Shadows to Substance: Blood in the Old & New Testament - DJ Dickerson

This morning we continue in our series,

Shadows to Substance.

And I believe that Kinsey kind of went

through and she made uh all the little

notes here as uh as far as what part

we're on. I think this is 17 of 17,

which I'm going to make 18 of 18 next

week because that's going to be our

final for sure. Okay. Uh, I told Kenzie,

I'm I'm pretty sure that's going to be

our final one next Sunday morning that's

going to summarize and have a closing

thought, if you will, to conclude the

whole series of shadows to substance.

But I I certainly have enjoyed this. Um,

as we again have noted from the very

beginning, God has been teaching us

through shadows uh temporary pictures

that points toward uh forward to

something greater. And something I

mentioned last Sunday morning, I want to

reiterate uh again uh is how we have

observed that God has always been a God

who teaches his people patiently.

Um because he doesn't overwhelm us with

again the the fullness of his plan.

Instead, what he has done is he has uh

revealed his will progressively. And

again, as what I I like to look at it is

layer by layer. And if you kind of get

that image in your mind as he uses those

real events, real people, he use real

elements, right? Real elements to

prepare our hearts for spiritual truth.

Now, these are what scripture refers to,

as we've been talking about, types and

shadows. Uh realities that are genuine

in their own time, yet intentionally

they are uh designed to point forward to

to something far greater. Now, last

Sunday morning, we were looking at the

very element about water. And I I think

you'd agree with me there was a lot

about water that we talked about uh that

again shows in God's redemptive plan.

And for this morning, I want us to see

also the blood. Talk about blood in the

Old and New Testament and how blood is

used in God's redemptive plan. And so

you probably got a little hint there h

in the uh as you usually do on the

scripture readings. Okay, you probably

saw where we're going to be going with

this from Hebrews chapter 9 that brother

Hebrews 9 · chapter mention

Robert read for us. So let's think about

this. Um I would say that from the

earliest pages of scripture that blood

occupies really a sacred and and serious

place in God's dealings with humanity.

Uh it's never treated casually. It's

never optional.

uh whether blood appears in the Bible,

something weighty is taking place. Do

you ever notice that something weighty

is taking place when blood is mentioned?

Life is being addressed. That's one of

them. Sin is being confronted. That's

number two, I would say. And number

three, God is making a way for

redemption. All of those hold a lot of

weight. All right? And so, the Bible

tells us plainly, and I I love this uh

from Leviticus chapter 17, and you look

Leviticus 17 · chapter mention

at verses 11 as well as verse 14. I'll

bring these back up later on as well,

but it says, "For the life of the flesh

is in the blood, and I have given it to

you upon the altar to make atonement for

your souls. For it is the blood that

makes atonement for the soul.

For it is the life of all flesh. Its

blood sustains its life. Therefore, I

said to the children of Israel, you

shall not eat the blood of any flesh,

for the life of all flesh is its blood.

Whoever eats it shall be cut off." Now,

think about what what's being stated

here. That the Bible is simply making a

statement that the life of the flesh is

in the blood. I think we understand

that, don't we? If we don't have blood

in us, do we have life? We know the

answer, right? My kids are going, "Yeah,

see, they're on it." Right? All right.

So, because life is in the blood, God

chose blood as the divinely appointed

means by which sin would be addressed in

fellowship with him, restored. This

there's some beautiful imagery. Okay.

From Genesis to Revelation,

blood functions as a shadow, a a

physical reality pointing forward to a

spiritual fulfillment. And that

fulfillment is found fully and finally

in Jesus Christ. So this morning we are

going to follow the theme of blood

through scripture and see how God

patiently prepared his people to

understand the price of sin, the

seriousness of forgiveness and the

immeasurable value of the blood of Jesus

Christ. Now before we even open the

text, we can all relate to the

significance of blood on a practical

level. I was just mentioning there for a

moment. One has actually kind of coined

this as the liquid of life. Okay. And I

like that. I like that because I I know

that we are quite aware of the

importance of blood physically because

blood is something we want to keep on

the inside where it belongs. All right?

