The Enemy's Fear of Blood
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The Enemy’s Fear of Blood
Intro:
22 And according to the law almost all things are purified with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no remission.
Hemophobia is the term for an irrational fear of blood. The phobia is not the same as the normal uneasiness about seeing blood that applies to most people.
Rather, it is an extreme fear of seeing blood or being in any situation that may involve blood. This phobia can have a serious impact on a person, as they may avoid doctor’s visits or medical care for fear of seeing blood.
Encountering blood can cause them to:
§ feelings of panic and anxiety
§ trouble breathing
§ fainting
§ sweating
§ rapid heart rate
§ chest pain
§ a desire to escape the situation
§ confusion
§ dizziness
§ nausea
In 2014, it was estimated that that 3-4% of the general population have this phobia.
Psychologists and doctors began using the term hemophobia as far back as the mid 1800s.
But the truth is, there is ONE who has had a fear of blood and it was and is not irrational. It all started in the Garden of Eden when Adam and Eve willingly sinned.
God knew they felt the shame of their nakednessand His solution was:
21 Also for Adam and his wife the Lord God made tunics of skin, and clothed them.
, “21 Also for Adam and his wife the Lord God made tunics of skin, and clothed them.”
God {took an animal}, {killed it}, {shed its blood}, and used the skin of the animal to cover the shame of Adam and Eve’s sin.
Now, we thank God for the blood. But since the beginning, Satan has had a fear of blood.
The blood of Jesus is a topic that is at the very foundation of our salvation. If it had not been for the blood that Jesus shed on the cross:
§ we would not have salvation,
§ we would not have freedom
§ and we would not have hope.
The word blood is found 430 times in scripture. It is recorded 329 times in the Old Testament and 101 times in the New Testament.
(Why does blood hold such a prominent place in Scripture?)
(How and why did the blood of Jesus bring to us redemption and freedom from sin?)
Let’s first look at the audience of the writer of Hebrews. He was writing to people who understood the importance of sacrifice. They knew, greater than we ever could, that blood had to be shed to cover an individual’s sins.
The first sacrifice that required blood was recorded in Genesis 15 after God made a covenant with Abraham, he was instructed to sacrifice an animal and an innocent creature’s blood was shed.
When the Israelites were in slavery during the first Passover, the key ingredient that protected them from the final plague on Egypt, and saved them from losing their first born when the angel of death passed by was The blood of a sacrificed animal.
13 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.
, “
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 when I strike the land of Egypt.”
These are three of numerous examples in the Old Testament that established a precedent for the necessity of the blood being a requirement for a covering of sin.
(So what was the purpose of the writer of Hebrews emphasis on the blood in the New Testament?)
The writer of Hebrews is addressing a group of Christians who are experiencing great persecution, these persecutions brought discouragement and they wanted to return to making sacrifices in the temple instead of depending on the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus.
They desired to perform ancient rights and works, instead of depending on the ultimate sacrifice for the remission of sins.
Satan wanted them to turn from the blood of Jesusto trusting in the blood of animals of dead religious duties.
(Why does the enemy have a fear of blood?)
Let’s look at Hebrews 9 and see why. I have three points, [The Blood is Perfect], [The Blood is Permanent], and [The Blood is Powerful].
1. The Blood is Perfect
1. The Blood is Perfect
11 But Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation.
12 Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption.
We see a comparison in these two verses of the {imperfect man} and {imperfect sacrifice} with the {perfect man} and {perfect sacrifice.}
Whereas the audience of Hebrews looked to an earthly high priest with earthly sacrifices, we read that Christ came as the HIGH PRIEST of the good things to come.
Prior to Jesus crucifixion and resurrection, people looked to an earthly man, complete with his own {faults} and {sins}, to place a sacrifice in the temple to cover their sins.
But now, Jesus is the PERFECT HIGH PRIEST and the Perfect Sacrifice.
Hebrews 9:12 shows that it is not with the blood of goats or calves, but He sacrificed His OWN blood, He entered the most Holy Place once and for all.
Because of Jesus, His sacrifice is perfect.
