Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sin. Hebrews 9:22
Throughout the 39 books of the Old Testament, God required animal sacrifices in the temple as payment for sin. The animals represented a SUBSTITUTE instead of humans for reconciliation with God. The high priest would go into the Holy of Holies on behalf of the people. He served as the intermediate REPRESENTATIVE between God and man. Imagining the slaughter of the lambs and goats and rams and birds brings up a picture that is hard to comprehend. Death was the payment and it was meant to make a deep impression. The wages of sin is death.
In the book of Exodus, we see the Passover accomplished through bloodshed applied to the door of the homes of the Hebrews. When the Angel of Death saw the blood, he passed over those in that home and they were saved from death and set free to make that famous exodus. All those who had no blood application suffered death of their first born. But the blood set free.
All of this is intended to help us see the mystery of Christ who became both our SUBSTITUTE and REPRESENTATIVE high priest. He died for our sins so that we who believe could be given freedom from sin and death. He who knew no sin became sin so that we might be given salvation as a gift from God the Father. Believing in Jesus Christ is equivalent to applying the Blood to the door of our heart. When we die, if we have placed our faith in Christ, we will not die in our sin because they were already paid for by the Lamb of God.
We overcome by the blood of the lamb and by the word of our testimony. Revelation 12:11
As we approach June 6, let us remember the blood shed on D-Day on our behalf. We were given freedom at the enormous cost of the shedding of blood. What are we doing with that freedom given to us through the greatest of sacrifice? What greater love can we have for one another than to lay down our life for one another? Let us follow the example of Jesus and the example of those who fought for us 80 years ago and live a life of sacrifice.