And when the moment that that it's not

where it belongs,

when it's coming out, our minds

immediately recognize something is

wrong, right? Uh over the years, study

has shown just how astounding blood

truly is. Uh not only can blood be

drawn, we might have had some of those

tests last week, right? Uh but it can be

separated uh and and it can be

transfused. And through all of this

learning, one thing be becomes very

clear. Without blood, there is no life.

If blood circulation is poor, what

happens? Well, the body becomes

deficient in oxygen, proteins, nutrients

that are necessary for survival. And

we've all had those moments where

there's something that's too tight

around a finger uh and the end of that

finger begins turning a certain color.

It's called purple, right? Uh why is

that? Because blood circulation has been

restricted. And if that restriction

continues, what happens to the tissue?

The tissue begins to die.

Blood carries oxygen to the brain,

nutrients throughout the body. Blood

helps regulate body temperature. Blood

fights infection. Blood forms clots when

needed. Blood transports carbon dioxide

so it can be exchanged and filtered.

Even at rest, blood circulates through

the body roughly once every minute. And

with exercise, if you do that, okay,

that can increase to once every 10

seconds. There'll be a test on all that

I just told you later on today. You're

like, I didn't know I was going to be in

class, right? But but friends, well, I

I'm I'm just touching the surface. But

it's no wonder someone once called the

blood the liquid of life because it is.

And what's remarkable is that the Bible

said the same thing long before modern

study even confirmed it. Tell me that's

not astonishing

because blood is significant physically

because again the Bible even makes it

clear that life is in it

and that truth is the foundation for

what God teaches us spiritually. So keep

those things in mind as we go through

our text and walk through Genesis all

the way to Revelation

in this study. Life is in the blood.

What we find is that the cost is

revealed early. Now the first mention of

blood in scripture is where? Obviously

Genesis, but specifically when we talk

about that, it's going to be chapter 4.

Genesis chapter 4. And so we know that

Genesis 4 · chapter mention

that's mentioned because of the murder

of Abel, right? Cain strikes his

brother. Abel's blood pours out on the

ground. And what does God say in Genesis

4 and verse 10? And he said, "What have

you done? The voice of your brother's

blood cries out to me from the ground."

Well, from the beginning, blood is

associated with what? Life taken

and justice demanded.

Abel's blood cried out because Abel's

life had been poured out. Again, what

does the blood represent? It represents

the life.

And even before Abel's death, God had

already introduced the principle that

sin brings what? Sin brings death. So

when Adam and Eve sinned, an animal was

slain so that coverings could be made

for them. Think about that. The word

blood is not used, but here's the point

I'm making on death is present.

innocent life was taken to cover guilty

sinners. So really when when you look at

it from the earliest chapters of

scripture, God is teaching that sin is

not insignificant. He's saying sin is

not small. Sin is deadly and forgiveness

is never free. Someone always pays a

price.

Now, we noted in Leviticus 17 a moment

ago about the life of the flesh is in

the blood. Now, I I'll tell you there is

a lot to say about the law and the

instructions that that God gave Israel,

but but for our purpose this morning,

the point is simple and undeniable as we

walk through this is life is in the

blood. And humanity didn't always

respect that truth. Uh not not uh too

long ago, doctors were practicing

bloodletting. Y'all ever heard of that?

Bloodletting.

That's something. We're thankful we live

right now. Okay. Uh bloodletting was was

draining a patient's blood to remove

what they believed were harmful vapors.

Uh actually, if you go and you study

about George Washington, the president,

when he became ill, that process was

used in hopes of curing him. Well, it

did not. uh instead they drained him of

the lifegiving sustaining liquid of life

and he died. But again, we have learned

a lot, haven't we, since then?

But God knew all along life is in the

blood. Keep that in mind that once God

establishes the life that is in the

blood, he reveals a second truth. The

second truth that comes to us is blood

would also be required as a substitute

and atonement for sin.

Let's as you reveal go through these

passages here because if if you spend

any amount of time in the old testament

you will find much about the necessity

of blood uh for sacrifice and atonement.

Uh even early on again Genesis chapter 4

Genesis 4 · chapter mention

the contrast that's given between Cain

and Abel is instructive. I always

thought it was interesting that Abel, he

offered from his flock,

but Cain offered from his produce.

