Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Power in the Blood

Today's Reading:
  • Exodus 29:1 - 30:10
  • Proverbs 8:14 - 26
Read Bible Passages Online

Exodus 29:1 - 30:10
Today I read about the ordination of Aaron and his sons as priests.  It was quite an intricate process and involved seven days of sacrifices and rituals.  The thing I found most interesting was how they were commanded to splash their garments with blood and oil so that they would be notably holy garments.  To think of all the work that went into making those lavish, detailed garments; only to have blood and oil thrown on them immediately after they are put on.

I guess to me I'm trained to think of blood as being a dirty thing.  It stains clothes, not embellishes them.  But I am realizing more and more that there is pure power in blood.  It was the blood of Jesus Christ that cleansed us all. 

I know that for years I have spoke of "the blood of Jesus" and I have sung the hymns -- but truly there is power in the blood.  The Lord requires blood sacrifice for our sins and nothing less.  It's just amazing how I can talk of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ for as long as I can remember but not grasp the significance of the blood. 

I know that it was because he was the only truly sinless man to ever walk the earth that the rest of us are cleansed through him.  But the phrase "the power of the blood of Jesus Christ" is finally truly become clearly to me.

Proverbs 8:14 - 26
I have read a lot about Wisdom so far in the Proverbs, but today's passages are quite astounding.  I notice that Wisdom is often referred to as a female entity.  These verses say that Wisdom was there in the beginning with the Lord and that Wisdom was created before anything else.  Before the earth, before the dirt, before the waters, before the heavens -- before anything else on earth. 

We are told that Wisdom holds the key to success and wealth and noble rulers.  It seems like every person should covet to become wise.  The bible says that Wisdom is out of no one's reach because all who search for it will surely find it.  I guess I really should make an effort to seek out Wisdom myself.  Well I think I'm starting in a great place for that!  Where better to look for Wisdom but in the Word of God who formed her for us to seek.

Conclusion
There have been many times in my life that I have tried to read the bible, always starting in Genesis and moving forward.  Then I'd reach all the ceremony and atonement instructions and the detailed descendants lists and I'd just lose interest. 

It truly helps that I am reading both the Old Testament and the New Testament at the same time, because I think I have more patience when reading through parts of the Old Testament like I am in now.  To think that before I skimmed through this relatively uninterested.  Even today I thought that I wouldn't have much to write about.  But it's these passages in the Old Testament that have managed to get through the very important concept of the power of the blood of Jesus Christ.  Who would have thought?  I surely didn't!

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