Blood on the Altar

Leviticus 17:11

“For the life of the flesh is in the blood”, is a foundational statement of evangelical Christianity. It is the fulcrum on which the message of blood atonement rests, for it answers the question, “Why must something die for sins to be atoned?” It is life for life, and one being losing its life can buy as a ransom the life of the other.

This concept brings great importance to blood in the Christian faith. Although an important aspect of sacrifice, it was not just blood that fulfilled the task of atonement. The blood had to come from a spotless host, which was inspected thoroughly to ensure its perfection. The blood was also useless in a basin or on the ground. It was only considered worthwhile when it was placed, “on the altar” (verse 11).

The fact that blood had to be placed on the altar shows us that salvation could not be found in the sheep or the bull, but in their blood placed in the position of sacrifice. For this cause, there is no salvation to be found in copying the life or the lifestyle of Christ. I have heard it said that true Christianity is trying to be as much like Jesus as possible. That is not Christianity; that is the basis for all other religions. They try to be as much like perfection as they can, hoping to slowly but surely transform into that ideal perfection. Christians do not emulate Jesus’ life; they let Jesus live His life through them.

Many philosophers and great minds of the world will quote Jesus alongside other intellectuals of yesterday. Confucius, Aristotle, Gandhi and Jesus will be used to promote everything from world peace to inner healing. The world of intellect seems to have no problem with the statements of Jesus, but they rarely mention the cross of Jesus. Paul called the crucified Christ, “to the Jews a stumbling block, and to the Greeks foolishness” (1 Corinthians 1:23). The blood on the altar puts the life of Jesus on the back-burner in relation to the death of Jesus. The blood on the altar makes Jesus into “Christ”.

It was absolutely necessary for Jesus to die at Calvary. The constant sacrifice of bulls and goats could never make the giver perfect (Hebrews 10:1). If the sacrifice of animals had done the job in taking away sin then, “the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins. But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year” (Hebrews 10:2, 3). The reason that the conscience was not wiped clean by the animal blood was, “For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins” (Hebrews 10:4).

Some may say, “Paul, that is well and good, but I still have consciousness of my sins”. The reason that we remain aware of our failures is because we forget that Jesus’ work is a finished work. “But this man (Jesus), after he had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down on the right hand of God” (Hebrews 10:12). Jesus is now seated, not constantly offering up sacrifice for your sins. Just in case you need a reminder, He sent the Holy Spirit into your heart to make you aware of the great price that Jesus paid, for the Holy Spirit was there when it happened, and He was an eye witness:

“Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before, ‘This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more. Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin.” (Hebrews 10:15, 16).

His blood is still on the altar, and you are no longer guilty. Go in the grace of our Lord Jesus today.

An Alternate Altar

2 Kings 16:10-17

The furniture of the tabernacle was to be of particular size and shape, as was every single thing about God’s tabernacle. Moses was given specific instructions pertaining to each item and there was to be no deviation. These measurements, colors and shapes all held deep spiritual significance, pointing forward in one way or another to the coming Messiah.

King Ahaz was a wicked king over Judah, and his decisions reflect a man depraved of the presence of the Lord. He visited Damascus to meet with the king of Assyria, a sworn enemy of Israel and Judah, and while he was there he became infatuated with the architecture of that nation. He sent word back to the high priest in Judah that he wanted a replica built of a magnificent altar that he had seen in Damascus. The high priest built the altar per the king’s specifications and the king began using it immediately upon returning home.

After arriving, the king ordered the priest to begin using the new altar for all of the sacrifices of Israel, and to leave the old brazen altar that sat in the temple for the king’s use only. Actually, he had the brazen altar moved closer to the new altar so that he could enquire at it whenever he wished. This combination of bad decisions leads to the premature death of Ahaz and the subsequent judgment of God. By building a new altar, he was considering the brazen altar out-dated and useless. This is a type of a “new Christianity”, where there is no need for a crucified Savior, or talk of His finished work. He also denied the nation and the people access to the brazen altar, thus making salvation a gift only for the aristocracy. Calvary leveled the playing field, so that everyone, great and small comes to God by the same means. There is no respecter of persons with God (Romans 2:11), and Calvary is no exception.

Ahaz made one more move that will link him forever with the doomed Pontius Pilate. There was a brazen laver outside of the door of the temple, which sat on 4 feet, lifted from the pavement. This laver contained water which the priest would use to wash his hands and feet so that he could enter the temple in a purified state. Ahaz cut the legs off of the laver and sit it on the floor, thus lowering the purification of God to the level of the common man. The laver sat up, separated from the floor, for God’s holiness was not common, and it could be approached only after the priest had offered a sacrifice on the altar. By placing the laver on the floor, it became average, and just like any other basin.

