Covered by the Blood

Encounter

Take a deep breath, settle your wandering mind by speaking this breath prayer.

As you breathe in say, "Jesus Christ."

As you breathe out say, "Have mercy on me."

In the quietness of this moment, lift a brief prayer of gratitude to God for His presence.

Pause and pray.

The book of Leviticus is full of customs and practices many of us find strange, and even uncomfortable. It is for those reasons that many people have a difficult time reading through this third book of the Bible; it seems too distant, to0 foreign, too out-of-touch with the realities of everyday life. However, it must be noted that the book of Leviticus remains one of the 66 books of the Bible and therefore, God has something important to tell us. Amidst the details of Levitical priestly duties and laws, there are passages that point to these important matters.

Read Leviticus 17:11.

“...for the life of the body is in its blood. I have given you the blood on the altar to purify you, making you right with the Lord. It is the blood, given in exchange for a life, that makes purification possible.” New Living Translation

"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." English Standard Version

Tucked between verses about regulations against eating blood we find an important aspect of the sacrificial system practiced by the Hebrew nation, namely, a specific description about how the blood of the sacrificial animals brought atonement or purification.

The word atonement or purification has both literal and figurative definitions. Literally, atonement means covering. I think all the way back to the first sin of Adam and Eve. After pronouncing the curses of that sin, God covered Adam and Eve with garments made of animal skins (a much better alternative to the coverings Adam and Eve had fashioned for themselves out of leaves). Figuratively, atonement means to make amends or reparations, to disregard, to cancel, and/or to reconcile. There is one subtle difference between the literal and the figurative definitions that is worth mentioning - the apparent presence of wrongdoing. Where the literal definition implies God provides, the figurative definition adds another layer that God provides from a heart of grace. Adam and Eve certainly aren't deserving of the covering God gives, yet, God covering their fear, guilt, and shame points to His providence not just for the physical but for the emotional, mental, relational, and spiritual.

Adam and Eve's lives (and consequently all of our lives too) were changed by that first act of sin, but despite their shortcomings, God provided clothes that would not only help curtail the resulting fear, guilt, and shame but would also serve as a reminder that their God is the God who provides.

The same can be said of the blood of Christ that atones or covers our shortcomings. Where Adam and Eve had the physical reminder of their clothing, we now have the reminder of the Holy Spirit whose life within us each day draws our attention to the sacrifice of Christ which brought about the atonement for or purification from our sins.

Together with you under God's covering, Pastor Matt

Reflect

While the Levitical sacrificial system certainly has many aspects that don't apply to us today, there are many reasons why God includes it in the canon of Christian Scripture. As the writer of Hebrews expounds so well, the system of worship was never intended to be the focus of the worship, but rather, the system was to point our attention to the God who provides physically, emotionally, mentally, relationally, and spiritually.

Gather

1. What are your thoughts about the book of Leviticus?

2. In what ways has God provided for you recently?

3. How did you respond to His providence?

Spiritual Practice

In this short exploration of atonement, how has God moved your heart to better understand His Word as it relates to your life? Take a moment to not just think about the answer to that question, but talk to God about your answer. If you're more the journaling type, feel free to write out your answer then read it aloud as a prayer of thanksgiving to God.