"Life-Blood"
Tracing the Promise Through the Torah • Sermon • Submitted
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And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to Aaron and his sons and to all the people of Israel and say to them, This is the thing that the Lord has commanded. If any one of the house of Israel kills an ox or a lamb or a goat in the camp, or kills it outside the camp, and does not bring it to the entrance of the tent of meeting to offer it as a gift to the Lord in front of the tabernacle of the Lord, bloodguilt shall be imputed to that man. He has shed blood, and that man shall be cut off from among his people. This is to the end that the people of Israel may bring their sacrifices that they sacrifice in the open field, that they may bring them to the Lord, to the priest at the entrance of the tent of meeting, and sacrifice them as sacrifices of peace offerings to the Lord. And the priest shall throw the blood on the altar of the Lord at the entrance of the tent of meeting and burn the fat for a pleasing aroma to the Lord. So they shall no more sacrifice their sacrifices to goat demons, after whom they whore. This shall be a statute forever for them throughout their generations.
“And you shall say to them, Any one of the house of Israel, or of the strangers who sojourn among them, who offers a burnt offering or sacrifice and does not bring it to the entrance of the tent of meeting to offer it to the Lord, that man shall be cut off from his people.
“If any one of the house of Israel or of the strangers who sojourn among them eats any blood, I will set my face against that person who eats blood and will cut him off from among his people. For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it for you on the altar to make atonement for your souls, for it is the blood that makes atonement by the life. Therefore I have said to the people of Israel, No person among you shall eat blood, neither shall any stranger who sojourns among you eat blood.
“Any one also of the people of Israel, or of the strangers who sojourn among them, who takes in hunting any beast or bird that may be eaten shall pour out its blood and cover it with earth. For the life of every creature is its blood: its blood is its life. Therefore I have said to the people of Israel, You shall not eat the blood of any creature, for the life of every creature is its blood. Whoever eats it shall be cut off. And every person who eats what dies of itself or what is torn by beasts, whether he is a native or a sojourner, shall wash his clothes and bathe himself in water and be unclean until the evening; then he shall be clean. But if he does not wash them or bathe his flesh, he shall bear his iniquity.”
Context
Context
Mirror image (2nd have of chiasm) of Leviticus 16 and the Day of Atonement
(Vv.1-2) God commissions Moses and Gives an all inclusive command (The LORD speaking to ALL of them)
Transitional chapter from the climax of the Priestly rituals to the holy life of God’s people
Intro: Are we not supposed to eat rare steaks? What’s the deal with eating blood?
The misuse of blood: rationale/The place for ritual slaughter
The misuse of blood: rationale/The place for ritual slaughter
Penalty for Misplaced ritual slaughter - apart from the Tabernacle (vv.2-7):
Situation A: Lev. 17:3: “If anyone of the House of Israel kills an ox or lamb or goat...” (meant for the Peace offerings)
Location:
“In the Camp” (common but clean)
“Outside the Camp” (common and unclean)
Situation B: Lev. 17:4: “and does not bring it to the entrance of the tent of meeting to offer it as a gift to the Lord in front of the tabernacle of the Lord, ...”
Resulting situation: “bloodguilt shall be imputed to that man.”
Reason: “Lev.17:4: “...He has shed blood, and that man shall be cut off from among his people.
Offering of the blood and fat at the entrance of Tabernacle instead of the field
This is to the end that the people of Israel may bring their sacrifices that they sacrifice in the open field, that they may bring them to the Lord, to the priest at the entrance of the tent of meeting, and sacrifice them as sacrifices of peace offerings to the Lord. And the priest shall throw the blood on the altar of the Lord at the entrance of the tent of meeting and burn the fat for a pleasing aroma to the Lord.
Even the life-blood of the animal alone could not atone for sins
It needed to be sanctified by the altar of the LORD
Seven days you shall make atonement for the altar and consecrate it, and the altar shall be most holy. Whatever touches the altar shall become holy.
The altar was the place where the LORD met with His people
Preventing sacrifices to demons
So they shall no more sacrifice their sacrifices to goat demons, after whom they whore. This shall be a statute forever for them throughout their generations.