And remember, Abel's sacrifice was was

accepted, right? Cain's was not regarded

by God. And in Hebrews later on explains

that Abel offered by faith. There

there's a lot I believe we could even go

into that. But again, I think the

implication is clear that blood

sacrifice was was not a human uh

invention. It was divine instruction.

And God was teaching that approaching

him required acknowledging sin. It's

acknowledging its cost. And blood became

a visible reminder that life must be

given for life.

Let that sink in.

Life must be given for life.

But perhaps I would say the most vivid

uh Old Testament picture of blood as

substitute is found in the Passover.

Now, when you go through and you get to

the book of Exodus, you're going to find

that of blood and deliverance that we're

going to talk about. And this is the

Passover shadow. Now, we we kind of

mentioned a little bit of this uh

throughout this series, but but when you

go back and you look at Exodus 12, uh

you again were reminded that Israel is

preparing to leave Egypt uh after years

of captivity. But before freedom comes,

God commands something that teaches, I

believe, a lasting lesson. It's one that

we still learn today and and and from

our Bible classes as children, we see

this that each household is told to kill

a perfect lamb. And of course, the

instructions are given there. And then

they are to take the blood and apply it

to the doorway of the house. Okay? Now,

later that night, the judgment would

pass through Egypt, the death of the

firstborn, and God says this in verse 13

of Exodus 12. Now 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 the plague shall not

be on you to destroy you when I strike

the land of Egypt."

I want you to notice something about

this that notice that that what what God

does not say, okay? God does not say,

"When I see your heritage," he doesn't

say that, does he? Uh he does not say,

"When I see your good intentions,"

right?

He says when I see the blood

because what are we making a distinction

here? We already we I've already stated

it, right? Blood is the difference

between life and death.

That's what it was. That's the picture

we get from this. And by applying the

blood, the people demonstrated their

faith in God through obedience. A

substitute was made. Right? A lamb died

so they didn't have to die.

And brethren, that that was not just

deliverance. Again, that was

instruction.

God was teaching them that salvation

requires blood and redemption is

accomplished by substitution and

innocent life in place of the guilty.

Now, the Passover was not the only place

blood appeared.

under the law of Moses, blood became

really central to worship and atonement.

And yet, even then, it showed its

limitations. So, let's walk through this

about blood and the law. As you go on

through the passages again, Genesis and

Exodus and even as I mentioned in

Leviticus, that that we find atonement

through sacrifice. But again, we're

going to find that there are some

limitations. All right? Under the law of

Moses, blood was everywhere in Israel's

worship life. Uh sacrifices were

offered, remember continually. And if

you go back to Leviticus 17 verse 11,

Leviticus 17:11

what did we see them there? For it is

the blood that makes what? Atonement for

the soul. Okay? God gave blood upon the

altar

to make atonement.

That is the design. Hebrews nine

describes

the tabernacle system. Now, just as what

brother Robert was reading at the

beginning of of our uh the the scripture

reading this morning, getting our

thoughts in gear of what we're studying

is is really the tabernacle system. And

there's a lot that Hebrews covers on

that, right? So the priests they would

go into the first part regularly and the

high priest uh went to the second part

once a year

not without blood.

Okay, which he offered for himself and

for the people's sins. Now if you back

up to verses 6 and 7 from Hebrews

Hebrews 9 · chapter mention

chapter 9, that's what you're going to

find. Okay.

Nine. Hebrews Hebrews chapter 9 6 and 7

Hebrews 9 · chapter mention

says, "Now when these things had been

thus prepared, the priest always went

into the first part of the tabernacle

performing the services, but into the

second part the high priest went alone

once a year, not without blood, which he

offered for himself and for the people's

sins committed in ignorance." Now again,

you go on down through Hebrews chapter 9

Hebrews 9 · chapter mention

and it go on to explain some things like

the blood of bulls and goats that could

sanctify for the purifying of the flesh.

It states in verse 22, "And according to

law, almost all things are purified with

blood and without shedding of blood,

there is no remission."

Uh we're seeing some shadows, aren't we?

Now, understand this. Blood was not

magical. Okay? Uh, it was meaningful

because God assigned meaning to it.

