What Does the Blood Represent?

 

A ribbon of crimson blood runs through the Bible from Genesis to Revelations.  It is the blood that was needed to atone for sin.  God himself slew the first sacrifice when He made coats out of skin to cover the nakedness of Adam and Eve.  Our study has been in John and we consider Jesus calling himself the bread of Life.

The Father sent bread from Heaven and that bread is Christ.  Jesus said I am the living bread and I am the bread of life. 

John 6:37-39 All that the Father gives me shall come to me, and he that comes to me I will in no wise cast out.  For I have come down from heaven, not to do My will, but the will of Him who sent Me.  This is the will of Him who sent Me: that I should lose none of those He has given Me but should raise them up on the last day.

These words from Jesus angered the religious leaders and they took up stones to stone him, but he passed through the crowd without harm.

In the Synagogue, Jesus took the scroll from Isaiah and read: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.”  And he rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. And he began to say to them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”

The words of Jesus were bold and many wondered if by this He was declaring himself the Messiah.  Some believed and followed Jesus.

We read in John chapter 1 The Word (Jesus) was made flesh.  Some days later Jesus was speaking that He was the bread, and began to expound to those listening that to become one with Him, it would be necessary to eat my flesh and drink my blood.  Naturally the crowd could only think of the natural and not the spiritual application. 

This was confusion and a hard saying to understand, and many left and no longer followed Jesus.

Later Jesus gave the disciples an example as they partook of the last supper.  Take this bread and this cup of wine in remembrance of me of my death.

John the Baptist had been given a revelation from God regarding Jesus, when he pronounced; “Behold the LAMB of God who takes away the sins of the world.” It was revealed to John the Baptist that Jesus was to become the sacrifice and his blood would be shed for our sins.

When Jesus was arrested, he began to shed his blood even before he was nailed to the cross.  Cruel thorns were shoved on his head, and his back received many stripes.  His face was marred and bloody as they beat upon Him.  The nails in his hands and feet caused more blood to flow, and the final sword thrust into his side brought forth all the blood left in his body.

The fellowship of taking communion together is a symbol of remembrance of the broken body, and the blood Jesus shed for our redemption.

1 John 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanses us from all sin.

Rev 5:9-10 And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are You to take the book and to break its seals; for You were slain, and purchased for God with Your blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation.  “You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God; and they will reign upon the earth.”   Notice that every tribe, tongue, people and nations are included in salvation, and those who receive Jesus are brought into His kingdom where they shall reign.   “Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing.”

Romans 3:23, 26 reminds us that all have sinned but we have justice through the redemption by His blood. 

The blood of Jesus was complete payment for all my sins. 

Romans 3:25 whom God purposed for reconciliation through faith in his blood for the manifestation of his righteousness, for the remission of sins that are past, by the patience of God.