Apostate Jeroboam:
and he appointed his own priests for the high places and for the goat idols and for the calves that he had made.
People really do still sacrifice to demons
my Sunday School teacher who was a witch and fortune teller/diviner
the vampire that I met who drank/ate blood for a whole year
the former warlock that testified to sacrifices, even human sacrifices, to demons
animism, witchcraft, voodoo, satanism, the occult
Some do, but don’t realize it or admit it
the Pharisees did the work of their Father the Devil
Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Get behind me Satan!” When Peter tried to deter Jesus from going to the cross
Penalty for Misplaced Sacrifices (vv.8-9):
“And you shall say to them, Any one of the house of Israel, or of the strangers who sojourn among them, who offers a burnt offering or sacrifice and does not bring it to the entrance of the tent of meeting to offer it to the Lord, that man shall be cut off from his people.
Penalty for eating blood
“If any one of the house of Israel or of the strangers who sojourn among them eats any blood, I will set my face against that person who eats blood and will cut him off from among his people.
Blood mandate (v.11)
Blood mandate (v.11)
For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it for you on the altar to make atonement for your souls, for it is the blood that makes atonement by the life.
Illustration: Need for blood donors
Blood belongs to God because He is the Life-giver
Cain’s blood cried out to Him from the ground
The Proper use of Blood and meat: Consequences
The Proper use of Blood and meat: Consequences
Prohibition against eating blood
Therefore I have said to the people of Israel, No person among you shall eat blood, neither shall any stranger who sojourns among you eat blood.
even the sojourner
Disposing of blood of wild game
“Any one also of the people of Israel, or of the strangers who sojourn among them, who takes in hunting any beast or bird that may be eaten shall pour out its blood and cover it with earth. For the life of every creature is its blood: its blood is its life. Therefore I have said to the people of Israel, You shall not eat the blood of any creature, for the life of every creature is its blood. Whoever eats it shall be cut off.
Purification from carrion
And every person who eats what dies of itself or what is torn by beasts, whether he is a native or a sojourner, shall wash his clothes and bathe himself in water and be unclean until the evening; then he shall be clean. But if he does not wash them or bathe his flesh, he shall bear his iniquity.”
Not about eating rare steaks
About not committing spiritual harlotry/idolatry
worshiping goat demons - feeding them (if it was to the Lord it would be in the Tabernacle)
animism - soul Is in the blood - eating it’s soul, stealing it life(power),
Example of this sin in our context:
putting all of our hope in a political leader to deliver us and give us peace and blessings
trying to provide For ourselves
valuing the things of this world more than the Word of God
following the ways of unbelievers around us. Adopting their lifestyles, convictions, and beliefs
these are all ultimately acts of spiritual adultery and demon worship
The result of worshiping outside of the tabernacle/sacrificing to demons/adultery/idolatry was to be cut off/expelled/death
Worshiping the Lord according to His Word - He instituted sacrifices and prescribed how they were to be done
it insured that they were effective - only God’s Word is authoritative, only His presence sanctifies, only His way could lead to forgiveness
they cleansed and atoned for the sins of the people
they were gracious - not based on the people’s work
God owned the animals, they belonged to Him, so the Lord allowed them to use them for sacrifices that He promised would help them, and He even allowed for much of the sacrifices to be eaten by the people… in His presence!
The result of worshiping inside the tabernacle/worshiping the LORD alone was to be brought in/to gain access to God and all His blessings/life
Jesus is the entrance of the Tabernacle - the Gate/the Way
So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture.
Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.
Jesus gives us the only blood that we are allowed to eat/drink, and this blood doesn’t lead to idolatry but is worship of the one true God.
So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him.
In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.”
Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry. I speak as to sensible people; judge for yourselves what I say. The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread. Consider the people of Israel: are not those who eat the sacrifices participants in the altar? What do I imply then? That food offered to idols is anything, or that an idol is anything? No, I imply that what pagans sacrifice they offer to demons and not to God. I do not want you to be participants with demons. You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons. Shall we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he?
for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.
But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.