Every sacrifice reminded Israel, sin

brings death and forgiveness requires

life. Y'all see that? Just two right off

the bat. But even as blood flowed daily

at the altar, the law revealed again,

there's a limitation here. These

sacrifices had to repeat had to be

repeated again and again and again. and

they could cover sin temporarily, but

they could not remove sin permanently.

The shadow was clear, but the substance

had not yet arrived. We're getting those

pictures, aren't we? And this brings us

to another crucial role of blood in the

Old Testament because blood did not only

atone, blood also did something else.

And what was that? blood sealed a

covenant. Now, this is the covenant

shadow. All right, a lot of shadows

going on here. Now, as you go back to

that text that was read this morning,

Hebrews chapter 9 16-20, you you saw

Hebrews 9 · chapter mention

that, didn't you? I think this is

important that we make this distinction

to understand that where there is a

testament, there must also of necessity

be the death of the testator. As you

walk through those verses, that gives us

a very good uh image and understanding

about the covenants. We talk about the

old testament, the old covenant. We talk

about the new testament, new covenant,

right? And so you can go into a lot of

discussion about that. That might be

another sermon series for another time.

But the fact of the matter is how did

the new covenant come in?

Well, somebody had to die. And who died?

Well, Jesus Christ, the righteous died,

right? That was the seal of the new

covenant. I'm getting ahead of myself.

All right. But understand what's being

stated here. That a testament is

enforced after men are dead. My will and

testament, my last will and testament

isn't in effect. My kids can't get

anything. Nobody can get anything until

what? I die. That's the way that works,

right? See, we see that understanding.

So here's the description that's being

given because what he goes into, he says

that that for a testament is enforced

after men are dead since it has no power

at all. Why the testator lives? Well,

that makes sense, doesn't it? Therefore,

not even the first covenant, the old

covenant, was dedicated without blood.

For when Moses had spoken every precept

to all the people according to the law,

he took the blood of calves and goats

with water, scarlet wool, and hissup,

and sprinkled both the book itself, and

all the people, saying, "This is the

blood of the covenant which God has

commanded you." Friends, what the Hebrew

writer is referencing is exactly that of

Exodus chapter 24.

Exodus 24 · chapter mention

That's where you find that

where you find Moses who builds an

altar. Look, look, look at the

description that's given. He sent young

men of the children of Israel who

offered burnt offerings and sacrifice

peace offerings of oxen to the Lord. And

Moses took half the blood and put it in

basins and half the blood he sprinkled

on the altar. Then he took the book of

the covenant and read in the hearing of

the people. And they said, "All that the

Lord has said we will do and be

obedient." And Moses took the blood,

look at verse eight, sprinkled on the

people and said, "This is the blood of

the covenant which the Lord has made

with you according to all these words."

Get that imagery.

Moses builds an altar, sacrifices

auction, takes half of the half the

blood, sprinks on the altar, then reads

the book of the covenant to the people.

And their response, what was their

response again? All that the Lord has

said, we will do and be obedient. Moses

sprinkles the blood on the people and

declares that this is the blood of the

covenant which the Lord has made with

you according to all these words. What

I'm trying to emphasize here and and I

believe what we see is unmistakable

is that blood confirmed the covenant.

Isn't that what happened?

It sealed the agreement.

It bound the people to the Lord and the

Lord to his promises.

So basically the old covenant, the law

of Moses was confirmed with blood. Now

don't miss what this teaches.

Blood is valuable because life is in it.

See the reoccurring theme here.

Blood was required for atonement and

blood shield covenant relationships.

Now, understanding the old covenant was

still a shadow.

It was never meant to be final.

What are we talking about shadows? It's

pointing forward still. It's still

pointing forward. And so, here we here

we get to this point in the lesson

really at at at a great question.

If the old covenant was dedicated with

blood, what about the new covenant?

Well, the new covenant dedicated with

blood, that means a substance has

arrived. All right.

In our text of Hebrews chapter nine,

Hebrews 9 teaches that the new covenant

was also dedicated with blood, but

again, not with the blood of bulls and

goats. It was dedicated with something

infinitely greater, and that is the

blood of Christ. Now this is why I I I

believe when you think about the words

in in the very institution

uh of the Lord's supper, you know, get

that in mind of of what Jesus talks

about in Matthew chapter 26 when he

Matthew 26 · chapter mention

references his blood.

