Topical Bible: Blood: Fluid

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Definition and Significance
Blood is a vital fluid in the human body, essential for life and frequently mentioned in the Bible. It is often associated with life itself, as seen in Leviticus 17:11 : "For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you on the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood that makes atonement by the life." This verse underscores the theological significance of blood as a symbol of life and atonement.

Blood in Sacrificial System
In the Old Testament, blood plays a central role in the sacrificial system. The shedding of blood was necessary for the atonement of sins, as outlined in the Mosaic Law. The blood of animals was used in various offerings, symbolizing purification and reconciliation with God. Hebrews 9:22 reiterates this principle: "According to the law, in fact, nearly everything must be purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness."

Covenantal Symbolism
Blood is also a symbol of covenantal relationships. In Genesis 15, God establishes His covenant with Abram through a blood sacrifice, signifying a binding agreement. Similarly, the Passover in Exodus 12 involves the marking of doorposts with lamb's blood, signifying protection and deliverance from judgment. This act prefigures the ultimate sacrifice of Christ, the Lamb of God.

Blood of Christ
The New Testament emphasizes the blood of Jesus Christ as the ultimate means of redemption. His sacrificial death fulfills the Old Testament sacrificial system, providing eternal atonement for sin. Ephesians 1:7 states, "In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace." The blood of Christ is central to the doctrine of salvation, symbolizing the new covenant between God and humanity.

Communion and Remembrance
The Lord's Supper, or Communion, is a practice instituted by Jesus to commemorate His sacrifice. During the Last Supper, Jesus refers to the cup as "the new covenant in My blood" (Luke 22:20), inviting believers to remember His atoning work. This ritual underscores the ongoing significance of Christ's blood in the life of the Church.

Purity and Sanctification
Blood is also associated with purification and sanctification. In Hebrews 9:14 , it is written, "How much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from dead works to serve the living God?" This highlights the transformative power of Christ's blood in cleansing believers from sin and enabling them to live holy lives.

Prohibition Against Consuming Blood
The Bible contains explicit prohibitions against the consumption of blood. In Leviticus 17:10-14, God commands the Israelites not to eat blood, emphasizing its sacredness as the life force. This command is reiterated in the New Testament during the Jerusalem Council in Acts 15:20, where Gentile believers are instructed to abstain from blood, reflecting continuity in the respect for the sanctity of blood.

Symbol of Judgment and Wrath
Blood is also a symbol of judgment and divine wrath. In Revelation, blood is frequently mentioned in apocalyptic imagery, representing God's judgment upon the earth. Revelation 16:4 describes the third angel pouring out his bowl on the rivers and springs, turning them into blood, signifying divine retribution.

Conclusion
Blood, as depicted in the Bible, is a multifaceted symbol representing life, atonement, covenant, and judgment. Its theological significance is profound, culminating in the redemptive work of Jesus Christ, whose blood secures eternal salvation for believers.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Deuteronomy 12:16
Only you shall not eat the blood; you shall pour it on the earth as water.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

The Blood of the Testament
... of God. Blood! Ah! how they must have shuddered as they saw the warm
life-fluid flowing forth from the innocent victim. It must ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 58 1912/the blood of the testament.htm

Christ's Flesh Perfectly Natural, Like Our Own None of the ...
... of qualities (in other words, that which proceeds from something else is in development
[7068] different), yet, after all, what is blood but red fluid? ...
/.../ on the flesh of christ/chapter ix christs flesh perfectly natural.htm

Tobacco.
... This is the effort of the besieged nerves and blood vessels to protect themselves. ...
the enemy and yield an increased flow of their precious fluid to wash him ...
/.../judy/questionable amusements and worthy substitutes/i tobacco.htm

Whether Consanguinity is Rightly Defined?
... sometimes one relation is called the flesh of another, is because the blood which
is transformed into the man's seed or into the menstrual fluid is potentially ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether consanguinity is rightly defined.htm

What is Man?
... spring of life, this vital fire, there could be no circulation of the blood;
consequently, no motion of any of the fluids, of the nervous fluid in particular ...
/.../wesley/sermons on several occasions/sermon 109 what is man.htm

The Kingly Priesthood of the Saints
... See him, as he drinks the cup in Gethsemane, when the fluid of that cup did
mingle with his blood, and make each drop a scalding poison. ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 1 1855/the kingly priesthood of the.htm

God's Honour in the Incarnation of his Son vindicated Marcion's ...
... from the nativity itself, declaim [6987] against the uncleanness of the generative
elements within the womb, the filthy concretion of fluid and blood, of the ...
/.../tertullian/ on the flesh of christ/chapter iv gods honour in the.htm

The Name Children Does not Imply Instruction in Elementary ...
... The contents of the stomach, too, at first are milky, a coagulation of fluid; then
the same coagulated substance is changed into blood; but when it is formed ...
/.../clement/the instructor paedagogus/chapter vi the name children does.htm

On the Fall of Man
... also the dryness of the skin, through a diminution of the blood and juices ... as the
smaller vessels are filled up, and can no longer admit the circulating fluid. ...
/.../wesley/sermons on several occasions/sermon 57 on the fall.htm

The Holy Nation
... but we have learned that a more precious fluid than water is needed, and have to
think of Him 'who came not by water only, but by water and blood,' in whom we ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture a/the holy nation.htm