“What profit is there in my blood …”
(Ps 30:9, NKJV)
As part of this encompassing theme of the blood of Jesus we are going to examine a few secondary themes related to the fact that the blood of Jesus brings redemption.
In Col 1:20 the following is spelled out – “and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross”. The plan that Satan had used in robbing man of his redemptive purpose had wider implications. On account of the fall the entire created world is hostile toward God, as Col 1:21 states, “alienated” (ASV), “cut off and at war with God” (BBE). The blood of Jesus brought peace and made reconciliation possible.
The Prince of peace (Isa 9:6) was the Being about whom Ezekiel had prophesied, who would be responsible for the various sacrifices needed for atonement (Ezek 45:17). Within God’s redemptive plan Jesus’ blood was the way in which God could bring about his prophetic agenda of reconciliation (as is mapped out in Dan 9:24) – “To finish the transgression, to make an end of sins, to make reconciliation for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness”. In this way Jesus reconciled the world to himself (2 Cor 5:19) making possible “peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Rom 5:1). For this reason He “has given us the ministry of reconciliation” (2 Cor 5:18). The task of the Bride of Christ is to reconcile all things with Him through his blood. We do this through prayer, giving praise, spiritual warfare, intercession, giving thanks, with our lives and bodies – all of these elements are considered as sacrifices in the New Covenant.
In Eph 2:13-16 this is concisely described, with an additional facet – “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity.”
Apart from the context of the whole chapter it is not very clear who the two are whom He has “made both one”, “so as to create in Himself one new man from the two”. From verses 11 and 12 it is clear that God as united the heathens (Gentiles) and the house of Israel. This truth has immense implications as it is the prototype of all the reconciliations that had taken place through the blood of Jesus, as Paul spells it out in Gal 3:28 – “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”
In the following teachings we will discuss this in more specific terms, as it has fearsome implications for all believers.
- Sela: Do you operate within the ministry of reconciliation?
- Read: Num 12; Dan 3; Ezek 13
- Memorize: Dan 3:17-18
