Johann Quisumbing

Salvation Series by JQuisumbing

Once a month, usually on the first Sunday, most Christian churches celebrate the partaking of the Lord’s Supper (also known as the Communion). This is when little pieces of bread and tiny cups of grape juice or as some churches prefer, red wine are distributed among the congregation to commemorate the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross. This was institutionalized by Jesus at the Last Supper.

While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.” Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. (Matthew 26:26-28)

In every church I had attended, I had heard many wonderful sermons on the first part of the Lord’s Supper about how the bread represents the body of Christ and what He endured on the cross. But because the preachers were allotted with a limited amount of time during the services, I have yet to hear about the second part. So, I ask: What does Jesus want us to learn about the blood of the covenant? First things first…

What does the Bible say about blood?

For the life of a creature is in the blood… (Leviticus 17:11a)

I need not have to explain why the life of all creatures is in the blood.

I learned this quite young when my grandfather who was a farmer had me watch for the first time the slaughtering of a pig. I am afraid I may have to be a little bit graphic here. The animal was still very much alive when the farmer plunged his knife into the creature’s neck severing the jugular vein. Its lifeblood gushed out in a constant crimson stream slowly and surely denying the brain of oxygen. It was not long until what was once a living creature, had then become a lifeless carcass. I was 7 years old then.

So, since blood is synonymous to life, God commanded this…

But be sure you do not eat the blood, because the blood is the life, and you must not eat the life with the meat. (Deuteronomy 12:23)

One reason God prohibited the consumption of animal blood in the Old Testament was to teach respect for the sacredness of life. Blood is viewed as a symbol of life throughout the Bible, so much so that after mankind sinned, God had set a precedence for their redemption.

For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul… (Leviticus 17:11,14)

In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. _{(Hebrews 9:22)}

By definition, redemption means the action of regaining or gaining possession of something in exchange for payment, or clearing a debt… and innocent blood was the price.

I believe that God illustrated this to Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden.

In Genesis 3, Adam and Eve had just sinned by eating the fruit that was forbidden. They then covered themselves with fig leaves in an attempt to hide their shame. Deep down they probably thought they were successful in hiding their guilt. 

Of course, God is never fooled. He saw through their futile attempt to make themselves look presentable. 

The LORD God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them. (Genesis 3:21)

Verse 21 simply stated that the LORD God made garments of skin for them and clothed them. Did God just simply cause the garments of skin to appear from out of nowhere? He could and quite easily too. However, Scripture may have suggested that God had a large animal slaughtered before their eyes and its skin was MADE into garments.

They witnessed the blood of an innocent creature being spilled so that their sins will be covered. Instead of being totally cut off from His grace, God had provided the people of the Old Testament a way to approach Him without being destroyed by Him.

Adam passed this practice down to Abel, Seth, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, and to Jacob. But it was in the time of Moses, in the book of Exodus, that God provided us with a picture of how innocent blood redeems.

It was at the time when Moses confronted the king of Egypt with the commandment of God to ‘let His people go’. Nine plagues God had already released upon Egypt and yet Pharaoh refused to obey. So, God intended to send the tenth and final plague… the worst of plagues… the deaths of the firstborn in Egypt. This would have included the first born of Israel if God had not provided a way for them to escape it. God said…

“Tell the whole community of Israel that… each man is to take a lamb for his family, one for each household. Take care of them until… all the members of the community of Israel must slaughter them at twilight. Then they are to take some of the blood and put it on the sides and tops of the doorframes of the houses where they eat the lambs.”  (Exodus 12:3,6,7)

Why?

“On that same night I will pass through Egypt and strike down every firstborn of both people and animals, and I will bring judgment on all the gods of Egypt. I am the Lord. The blood will be a sign for you on the houses where you are, and when I see the blood, I will pass over you. No destructive plague will touch you when I strike Egypt.” (Exodus 12:12,13)

God was true to His word. He went through Egypt wreaking havoc to every household except to those who had blood on the frames of their doors. Those houses, the Lord passed over.  After the fateful event, God had commanded that an intricate system of animal sacrifices be established as a way for the people of Israel to gain forgiveness and then worship. A system that was repeated year after year. Why annually? God had always meant for animal sacrifices to be temporary and besides which…

It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. (Hebrews 10:4)

Here still lies the problem for mankind – SIN. If the shed blood of innocent animals could not truly redeem us from eternal damnation of hell, then what could?

By every right, it was one man that brought SIN in, so, it should be a man to pay that price.

For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous. (Romans 5:19)

The problem is that no man born in this world (i.e. born of man and woman) can qualify to God’s precedence for redemption. So, who can save us? Abram was given the answer in a waking vision. Since a picture is worth a thousand words, I sketched the image below depicting Genesis 15.  

Abram understood the ritual and expected to partake in the covenant as a participant. But then God put him into a deep sleep in verse 12. God clearly wanted to be the only participant. How?

God could not fulfill the covenant as God the Father. A man had to pay for the penalty of SIN. 

Enter JESUS CHRIST! Hallelujah!

The Old Testament Temple practices were never meant to solve mankind’s ultimate dilemma. It was a dress rehearsal, so to speak, for the biggest show!

The show when God enters our reality as man… Jesus Christ…

Who, being in very nature a God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death — even death on a cross! (Philippians 2:6-8)

To what end?

…and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies (cleanses) us from all sin. (1 John 1:7)

So, when you partake in drinking the cup, keep in mind what Jesus preciously shed and remember the covenant which is when God looks at you, He will choose not to see your old sinful self but the blood of Christ that covers you.

‘If you have ears, LISTEN…’ then BELIEVE.

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If you are not sure if the blood of Christ is covering you, then set your mind to learn and get to know Jesus Christ.

Wherever you are right now, know that God is listening for you. Talk to Him with no delay and express your faith in Jesus Christ and receive Him into your heart as your Lord and Savior. You only have to pray the prayer below once, but with sincerity, because when He enters your life, He will never leave you.

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, thank you so much for loving me. I confess that I am a sinner worthy of eternal punishment. Thank you for dying on the cross to pay for all of my sins. With your help, I am turning away from all my sins. Today, I put my trust in you as my Lord and Savior and I receive you into my heart. Thank you for forgiving my sins and for coming into my heart. I accept your free gift of eternal life. Thank you that one day, I will go home to be with you in heaven. From this day on, I will follow and obey you. Amen.*

* Note: It is not the prayer that saves us but faith in Christ. The prayer is a way to express belief.