(Why was it perfect?)
21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
, “For he made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”
§ Where we are sinful by nature,
§ Jesus is perfect by nature.
No longer are imperfect animals atoning, or covering our sin, but Jesus is the perfect sacrifice!
We have obtained an eternal and perfect redemption, because Jesus is the eternal and perfect sacrifice, and His blood is enough to take our imperfection and make us the righteousness of God.
2. The Blood is Permanent
2. The Blood is Permanent
13 For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh,
14 how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
15 And for this reason He is the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.
The writer of Hebrews is reminding his audience of the old system where they would use bulls and goats to cover people’s sins. But the covering of their sin was only temporary, they had to make an annual sacrifice.
The Old Testament, or covenant, spoke of the Day of Atonement. It was one of the most important days in the Jewish calendar, because it was the day there was a sacrifice for the past year’s sins (Leviticus 16).
(Who can imagine having to make an annual sacrifice for sin?)
But now because of Jesus He is the ULTIMATE or the FINAL sacrifice that was needed. He only needed to lay down His life once. His sacrifice is permanent.
Permanent- lasting or continuing forever, not temporary or changing
His blood will never run dry. His death was not accident and the shedding of His blood was not figurative, it was literal and it was necessary.
Sin and death have no more legal authority, because the blood of the lamb has redeemed us. Where we owed a debt to God because of our sins
But as Jesus hung on the cross, blood flowing from His body, He mustered the last strength He had and cried out IT IS FINISHED!
It is permanent. Never again will someone have to shed their blood for us.
His sacrifice was final, His blood is permanent, our freedom is everlasting and our future is eternal!
3. The Blood is Powerful
22 And according to the law almost all things are purified with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no remission.
27 And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment,
28 so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation.
Lastly what we learn in the writer of Hebrews letter is that the Blood is powerful!
Verse 22 restates the fact that the blood is necessary for remission of sins. The difference between the blood of the animals and the blood of Jesus is that the blood of the animals only had the power to cover the sins of man.
However, the blood of Jesus has the power for the remission of sins.
Remission- forgiveness, pardon, release, cancellation of a debt, or forgiveness
We are reminded once again that the blood of animals was used, but now the blood of Jesus has been applied!
§ How powerful is His blood. It is enough to wash away every stain and every sin.
o Isaiah 1:18
18 “Come now, and let us reason together,” Says the Lord, “Though your sins are like scarlet, They shall be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They shall be as wool.
, “Come now, and let us reason together, says the Lord, though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow, though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool.”
§ The blood is powerful enough to provide us healing and take away our sorrows.
o Isaiah 53:5
5 But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.
, “But He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities, the chastisement of our peace was upon him, and by HIS STRIPES we are healed.”
And when He returns, it will be His blood that will ensure our position in His coming.
Verse 28, he only had to die once to save us from our sins.
§ The first time he came was to deal with the issue of sin,
§ the next time he comes he will save us,
o not from sin,
o but from this world,
o for those who look for him, he will appear!
Only the blood of Jesus is powerful enough to:
§ save us,
§ heal us,
§ cleanse us,
§ forgive us
§ guarantee resurrection for us!
The Blood of Jesus is Powerful.
Close:
The blood of Jesus is perfect, permanent, and powerful. No wonder Satan has a fear of blood.
From the very beginning when mankind fell to temptation, it did not catch God by surprise. Because he already had a plan of redemption! He had a plan to send His Son so His blood could be applied to our lives!
No other death or any other blood could do for us what Jesus did.
Therefore according to
7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace
20 and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross.
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,
Romans 3:25 (NKJV)
25 whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed,
, we are now justified “through faith in His blood.”
Today we can apply the blood, we can plead the blood and because we have power in the blood.
The blood is greater than our sins, sickness, struggles or setbacks.
§ So what can wash away our sins?
§ What can make me whole again?
§ but the blood.
And in our world of persecution and frustration, we know that the sacrifice Jesus made is perfect, permanent and powerful!
Let’s thank God for the blood!