4.29.26. ~ Expanding Our Understanding of the Blood, Part 1: The Sprinkling

They ate and drank in the presence of God (Ex. 24:10–11):

And they saw the God of Israel: and there was under his feet as it were a paved work of a sapphire stone, and as it were the body of heaven in his clearness. And upon the nobles of the children of Israel he laid not his hand: also they saw God, and did eat and drink.
(Ex. 24:10–11)

The blood had already been applied, and the covenant was ratified (Ex. 24:6–8). If you look at what is present in the scene, we have sacrifices: burnt offerings to bring God close, peace offerings for the meal, blood on the altar (God's side), blood on the people (their side), the covenant read and agreed upon, and then the feast. Did you notice what is missing? We have blood, but there is no confession of sin. There is no language of guilt. There is no language of punishment. There is no transfer of penalty. The blood is not paying for anything. But it is bonding two parties together. Blood bonding—bringing a covenant inauguration, a marriage ceremony (Jer. 31:31–32). And the meal that follows is the covenantal meal, also known as the wedding feast.

This is a really important moment between God and His bride. They eat. There is a celebration. With this blood-infused ceremony, including sacrifices, there is no satisfaction of wrath and no blood absorbing penalties. That blood, however, made the relationship official. That is the biblical picture of what blood between God and the people looks like.

In the Torah, sin offerings follow very specific blood protocols. The blood goes on the altar and its horns. Sometimes it is carried into a deeper place of the Temple or Tabernacle, but there is a rule that holds without exception: blood of a sin offering is never applied to people. Just as people do not eat sin offerings, the blood is never applied to the people. Never.

In Exodus 24, blood is sprinkled directly on the people. Right away we know this is NOT a sin offering. It is NOT an atoning ritual. The blood is connective, sealing, making the relationship physical and real. The blood is relational. It binds God and people. And every layer of the system is going to point us in the same direction: toward relationship, toward closeness.

We see this pattern of blood-bonding covenant not just here. In Joshua 8, we have a renewal of the covenant. King Asa (2 Chronicles 15) enters into a covenant, repairing the altar and gathering Judah and Benjamin. Hezekiah later. Even King Manasseh—the evil dude. The covenant is inaugurated and renewed. In every case, blood is relational, not penal, not punitive.

Exodus 24 is unique because the blood is being sprinkled on these people (cp. 1 Pet. 1:2):

Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.
(1 Pet. 1:2)

The sprinkling does not repeat in these covenant renewals, but the function of the blood in this context is not a penalty. It is a marital, covenant seal. So when you hear later at the table Yeshua saying, "This is the blood of my covenant," think about where that phrase comes from. It is a connector back to Exodus 24, carrying the meaning of bonding and inauguration. A new thing is being sealed between God and His people. And here it is not just any blood. He says, "It is My blood!" But what is in that blood? Not a punishment being absorbed. Not wrath being satisfied. Blood in the Torah does not just bond; it also transforms. It changes the very status of people from common (chol) to holy (kadosh). From rejected to accepted. And neither is associated with PSA.

I hope you are hanging in there with me :-). This is not your normal revelation of the blood. Duh. Thanks, Mr. Obvious.

As you will see in detail tomorrow—Lord willing—like grace (chen) and salvation (yeshua), blood in Scripture is much more than we are taught. Consequently, we try to put everything into one limited, but beautiful, category: the blood on the cross.

Have a wonderful 24th day of counting the Omer.

Shalom!
Alan

Watch a video: Can you help me understand the counting of the omer? 

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