?
The very idea of a New Covenant for Israel stems from the teachings of the two prophets Jeremiah and Ezekiel – There were a number of things involved in this agreement between God and those who would become His people.
(1) The new covenant is an unconditional grace covenant resting on the ‘I will’ of God.…(2) The new covenant is an everlasting covenant.…(3) The new covenant also promises the impartation of a renewed mind and heart which we may call regeneration.…(4) The new covenant provides for restoration to the favor and blessing of God.…(5) Forgiveness of sin is also included in the covenant, ‘for I will remove their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more’ (Jer. 31:34b). (6) The indwelling of the Holy Spirit is also included. This is seen by comparing Jeremiah 31:33 with Ezekiel 36:27. (7) The teaching ministry of the Holy Spirit will be manifested, and the will of God will be known by obedient hearts.…(8) As is always the case when Israel is in the land, she will be blessed materially in accordance with the provisions of the new covenant.…(9) The sanctuary will be rebuilt in Jerusalem, for it is written ‘I … will set my sanctuary in the midst of them for evermore. My tabernacle also shall be with them’ (Ezek. 37:26–27a). (10) War shall cease and peace shall reign according to Hosea 2:18.…(11) ‘by the blood of thy covenant I have sent forth thy prisoners out of the pit wherein is no water’ (Zech. 9:11).
C. Much of the Christian religion today has moved away from the Blood.-
“When a large religious service was being conducted at the Golden Gate Exposition in San Francisco, many people quickly became aware that the minister delivering the main address didn’t believe what the scriptures said about the blood of Christ. Although a gifted speaker, he directed most of his eloquence against the power of the blood of Christ.
Ruth E. Marsden relates that when his fluent oratory ended, a timid, elderly lady stood up in the midst of the crowd and softly began to sing a great hymn by William Cowper as a touching rebuttal to the modernist’s remarks. A hush fell over the assembly as they heard those faint but familiar words: “There is a fountain filled with blood drawn from Immanuel’s veins, and sinners plunged beneath that flood lose all their guilty stains.”
Before she could begin the second stanza, approximately a hundred people rose to join her. By the time she reached the third verse, nearly a thousand Christians all over the audience were singing that blessed song of faith. The triumphant, thrilling strains rang out loud and clear: “Dear dying Lamb, Thy precious blood shall never lose its power, till all the ransomed church of God be saved to sin no more.” Many were deeply moved as that humble believer stood up for her Lord and with the light of Heaven upon her face.
Tan, Paul Lee: Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations : A Treasury of Illustrations, Anecdotes, Facts and Quotations for Pastors, Teachers and Christian Workers. Garland TX : Bible Communications, 1996, c1979
3. The Difference Between The Two Covenants
In both covenants there was the shedding of blood, but the fundamental difference between the two are enormous.
It’s like the woman in the newspaper article who lost both kidneys to disease. For eight months she had lived on a dialysis machine. Pumped through the machine, her blood was kept clean of impurities. The machine took the place of kidneys temporarily. The article went on to tell how she had been disappointed three times as donor kidneys were thought to be available for transplants, but then refused to her. The transplant was her real hope. She only used the machine until real kidneys became available.
It was like this with the Old Testament covenant, like the dialysis machine, it kept God’s people going, but the real hope for life was that someday a cure could be found for their disease. Someday a transplanted life might deal with the sickness from within. Until that time, the repeated sacrifices of animals only reminded Israel of how sick with sin they really were.
Then Jesus came to be the ultimate cure for humanities condition. He came to deal with the poison of sin from within, not to cover it, but to cleanse us from it. Jesus, the true Sacrifice to which all the animal sacrifices had pointed, in one unique act, perfectly forgave and changed forever those of us set apart to God by His death and the shedding of His blood.
Hebrews 10 says, “In practice the Old Testament sacrifices amounted to an annual reminder of sins” (10:3, ph). Rather than removing the sense of them being sinners and guilty in God’s sight, the Old Testament sacrifices reminded men of their helpless and guilty state. How? In the same way that every time that kidney patient came to a dialysis machine to take another treatment she was reminded that she was still sick. The machine that saved her life was a constant reminder of how near her death was!
How does the blood of Christ accomplish all of this?
Let me answer this with a story. A preacher was speaking from the text, “The blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.” Suddenly he was interrupted by an atheist who asked, “How can blood cleanse sin?”
For a moment the preacher was silent; then he countered, “How can water quench thirst?”
“I do not know,” replied the man, “but I know that it does.”
“Neither do I know how the blood of Jesus cleanses sin,” answered the preacher, “but I know that it does.”
Tan, Paul Lee: Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations : A Treasury of Illustrations, Anecdotes, Facts and Quotations for Pastors, Teachers and Christian Workers. Garland TX : Bible Communications, 1996, c1979
Now I want to move to a future scene. A Scene we will all see one day. A heavenly Scene that became possible, because of the shed blood of Christ.
4. A Scene From The Future: Because of The Blood
Rev. 5: 6-14: Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing in the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. He had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. He came and took the scroll from the right hand of him who sat on the throne. And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. And they sang a new song:
“You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation.
You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth.”
Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders. In a loud voice they sang:
“Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!”
Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, singing:
“To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, forever and ever!”
The four living creatures said, “Amen.” (NIV)
Richards, Larry ; Richards, Lawrence O.: The Teacher’s Commentary. Wheaton, Ill. : Victor Books, 1987, S. 1006
Enns, Paul P.: The Moody Handbook of Theology. Chicago, Ill. : Moody Press, 1997, c1989, S. 67