One of the things referenced about his

blood, for this is my blood of the what?

new covenant

which is shed for many for the remission

of sins. So when we take of the cup the

Lord's supper, we know the bread

represents his body, right? And what

does the cup represent? It represents

his blood. And what is his blood? Yes,

it is for the remission of our sins. But

also something else just as we see from

the old covenant, the old testament is

what? That here you have the remission.

Atonement, we use those words, right?

Atonement. but also a seal covenant.

This is my blood of the new covenant

which is shed for many for the remission

of sins.

That language echoes

Exodus 24.

The covenant language that we've talked

about in this series, that's

intentional.

Just as Moses said, "This is the blood

of the covenant." Jesus now says, "This

is my blood of the new covenant." Y'all

see how that echoes?

So the new covenant is sealed,

purchased, dedicated not with animal

blood, but with the blood of the son of

God.

And this is what we remember every first

day of the week. When we take the cup,

we're not we're not simply participating

in some kind of tradition.

We are remembering the cost of

redemption. We are proclaiming the

covenant. We are honoring the blood that

guess what it bought purchased the

church. The church of who we are, right?

Therefore, it says Acts 20:28, therefore

Acts 20:28

take heed to yourselves and to all the

flock among which the Holy Spirit has

made you overseers to shepherd, look at

this, the church of God, which he

purchased with his own blood.

Now the shadows

have brought us to the very substance

that we see very plainly here in the

scriptures.

What could not be completed by animal

blood is fulfilled perfectly in the

blood of Christ.

Now again what we have done is we walked

briefly through all of these passages. I

mean I I would say all of the ones that

I'm sharing with you. There's a whole

lot more that again I want you to go and

and dwell on this. But the understanding

that we're able to get is what again

layer by layer this is what God was

doing revealing his plan

all the way from Genesis to where we

even land here in Matthew as we just saw

the blood of the new covenant with

Jesus.

But what else does it teach us? Again we

we understand that there's limitation to

the shadow. We've we've noted that

throughout the series, just like this

one, why Christ's blood was necessary.

Well, again, you go back to Hebrews

chapter nine, and Hebrews makes it

really, I I say, plain, very simple,

very clear that what the Hebrew writer

said is the blood of bulls and goats

could never take away sins.

Those sacrifices though th those were

not failures. They were preparations.

They train God's people to understand

again those points made earlier at the

very beginning of the lesson that sin is

serious, forgiveness is costly, and a

covenant relationship with God requires

blood.

Every sacrifice pointed forward to one

perfect sacrifice. Every lamb pointed

forward to the lamb.

That's what when you look at the

scriptures,

every time I've studied another lesson,

the shadows of substance series, I have

just sit back and not that I have not

read the Bible and I've not looked at

these and presented several lessons on

these throughout my 25 26 years of

preaching. But you know what? I'm I'm

I'm in awe yet again.

Some things that I got brought to mind

and remember and other things I'm like,

you know what? I miss that. I miss that.

But even as we again are all stricken of

what we've talked about and and what we

are aware of from from that of the the

the as I mentioned a moment ago

regarding the lambs that were sacrificed

that pointed forward to the the lamb.

Well, that's exactly how Jesus was

referenced. We saw this in the series

too in John 1 and verse 29, right? The

next day, John saw Jesus coming toward

him and said, "Behold the lamb of God

who takes away the sin of the world."

Wow. See, Jesus is is not just, you

know, another offering.

He is the fulfillment of every offering.

So, let's talk about that just real

quickly. The blood of Christ, what does

it accomplish?

Well, the New Testament emphasizes what

Christ's blood actually does. Okay? And

and I'll share with you Romans 5:es 8

and N. I believe this is a a familiar

passage when we think about Romans 5:es

8 and N. Paul said, "But God

demonstrates his own love toward us in

that while we were still sinners, Christ

died for us. Much more then, having now

been justified by his blood, we shall be

saved from wrath through him. What does

that say? Again, I highlighted it. Okay,

put it in bold. Justified by his blood.