The text says that Ahaz sat it “upon a pavement of stones” (2 Kings 16:17), a statement that does not appear again in the Old Testament. However, we do find it in the New Testament, written in Hebrew, in regards to the trial of Jesus Christ. Pilate has tired of talking to Jesus and he brings Him into a place “called the Pavement, but in the Hebrew, Gabbatha” (John 19:13). Gabbatha was a platform made of square stones. Pilate puts Jesus on a cross and numbers him with the transgressors, killing Him between two common criminals. Jesus was anything but common, but the world has tried to make Him as much ever since.

Lift Jesus high and to His rightful place in your own life and conversation. Don’t cheapen and lessen the price that Jesus paid by always emphasizing your sin and failure instead of His perfection and success. He suffered so that you would never suffer. All other forms of Christianity are alternate altars, like Ahaz’s creation. There is nothing cheap or common about the price paid for us and we would do well to give Him the honor that He paid for.

Blood on the Altar

Leviticus 17:11

“For the life of the flesh is in the blood”, is a foundational statement of evangelical Christianity. It is the fulcrum on which the message of blood atonement rests, for it answers the question, “Why must something die for sins to be atoned?” It is life for life, and one being losing its life can buy as a ransom the life of the other.

This concept brings great importance to blood in the Christian faith. Although an important aspect of sacrifice, it was not just blood that fulfilled the task of atonement. The blood had to come from a spotless host, which was inspected thoroughly to ensure its perfection. The blood was also useless in a basin or on the ground. It was only considered worthwhile when it was placed, “on the altar” (verse 11).

The fact that blood had to be placed on the altar shows us that salvation could not be found in the sheep or the bull, but in their blood placed in the position of sacrifice. For this cause, there is no salvation to be found in copying the life or the lifestyle of Christ. I have heard it said that true Christianity is trying to be as much like Jesus as possible. That is not Christianity; that is the basis for all other religions. They try to be as much like perfection as they can, hoping to slowly but surely transform into that ideal perfection. Christians do not emulate Jesus’ life; they let Jesus live His life through them.

Many philosophers and great minds of the world will quote Jesus alongside other intellectuals of yesterday. Confucius, Aristotle, Gandhi and Jesus will be used to promote everything from world peace to inner healing. The world of intellect seems to have no problem with the statements of Jesus, but they rarely mention the cross of Jesus. Paul called the crucified Christ, “to the Jews a stumbling block, and to the Greeks foolishness” (1 Corinthians 1:23). The blood on the altar puts the life of Jesus on the back-burner in relation to the death of Jesus. The blood on the altar makes Jesus into “Christ”.

It was absolutely necessary for Jesus to die at Calvary. The constant sacrifice of bulls and goats could never make the giver perfect (Hebrews 10:1). If the sacrifice of animals had done the job in taking away sin then, “the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins. But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year” (Hebrews 10:2, 3). The reason that the conscience was not wiped clean by the animal blood was, “For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins” (Hebrews 10:4).

Some may say, “Paul, that is well and good, but I still have consciousness of my sins”. The reason that we remain aware of our failures is because we forget that Jesus’ work is a finished work. “But this man (Jesus), after he had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down on the right hand of God” (Hebrews 10:12). Jesus is now seated, not constantly offering up sacrifice for your sins. Just in case you need a reminder, He sent the Holy Spirit into your heart to make you aware of the great price that Jesus paid, for the Holy Spirit was there when it happened, and He was an eye witness:

“Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before, ‘This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more. Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin.” (Hebrews 10:15, 16).

His blood is still on the altar, and you are no longer guilty. Go in the grace of our Lord Jesus today.

An Alternate Altar

2 Kings 16:10-17

The furniture of the tabernacle was to be of particular size and shape, as was every single thing about God’s tabernacle. Moses was given specific instructions pertaining to each item and there was to be no deviation. These measurements, colors and shapes all held deep spiritual significance, pointing forward in one way or another to the coming Messiah.

King Ahaz was a wicked king over Judah, and his decisions reflect a man depraved of the presence of the Lord. He visited Damascus to meet with the king of Assyria, a sworn enemy of Israel and Judah, and while he was there he became infatuated with the architecture of that nation. He sent word back to the high priest in Judah that he wanted a replica built of a magnificent altar that he had seen in Damascus. The high priest built the altar per the king’s specifications and the king began using it immediately upon returning home.

