Blood Bath At the Temple Door

June 18th, 2008. Filed under: Wednesday's Wonders.

I’ve been reading a book with some really bloody scenes.  I just read Leviticus, chapters 1 through 4.  I’ve read through the Old Testament before, but so many more things are catching my eye this time.  Previously, when I thought about the burnt offerings and sacrifices, I just never thought about all that blood.  Ironic, isn’t it?  That’s the main point of it all.  But really, where do you think all this took place?  There wasn’t a nice little butcher shop in the back of the temple.  The slaughtering of the animals for sacrifice took place right at the temple entrance.  “You shall lay your hand on the head of the offering and slaughter it at the entrance of the tent of meeting.”  This phrase is repeated over and over for the various sacrifices.  So, think about it.  The priests aren’t going to just offer one sacrifice every morning and then be done with it for the day.  This is the place where an entire nation of people came to be cleansed by the blood of the sacrifices.  This act was repeated many times a day.  Not only that, but the priests were instructed to sprinkle and pour some of this blood on the altar, at the foot of the altar and other places.  What a bloody job!  I don’t know who had to clean this mess up every night, but can you imagine being in the midst of that day in and day out? 

How good it is to be covered by the blood of Jesus, the Christ.  Once and for all His blood was shed and doesn’t need to be repeated.  “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.  Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.”  John 3:16 & 17

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