Now, if you want to skip all the way

down to Revelations chapter 1 and verse

Revelation 1 · chapter mention

5, what else does it say? Revelations 1

and verse 5. and from Jesus Christ, the

faithful witness, the firstborn from the

dead, and the ruler over the kings of

the earth, to him who loved us and

washed us from our sins in his own

blood,

justified, washed. Look, look at all the

language that's being used here. His

blood was innocent and spotless, was

willingly offered, was shed once for

all, and secured eternal redemption.

Now unlike animal blood, Christ's blood

does not merely cover sin. It removes it

because every spiritual blessing flows

from Calvary. There is no forgiveness

without the blood of Christ

and there is no salvation apart from him

either.

But scripture also shows us that the

blood must be applied not merely

admired.

It must be received through obedient

faith. So let's talk about blood and

obedience. Let's talk about applying by

faith here.

Think about, let's go back to the Old

Testament for a moment. Think about this

that just as Israel had to apply the

blood to the doorpost. Remember the

Passover, okay? The blood of Christ must

be applied by obedient faith. It's not

enough to know about the blood. It must

be trusted and obeyed.

In baptism, believers are united with

Christ's death. the place where his

blood was shed. God applies the benefits

of Christ's sacrifice to those who obey

the gospel.

So what's it say? The blood is

sufficient, but God still requires a

response of faith that obeys.

This verse you hear every Sunday, right?

Romans 6:3 and4. Or do you not know that

Romans 6:3

as many of us as were baptized into

Christ Jesus were baptized into his

death? Therefore, we were buried with

him through baptism into death, that

just as Christ was raised from the dead

by the glory of the father, even so we

also should walk in newness of life.

Go on down Galatians chapter 3 26 and

Galatians 3 · chapter mention

27. Look at that verse, too. Galatians 3

26 and 27.

For you are all sons of God through

faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of

you as were baptized into Christ have

put on Christ.

You see, we see a lot of those words

coming back, don't we? We think about

the word redemption. We think about

atonement. We think about well, what was

what was

Paul? What was he recolating recollect

recollecting in Acts 22 and verse 16?

And now, why are you waiting? Arise and

be baptized and what? wash away your

sins calling on the name of the Lord.

Isn't that what we saw in Revelation

Revelation 1 · chapter mention

chapter 1 and verse 5? Wash. Right? So,

all these are connected, aren't they?

And then this is that chart that I

showed last Sunday and I bring up from

time to time again the gospel enacted,

Jesus dying, being buried and and and

again rising from the dead. And then you

have the gospel reenacted regarding

baptism as we see in Romans 6:3 and 4 as

Romans 6:3

well as 1 Corinthians teaches us there

dead to sin buried in water to rise and

walk in newness of life. Again that's

the very imagery that we get.

And again the blood is sufficient but

God still requires a response of faith

that obeys.

So here's the thing. The story doesn't

end at the cross, does it? The blood of

Christ continues to be the anthem of

victory even in eternity.

So, let me share this with you before we

close the lesson. When you think about

blood and eternity, the final victory,

Revelation tells us the redeemed have

washed their robes and made them white

in the blood of the lamb. And again, you

find that we saw that in Revelations 1

and verse 5. You'll see it again in

Revelations 7:14.

Revelation 7:14

The point that's being emphasized is

that the very symbol of death becomes

the source of eternal life. How

interesting is that? You see, heaven

will be filled with people who overcame

by the blood of Christ. That's what's

being stated. And this is why Hebrews

10, see, the Hebrew writer wasn't

finished there in Hebrews chapter 9. If

Hebrews 9 · chapter mention

you continue on in Hebrews chapter 10,

Hebrews 10 · chapter mention

there's some more that the Hebrew writer

gives us in verses 19 through31. Right?

Look at this. Therefore, brethren,

having boldness to enter the holiest by

the blood of Jesus, by a new and living

way, which he consecrated for us through

the veil, that is his flesh. and having

a high priest over the house of God, let

us draw near with a true heart in full

assurance of faith, having our hearts

sprinkled from an evil conscience and

our bodies washed with pure water, let

us hold fast the confession of our hope

without wavering, for he who promised is

faithful. And let us consider one

another in order to stir up love and

good works, not forsaking the assembling

of ourselves together, as is the manner

of some, but exhorting one another, and

so much the more as you see the day

approaching. For if we sin willfully

after we have received the knowledge of

the truth, there there no longer remains

a sacrifice for sins, but a certain

fearful expectation of judgment and

fiery indignation which will defile the

adversaries.

