The Blood of Lambs or the Blood of THE LAMB?
A profound truth found throughout the Bible is stated so clearly in Hebrews 9:22. “And according to the law almost all things are purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no remission” These words follow the description of what happened at Mt. Sinai. “Moses took . . .the blood of calves and goats and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people . . . he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle and all the vessels of the ministry.”
The Blood of the Lamb or lambs?
Blood was part of the Passover doorposts (Exo. 12:21-23); the sanctification of Aaron and his sons for priestly service (Lev. 8:23-24, 30); the sanctification of the altar for burnt sacrifices (Lev. 8:19); the altar for incense (Lev. 4:7, 25); the book containing the words God spoke at Mt. Sinai tabernacle (Heb. 9:21) and all the people (Exo. 24:8). It is so important to notice the words of Moses, “This is the blood of the covenant which God has commanded you” (Heb. 9:20).
The Hebrew writer shows the significance of the events where Moses used the blood of animals. These Old Testament items were only a copy of the heavenly things in the New Testament (Heb. 10:1). They were purified with the blood of animals, but God had a greater sacrifice for the better covenant His son would reveal. These heavenly things themselves should be purified “with better sacrifices than these” (Heb. 9:23). They were so much better than animal sacrifices.
We must not overlook what Jesus said in the upper room. While Moses presented the words of God given at Mt. Sinai to the people and used the blood of animals, he said that the blood of animals was the blood of that old covenant. At the last supper Jesus spoke of blood and a new covenant. Taking the cup, He said, “This is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins” (Matt. 26:28).
What significance does this have for us? There was that old covenant, the Ten Commandments (Deut. 4:13). These ten commandments were not given to Adam, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac or Jacob (Deut. 5:2-3). These commands were sprinkled with the blood of animals (Exo. 24:4-7; Heb. 9:21). But God had something far better in mind. The Sabbath was given to Jews who had been slaves (Deut. 5:15). They were to rest on the seventh day just like God did. They were to remember that day by resting.
The new covenant remembers something far more important than slavery in Egypt, it remembers the death of Jesus on the first day of the week. To choose to remember deliverance from slavery is to choose the blood of the animals which purified that day, over the precious blood of Jesus!