This Blood's For You

Hebrews 9:22

22 In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.

(NIV)

A Trail of BLOOD

runs from the Garden of Eden to

Bossier City!

Since Adam and Eve bit the serpent’s bait in the Garden and God provided clothing from the skins of animals, sin has left an undeniable trail of blood!

Every man and woman of Adam’s Race

has needed the sacrifice of BLOOD

to bring forgiveness for sins committed.

The trail of blood continued with Noah. The first thing Noah did when he came out of the ark was to offer a blood sacrifice.

Genesis 8:20

20 Then Noah built an altar to the LORD and, taking some of all the clean animals and clean birds, he sacrificed burnt offerings on it.

(NIV)

Noah and his sons and his grandsons continued to offer blood in order to be forgiven. And the trail continues…

God told Abraham:

Genesis 22:2

2 Then God said, "Take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about."

(NIV)

And Abraham in obedience traveled to the place of sacrifice God showed Him. Abraham climbs the mountain, carrying the lit torch in one hand and feeling the knife blade rub against his leg, with the wood for the fire strapped to Issac’s shoulders.

Genesis 22:7

7 Isaac spoke up and said to his father Abraham, "Father?" "Yes, my son?" Abraham replied. "The fire and wood are here," Isaac said, "but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?"

(NIV)

If you were Abraham, how would you answer that question?

Genesis 22:8

8 Abraham answered, "God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son."

And He did. And the trail of blood continues through Moses, David, all the prophets and priests because…

Without the shedding of BLOOD

there is no forgiveness.

This bloody trail found its way to the Temple in Jerusalem where it left its stain on the floor of the Holy of Holies.

Hebrews 9:7

7 But only the high priest went into the inner room, and then only once a year, all alone, and always with blood that he sprinkled on the mercy seat as an offering to God to cover his own mistakes and sins and the mistakes and sins of all the people.

(TLB)

The High Priest took the blood and poured it upon the Mercy Seat of the Altar so that the people could be forgiven and back in “oneness’ with God.

Atonement = AT-ONE-MENT!

This trail of blood found its way to the place of the skull, Golgotha, just outside of Jerusalem, when Jesus, the Son of God became our substitutionary sacrifice for sin.

I John 2:2

2 He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.

(NIV)

Jesus began the shedding His BLOOD for the forgiveness of our sins several hours before the crucifixion.

Luke 22:44

44 And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.

(NIV)

Dr. C. Truman Davis is a nationally respected Opthalmologist, vice president of the American Association of Ophthalmology, and an active figure in the Christian schools movement. Dr. C. Truman Davis is a graduate of the University of Tennessee College of Medicine. He is a practicing ophthalmologist, a pastor, and author of a book about medicine and the Bible. He is founder and president of the excellent Trinity Christian School in Mesa Arizona, and a trustee of Grove City College. The following descriptions of the crucifixion are from his writings, Originally published in Arizona Medicine, March 1965, Arizona Medical Association, and from Dr. Cahleen Shrier, Associate Professor of Biology and Chemistry at Azuza Pacific University.

Under great emotional stress of the kind our Lord suffered, tiny capillaries in the sweat glands can break, thus mixing blood with sweat. Hemohidrosis makes the skin tender, so Jesus’ physical condition worsens slightly.

After the arrest in the middle of the night, Jesus was next brought before the Sanhedrin and Caiphus, the High Priest; it is here that the first physical trauma was inflicted. A soldier struck Jesus across the face for remaining silent when questioned by Caiphus. The palace guards then blind-folded Him and mockingly taunted Him to identify them as they each passed by, spat upon Him, and struck Him in the face.

In the early morning, battered and bruised, dehydrated, and exhausted from a sleepless night, Jesus is taken across the Praetorium of the Fortress Antonia, the seat of government of the Procurator of Judea, Pontius Pilate. Pilate ordered Bar-Abbas released and condemned Jesus to scourging and crucifixion.