After arriving, the king ordered the priest to begin using the new altar for all of the sacrifices of Israel, and to leave the old brazen altar that sat in the temple for the king’s use only. Actually, he had the brazen altar moved closer to the new altar so that he could enquire at it whenever he wished. This combination of bad decisions leads to the premature death of Ahaz and the subsequent judgment of God. By building a new altar, he was considering the brazen altar out-dated and useless. This is a type of a “new Christianity”, where there is no need for a crucified Savior, or talk of His finished work. He also denied the nation and the people access to the brazen altar, thus making salvation a gift only for the aristocracy. Calvary leveled the playing field, so that everyone, great and small comes to God by the same means. There is no respecter of persons with God (Romans 2:11), and Calvary is no exception.

Ahaz made one more move that will link him forever with the doomed Pontius Pilate. There was a brazen laver outside of the door of the temple, which sat on 4 feet, lifted from the pavement. This laver contained water which the priest would use to wash his hands and feet so that he could enter the temple in a purified state. Ahaz cut the legs off of the laver and sit it on the floor, thus lowering the purification of God to the level of the common man. The laver sat up, separated from the floor, for God’s holiness was not common, and it could be approached only after the priest had offered a sacrifice on the altar. By placing the laver on the floor, it became average, and just like any other basin.

The text says that Ahaz sat it “upon a pavement of stones” (2 Kings 16:17), a statement that does not appear again in the Old Testament. However, we do find it in the New Testament, written in Hebrew, in regards to the trial of Jesus Christ. Pilate has tired of talking to Jesus and he brings Him into a place “called the Pavement, but in the Hebrew, Gabbatha” (John 19:13). Gabbatha was a platform made of square stones. Pilate puts Jesus on a cross and numbers him with the transgressors, killing Him between two common criminals. Jesus was anything but common, but the world has tried to make Him as much ever since.

Lift Jesus high and to His rightful place in your own life and conversation. Don’t cheapen and lessen the price that Jesus paid by always emphasizing your sin and failure instead of His perfection and success. He suffered so that you would never suffer. All other forms of Christianity are alternate altars, like Ahaz’s creation. There is nothing cheap or common about the price paid for us and we would do well to give Him the honor that He paid for.

Blood on the Altar

Leviticus 17:11

“For the life of the flesh is in the blood”, is a foundational statement of evangelical Christianity. It is the fulcrum on which the message of blood atonement rests, for it answers the question, “Why must something die for sins to be atoned?” It is life for life, and one being losing its life can buy as a ransom the life of the other.

This concept brings great importance to blood in the Christian faith. Although an important aspect of sacrifice, it was not just blood that fulfilled the task of atonement. The blood had to come from a spotless host, which was inspected thoroughly to ensure its perfection. The blood was also useless in a basin or on the ground. It was only considered worthwhile when it was placed, “on the altar” (verse 11).

The fact that blood had to be placed on the altar shows us that salvation could not be found in the sheep or the bull, but in their blood placed in the position of sacrifice. For this cause, there is no salvation to be found in copying the life or the lifestyle of Christ. I have heard it said that true Christianity is trying to be as much like Jesus as possible. That is not Christianity; that is the basis for all other religions. They try to be as much like perfection as they can, hoping to slowly but surely transform into that ideal perfection. Christians do not emulate Jesus’ life; they let Jesus live His life through them.

Many philosophers and great minds of the world will quote Jesus alongside other intellectuals of yesterday. Confucius, Aristotle, Gandhi and Jesus will be used to promote everything from world peace to inner healing. The world of intellect seems to have no problem with the statements of Jesus, but they rarely mention the cross of Jesus. Paul called the crucified Christ, “to the Jews a stumbling block, and to the Greeks foolishness” (1 Corinthians 1:23). The blood on the altar puts the life of Jesus on the back-burner in relation to the death of Jesus. The blood on the altar makes Jesus into “Christ”.

It was absolutely necessary for Jesus to die at Calvary. The constant sacrifice of bulls and goats could never make the giver perfect (Hebrews 10:1). If the sacrifice of animals had done the job in taking away sin then, “the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins. But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year” (Hebrews 10:2, 3). The reason that the conscience was not wiped clean by the animal blood was, “For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins” (Hebrews 10:4).

Some may say, “Paul, that is well and good, but I still have consciousness of my sins”. The reason that we remain aware of our failures is because we forget that Jesus’ work is a finished work. “But his man (Jesus), after he had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down on the right hand of God” (Hebrews 10:12). Jesus is now seated, not constantly offering up sacrifice for your sins. Just in case you need a reminder, He sent the Holy Spirit into your heart to make you aware of the great price that Jesus paid, for the Holy Spirit was there when it happened, and He was an eye witness:

“Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before, ‘This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more. Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin.” (Hebrews 10:15, 16).

His blood is still on the altar, and you are no longer guilty. Go in the grace of our Lord Jesus today.