Leviticus 17 THE VALUE OF THE BLOOD Many people are afraid of the sight of blood. Some actually faint because, in spite of their own bravado, blood seen reminds them of the fact that death is just ahead of us all. They may not even have consciously thought about it, but our death-day is held off by the blood that flows in our veins. Some people get used to the sight of blood from animals or even other people, but when it comes to their own loss of blood there is fear, and they take every step they can to stop the loss. The reason human beings have this concern is man cannot produce blood and they know it. The value of blood is way beyond any monetary value. "The life of the flesh is in the blood." Life belongs to God. We are totally dependent on God for life. Even when a serious loss of blood takes place, God is able to produce more within us to restore what has been lost. Men can save it, store it, freeze it - but can not make it because the life of the flesh is in it and only God can give life.
God had a place to meet with His people where their sacrifices and offerings could be brought to Him. They were not permitted to offer sacrifices to Him in just anyplace after the Tabernacle was set up. Before Israel became a nation of chosen people who were identifiable among the nations around them, the patriarchs built altars and offered burnt offerings in many places. This changed when God chose to dwell in the midst of His people in the Holiest of all, and the cloud and pillar of fire testified to His presence. Now this holy people were privileged as a called-out company - the assembly in the wilderness. When we gather together in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we are called out from the world-system to be gathered unto Him as a separated people. This is our designated position. "In the world, but not of the world." It doesn't only happen when we come together for the meetings of God's people for teaching, testimony and worship. We are gathered unto Him at all times. When we make our spiritual sacrifices and offerings, we bring them to Him in the place where saints meet. Our sacrifices are linked with the "kingdom of priests." The attitude of worship, praise and thanksgiving produces the action of bringing spiritual sacrifices to the place where we remember Him and show His death until He comes again. The Lord's Supper is for God first and then for us. Like the Jewish people who were forbidden to make his sacrifices in just any place, we too have to keep the ordinances as God gave them. Others can look on and hear so we are preserved from making mistakes or forming some personal habits of worship that are not according to God's will. It is as wrong for us to think we are doing God's things in our way as it was to an Israelite to make a sacrifice in his own way and place. That was the way the Egyptians sacrificed to their goat-idols (demons), and God's people were not to follow that practice in any way.
The value of the atonement by the blood of a sinless sacrifice goes way beyond what we normally think. Involved in sacrifices made to the Lord was the need of the right attitude. A person could bring an offering out of religious duty and there was no value to it. Religious forms do not make a sacrifice acceptable to God. Just a sacrifice and offering did not bring pleasure to God. When a sacrifice was made and the blood of an innocent substitute was shed. The blood represented the sinner's life that because of sin, ended in death. It also represented the sinless substitute's life by which we are forgiven of our sins. A common pagan practice was to drink blood hoping to get the animal's strength. This was forbidden because only God gives life and the strength needed. Also, the life of the animal was in its blood and to drink that would indicate we can get that by our own choice, taking away the symbolism of the new life God gives. Another reason it was forbidden was to preserve the transfer of disease and infection through the blood of a dying animal.
Life belongs to God - both the giving of it and the taking of it. He holds the key of life and death. To offer a life to God in man's own way essentially robs God of that which is His to give or keep and in the case of sacrifices made to idols, it gives to Satan what belongs to God. Atonement in the blood, and at the cross is where God meets the sinner. That is where a perfect life was given for us. A Just God found a Just Savior there and is able to justify us freely by His blood. "Without the shedding of blood (a life given) there is no remission (of sin)." The Lord Jesus Christ" made peace (with God) through the blood of His cross." The result is that we are "made nigh by the blood." Further, "the blood of Jesus Christ, His Son, cleanseth us from all sin." In the future there will be millions of people whose garments as "made white in the blood of the Lamb," and are able to join with those who "overcame by the blood."
The value of the sacrifice and shedding of innocent blood began when Adam and Eve were clothed with skins from an animal whose life was taken that they could live. From Genesis to Revelation the value of the blood is always taught in the scriptures. Our future song will be "Unto Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood."
Any animal found dead that had not been bled was to be rejected as food. The contamination that defiled one passes on to another through the blood that has not been drained from a slain beast. Strangled animals, blood - all these prohibitions had physical, moral and spiritual restrictions placed on them by God to preserve the well-being of the whole person who was separated unto Him. We need to be reminded from time to time that we "are not our own," we have been "bought with a price (the blood of Christ): Therefore glorify God in your body and spirit which is God's."