The Covenant Blood Series

The Precious Blood - III

The Covenant Blood

INTRODUCTION:

· We are now going to look at the most powerful aspect of the blood - the covenant blood

· The Hebrew word "beriyth" means, "to cut, to cut asunder & pass through

· Another Hebrew word "karath" means to divide into parts

· The Greek word "daitheke" refers to a testament or a will

· A basic covenant involved a pact or promise between two parties, in which each pledged to the other all his possessions, strength, etc and was sealed by the shedding of blood

· Examples of blood covenants between men in the OT

o The first "beriyth" between men appears in Gen 14:13, where Abram was confederate with Mamre, Eschol and Aner

o The next is Abraham’s covenant with King Abimelech - Gen 26:26-33

o This was followed with the continuation of that covenant by Issac and Abimelech, Jr.

o Jacob and Laban covenanted - Gen 31

o Jonathan and David convenanted and David honored that covenant after his death on Jonathan’s only descendent, Mephibosheth

· A prize animal was halved and they passed between the parts, sealing their covenant with one another

· Gen 15 God appeared as a smoking furnace and a burning lamp that passed between the pieces

· Covenants were permanent, binding & even generational

· They were fair as each pledged the same to one another

God’s 8 covenants with man:

1. Noah - Gen 6, Isa 54

2. Abraham - Gen 15, 17 Rom 4, Gal 3

3. Israel - Exo 24 (Law Covenant/Old Covenant)

4. David - Psa 89

5. Hezekiah - 2 Chro 29

6. Jehoida - 2 Kings

7. Josiah - 2 Chron

8. The Church: Luke 22 (Grace Covenant / New Covenant / Better Covenant)

FOUR THINGS WE SEE IN THE COVENANT BLOOD

I. We Have A New Covenant:

Luke 22:14-20

14 When the hour had come, He sat down, and the twelve apostles with Him. 15 Then He said to them, "With fervent desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; 16 for I say to you, I will no longer eat of it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God." 17 Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, "Take this and divide it among yourselves; 18 for I say to you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes." 19 And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, "This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me." 20 Likewise He also took the cup after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you.

· The New Covenant is ratified, enacted, resident and sealed in the blood of Jesus Christ

· Without the blood, there is no possible way He could have established a New Covenant between man & God

II. The Blood Makes The Covenant:

· The Old Covenant between Yahweh and Israel was dedicated with blood

Heb 9:18-21

18 Therefore not even the first covenant was dedicated (inaugurated) without blood. 19 For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and goats, with water, scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people, 20 saying, "This is the blood of the covenant which God has commanded you."

· First, Moses sprinkled the book of the Law of God

· Second, Moses sprinkled all the people with blood

· God was joined to Israel by the blood that made the covenant

1 John 5:8 And there are three that bear witness on earth: the Spirit, the water (the Word), and the blood (of Jesus); and these three agree as one.

· The Holy Ghost, The Word and The Blood of Jesus give testimony to God’s will for mankind

· "these three agree in one" - they cannot be separated

· The Word provides the instruction of how to enter into these provisions

· The Holy Spirit administrates these provisions

· The Blood provides the legal grounds for us to enter into all of God’s provisions

III. The Covenant Blood Gives Access:

· As Israel was, we are sprinkled with the blood

· Peter describes the sprinkling in 1 Peter 1:2 "elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ:"

· Because we are sprinkled we are able to approach God - The Blood gives access

· Heb 10:19 Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh,