Exodus 24:1-18
Thursday, 23 September 2021
"Behold the blood of the covenant, which the LORD has made with you ..." (Exodus 24:8)
The book of Exodus is an account of the Lord’s deliverance for the Hebrew nation from bondage in Egypt through signs and wonders and mighty acts of judgment on the land of slavery. God led the Israelites out of slavery into freedom and at Mount Sinai they experienced the glorious presence of God as He gave them the Laws with the special privilege of being God’s treasured possession if they obeyed Him (Exodus 19:5).
Exodus 24:4-8 records that the people unanimously agreed and it was sealed by the blood of the covenant sprinkled on the people (Hebrews 9:18-21). The sprinkling of blood was essential and of great significance because it was the blood of the covenant (an agreement binding both parties) which the Lord had made with them (Ex.24:8). The life of all flesh is in the blood and the blood of animals was a substitute of the atoning sacrifice (Leviticus 17:11). Sinful man, by his own virtue cannot approach this Holy God or have a covenant relation with Him. The covenant is initiated and instituted by God in His mercy and grace. In the Old Covenant God accepted the animal sacrificed as a substitute for the sinner. The blood that was poured out represented, through the substitution by death of the animal, the human life that was forgiven.
This was a foreshadow of the redeeming work that would happen through the promised Messiah who through His blood poured out for us, established a New Covenant (Hebrews 9:11-18). The sacrifice of animals was a temporal system and a shadow of the true one Christ Himself – the Lamb of God as a perfect sacrifice for sin once and for all (Hebrews 9:23-26). The Apostle Paul draws a contrast between our past condition and present status in Ephesians 2:12-13: ‘remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ.’ Now for all who believe (by faith) in the redeeming work of Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour, are forgiven and covenanted by His blood (1 Peter 1:18-19). In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace. (Ephesians 1:7).
In the celebration of the Lord’s Supper, we remember the precious blood of Jesus Christ that was poured out for the remission of our sins (Matthew 26:28, 1 Corinthians 10:16). This is the new blood covenant by which we have access to God through Christ (Hebrews 10:19-20), the privilege of being set apart as children of God, a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's special possession (1 Peter 2:9) and the promise of eternal life with Him (John 6:40).
The Blood Covenant through Christ seals and establishes our relationship with God. There is a stern warning issued is Hebrews 6:4-6 and Hebrews 10:26-29 for those who stray and disregard the price that Christ paid to redeem us.
This covenanted relationship is not to be taken lightly- the suffering and death of Christ was the price paid to buy our pardon. Let us honor this relationship by drawing near to God with a sincere heart…., having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience…. (Hebrews10:22).
Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for the New Covenant that we have through Your blood. May we always be grateful to You for this privilege and live pleasing to You. Amen.