Anyone who has rejected Moses law dies

without mercy on the testimony of two or

three witnesses. Of how much worse

punishment do you suppose will he be

thought worthy who has trampled the Son

of God underfoot,

counted the blood of the covenant by

which he was sanctified a common thing

and insulted the spirit of grace.

For we know him who said, "Vengeance is

mine. I will repay, says the Lord." And

again, the Lord will judge his people.

It is a fearful thing to fall in the

hands of the living God.

Hebrews 10 is very powerful as well

because this passage teaches us that we

have boldness to enter the presence of

God by the blood of Christ. But the text

also gives us a warning that we should

never treat the blood,

the blood of the covenant by which we

were sanctified a common or unholy

thing.

What's he saying exactly? We started off

at the very beginning of the lesson.

Life is in the blood. Blood is sacred.

The covenant is real. And the price is

high.

friends

that chart that you saw out there in the

for yet again.

There are a lot of things that you can

go back and look at. So, make sure to

grab one of those. Um, that goes from

life in the blood that we've talked

about, the first blood shed, sin and

death, acceptable worship, Passover,

substitutional atonement, covenant

sealed, repetition, cleansing, access to

God. All of those things are outlined in

in what we've discussed and some

additional there that you will uh

certainly enjoy in in studying and

reinforcing what we have learned this

this morning yet again. So, make sure to

grab those charts. If you'd like them u

on in PDF format or or you know would

like them emailed, let me know and I'll

make sure to email you the copies as

well. Uh but again, what we've talked

about is the shadow that we saw from the

Old Testament, the animal blood versus a

substance that is the blood of Jesus.

The shadow that the temporary atonement,

the substance eternal redemption shadow

of repeated sacrifices, yet the

substance is one perfect sacrifice. and

the shadow of physical life that was

given the lamb that the the lambs that

were pointing forward to the perfect

lamb, the spiritual and eternal life

that secured in that substance. I think

what we have gathered, you know, in this

brief lesson and and a lot that I have

given you this this morning yet again is

simply down to this blood in the Bible

is quite significant. I think we've

gathered that physically life is in the

blood. We understand that pretty pretty

pretty intense, right? Spiritually,

atonement involves blood and covenants

are sealed with blood. All of that

together, the Old Testament uses blood

as shadows to prepare us for the

substance where we are today. And the

substance is this. There is life in the

blood of Christ. His blood was shed for

remission of sins. His blood purchased

the new covenant. His blood cleanses and

justifies and brings us near. All of

that,

friends, blood was the shadow and

Christ's blood is the substance. And I

hope that that's something we recognize

today is the significance of blood in

scripture. Uh especially the blood of

Christ and live with gratitude and we

live with reverence and faithful

obedience because of what that blood has

brought to all of us.

It's powerful.

Friends, if you have never trusted in

the blood of Christ through obedient

faith, that invitation is open. All that

we've talked about, you can access

that blood through baptism, buried with

Christ to arise and walk in his life.

It's Romans 6 3 and 4. If you'd like to

study more about God's plan of

salvation, as I many times say, get with

me before we leave here today, say, "I

need to talk with you." And I would love

to be able to discuss with you, set up

Bible studies, what what what have you,

so we can look at what the Bible simply

says of the gospel calls us to do.

Believe, repent, confess Jesus, and be

baptized for the remission of our sins.

Be added to his church as we see in Acts

Acts 2:47

2 verse 47. And friends, if you've been

redeemed but have wondered, remember

this. The blood of Christ still

cleanses. The propitiation, the

appeasement that we have that first John

2 and verse one even records still does

that today. And how wonderful that we

have such a great foundation

to build on, which is Christ. And with

that being said, I certainly do

appreciate your kind attention. And I've

certainly enjoyed the the study in this

particular part 17 uh of now 18 uh

lessons that we've been considering in

this series. And I hope that you have

taken something away from it. I hope

that you we place this in our hearts and

we understand and we we consider and

meditate upon this how important blood

really is. Not just physical life, but

especially spiritual because that's what

translates into eternity. If you're

subject to imitation call, won't you

come as we stand as we sing the song

that's been selected for