The Crimson River

Blood in the Bible Story Line

First Encounters

• Genesis 4.10 first use

– Gen 4:10 And the Lord said, "What have you done? The voice of your brother 's blood is crying to me from the ground.”

First Encounters

• Hebrew word dam – “blood, as that which when shed causes death” – Strong’s H1818

First Encounters

• But this is not the first time it is in view:

• Contained in the word Adam – “To show blood (in the face)”

"Great Surprise"—Native Americans Have West

Eurasian Origins

First Encounters

– Gen 3:21 And the Lord God made for Adam and for his wife garments of skins and clothed them.

First Encounters

– Gen 4:4 and Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions. And the Lord had regard for Abel and his offering,

First Encounters

– Gen 7:2-3 Take with you seven pairs of all clean animals, the male and his mate, and a pair of the animals that are not clean, the male and his mate, and seven pairs of the birds of the heavens also, male and female, to keep their offspring alive on the face of all the earth.

First Encounters

– Gen 8:20-22 Then Noah built an altar to the Lord and took some of every clean animal and some of every clean bird and offered burnt offerings on the altar. And when the Lord smelled the pleasing aroma, the Lord said in his heart, "I will never again curse the ground because of man, for the intention of man 's heart is evil from his youth. Neither will I ever again strike down every living creature as I have done. While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, shall not cease."

First Recorded Command

• Gen 9:1-5 And God blessed Noah and his sons and said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth. The fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth and upon every bird of the heavens, upon everything that creeps on the ground and all the fish of the sea. Into your hand they are delivered. Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you. And as I gave you the green plants, I give you everything. But you shall not eat flesh with its life, that is, its blood. And for your lifeblood I will require a reckoning: from every beast I will require it and from man. From his fellow man I will require a reckoning for the life of man.

Scope of Blood Sacrifice

• Gen 12:7 Then the Lord appeared to Abram and said, "To your offspring I will give this land." So he built there an altar to the Lord, who had appeared to him.

Scope of Blood Sacrifice

• First direct connection between blood sacrifice and a covenant with God

– Gen 15:8-10 But he said, "O Lord God, how am I to know that I shall possess it?" He said to him, " Bring me a heifer three years old, a female goat three years old, a ram three years old, a turtledove, and a young pigeon." And he brought him all these, cut them in half, and laid each half over against the other. But he did not cut the birds in half.

Scope of Blood Sacrifice

• First direct connection between blood sacrifice and a covenant with God

– Gen 15:17-21 When the sun had gone down and it was dark, behold, a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch passed between these pieces. On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, "To your offspring I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates, the land of the Kenites, the Kenizzites, the Kadmonites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Rephaim, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Girgashites and the Jebusites."

So Far…

• Blood involved in covering shame of Adam and Eve – Gen 3.21

• Blood involved in first recorded offering to God, Gen 4.4• Blood of Abel, Gen 4• “Clean “ animals sacrificed by Noah after Flood, Gen 7.2;

8.20• First recorded commandment concerning blood, Gen 9.4

– Life is in the blood

• First direct connection of blood sacrifice with covenant, Gen 15– Promise of a place– (tied to Gen 12 where…)– Promise of blessing “in you all the families of the earth shall be

blessed”

Scope of Blood Sacrifice

• First introduction of a “first born” sacrifice:

– Gen 22:1-2 After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, " Abraham!" And he said, " Here I am." He said, "Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you."

So Far…

• Blood involved in covering shame of Adam and Eve – Gen 3.21

• Blood involved in first recorded offering to God, Gen 4.4• Blood of Abel, Gen 4• “Clean “ animals sacrificed by Noah after Flood, Gen 7.2;

8.20• First recorded commandment concerning blood, Gen 9.4

– Life is in the blood

• First direct connection of blood sacrifice with covenant, Gen 15– Promise of a place– (tied to Gen 12 where…) Promise of blessing “in you all the

families of the earth shall be blessed”

• First born (only son) comes into view – Gen 22

An “Odd” Instance

• Circumcision

– Genesis 17• A covenant• Blood without death• A mark that something had been removed

from them?• Romans 2.28-29

Scope of Blood Sacrifice

• Blood becomes guarantee of safety from death:

– Exo 12:12-13 For I will pass through the land of Egypt that night, and I will strike all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and on all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments: I am the Lord. 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 no plague will befall you to destroy you, when I strike the land of Egypt.

Blood of the Old Covenant

• Required to begin covenant relationship of nation of Israel to God

– Exodus 24.1-8–Hebrews 9.19-22

Blood of the Old Covenant

• Other consequences

–Now the people of God–Unique law–Unique standing in the world – Deut.

