Ratification by Sprinkling

     Again, this is all about the blood.

     Approximately 700 years after God’s immutable covenant with Abram, God entered into a covenant with the entire nation of Israel prior to entering the Promised Land.

     The covenant between the Israelites and God focused on the Israelites obeying the ordinances (laws, judgments) given to them at Mount Sinai.

     “Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine.  And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.”  Exodus 19:5-6

     Moses relayed God’s words to the Israelites and received the following response:

     “And all the people answered with one voice and said, ‘All the words which the LORD has said we well do.’”  Exodus 24:3

     So Moses built an altar for the occasion of twelve pillars representing the twelve tribes of Israel and young men offered burnt and peace offerings of oxen to the LORD.

     Moses took half of the blood and sprinkled it on the altar and poured the remainder in basins.

     “And Moses took the blood, sprinkled it on the people, and said, ‘This is the blood of the covenant which the LORD has made with you according to all these words.’”  Exodus 24:8

     The Hebrew word for ‘sprinkled’ in the present context means ‘an unbreakable bond between God and man.’

     This covenant was known as the Old Covenant between God and His people.

     The same procedure of sprinkling was used to anoint Aaron and his sons.

     The Old Covenant was really just a precursor for the New because:

     “…it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins.”  Hebrews 10:4

     The writer of Hebrews wonderfully explains the impotence of the old covenant and the eternal power of the new covenant.

     “But Christ came as High Priest…but with His own blood…and for this reason He is the Mediator of the new covenant…”  Hebrews 9:11-12, 15

     The writer then carefully compares the old with the new.  Continual sacrifices had to be made under the old while Christ didn’t enter the holy place built with hands, but into heaven itself, and just once.  It was explained that the old was just a copy of the true.

     It is further revealed that citizens of the New Testament kingdom did not come to Mount Sinai, but to the ‘church of the firstborn’ who are registered in heaven…the city of the living God.

     Citizens of the kingdom have come:

     “…to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel.”  Hebrews 12:24

     ‘Mediator’ is one who brings peace between two parties.  Christ fulfilled God’s requirement for mankind by paying their due.

     As would be expected, all four of the gospel writers tell of Jesus and the efficacy of His blood.  Recall Jesus’ words to His disciples at His last Passover supper.

     “Then He took the cup, and when He had given thanks He gave it to them, and they all drank from it.  And He said to them, ‘This is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many.’”  Mark 14:23-24

     And later the spirit-filled Peter addressed his first epistle with the following words:

     “…elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ.”  1 Peter 1:2

     Peter explains that the ‘elect’ were chosen according to the foreordained (predestined) plan of God.  Believers are then sanctified (set aside) by the Holy Spirit for the glory of God through obedience.  The elect are justified and on their way to glorification.

     And finally, Peter confirms that the new covenant was ratified, or mediated, by the blood of Christ.

     All sin must be dealt with, and the wages of sin is death, or the blood of the offender.  One must either pay for their sins or accept the shed blood of the one who perfectly fulfilled the law, i.e. the sinless Christ.

     It is all about the blood which is the scarlet thread found throughout the Bible.