4.32-40– Prepared them to approach God– Prepared them for receiving the

promised land

Blood of the Old Covenant

• Restrictions concerning the blood of sacrifice:

– Exo 24:1 "You shall not offer the blood of my sacrifice with anything leavened, or let the fat of my feast remain until the morning.

Blood of the Old Covenant

• No forgiveness of sins without it:

–Heb 9:22 Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.

So Far…• Blood involved in covering shame of Adam and Eve, Gen

3.21• Blood involved in first recorded offering to God, Gen 4.4• Blood of Abel, Gen 4 (blood speaks from the earth)• “Clean “ animals sacrificed by Noah after Flood, Gen 7.2;

8.20• First recorded commandment concerning blood, Gen 9.4• First direct connection of blood sacrifice with covenant,

Gen 15• Blood involved in covenant of circumcision, Gen 17• First born (only son) comes into view, Gen 22• Blood saves from death, Exodus 12-13 (no broken bones)• Blood makes people of God, Exodus 19• Offered every day and more, continually, Exodus 29.38-

39, et al

Blood of the Old Covenant

• Blood involved in consecrating High Priest and sons –

– Then you shall take part of the blood that is on the altar, and of the anointing oil, and sprinkle it on Aaron and his garments, and on his sons and his sons’ garments with him. He and his garments shall be holy, and his sons and his sons' garments with him. (ESVST) Exo 29:21

Blood of the Old Covenant

• Blood involved in consecrating the Tabernacle

– And in the same way he sprinkled with the blood both the tent and all the vessels used in worship. (ESVST) Heb 9:21

Summary of Old Testament on Blood• Blood involved in covering shame of Adam and Eve, Gen

3.21• Blood involved in first recorded offering to God, Gen 4.4• Blood of Abel, Gen 4 (blood speaks from the earth)• “Clean “ animals sacrificed by Noah after Flood, Gen

7.2; 8.20• First recorded commandment concerning blood, Gen 9.4• First direct connection of blood sacrifice with covenant,

Gen 15• Blood involved in covenant of circumcision, Gen 17• First born (only son) comes into view, Gen 22• Blood saves from death, Exodus 12-13 (no broken bones)• Blood makes people of God, Exodus 19• Offered every day and more, continually• Blood consecrated High Priest and his sons• Blood consecrated the Tabernacle

Blood of the Eternal Covenant

• None of this blood spoken of so far could take away sin…

–Hebrews 10.4-10– “The eternal (everlasting) covenant” –

Heb 13.20

Blood of the Eternal Covenant

• None of this blood spoken of so far had been prophesied beforehand…

Prophecies Fulfilled on Crucifixion Day

1. Gen 3.15 bruised Seed of woman2. Messiah to be cut off – Daniel 9.263. Betrayed by friend – Psalm 41.94. Forsaken by disciples – Zech 13.75. Betrayal price – Zech 11.126. Use of betrayal price – Zech 11.137. Sacrificed as Passover – Isa 53.78. Scourged and mocked – Isa 50.69. Body mutilated – Isa 52.14; Psa 22.1710. Shame & dishonor – Ps 69.9, 19-2011. False witnesses – Ps 35.1112. No defense offered – Isa 53.713. Sin offering for world – Isa 53.4-6, 10-1114. Numbered with lawbreakers – Isa 53.1215. Hands/feet pierced – Psa 22.1616. Garments divided – Psa 22.18

17. Given vinegar to drink – Ps 69.2118. Many watching – Psa 22.1719. Family among them – Psa 38.1120. Some shake their heads – Psa 109.2521. Words of reproach – Psa 22.822. Make intercession for sinners – Isa 53.1223. His thoughts in suffering – Ps 22.124. Pierced with spear – Zech 12.1025. Commit spirit to God – Psa 31.526. Jesus’ last words – Psa 22.3127. No bones broken – Psa 34.2028. Buried in rich man’s tomb – Isa 53.8-9

Blood of the Eternal Covenant• Blood involved in covering shame of sin – Eph 1.7• Blood is the last recorded offering to God – Heb 10.12,

18• Blood speaks better than that of Abel – Heb 12.24• “Clean “ Sacrifice – Heb 4.15• Life is in the Blood - Gen 9.4; John 6.53-54• Blood of the Eternal Covenant, Heb 13.20-21• By it we are “circumcised,” Col 2.11• First born (only son), John 3.16• Saves from death/Passover, 1 Cor 5.7; John 19.33-36• Blood makes people of God, Rev 1.5-6• Offered once for all, Heb 9.12• Consecrated High Priest and His children, Heb 9.12;

2.13• Consecrated the true Tabernacle, Heb 9.11-12

The Crimson River

Blood in the Bible Story Line