There is a bloodline running through the Old to the New Testament, all the way to the final atonement by the blood of Jesus, because blood is necessary for the atonement of sin. The practice of sacrificing an innocent animal for the sin of mankind was first seen when an animal was killed for God to clothe Adam and Eve before they left the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:21), followed by Abel sacrificing the firstborn of his flock and its fat which was acceptable to God (Genesis 4:4).
Genesis 8:20-22 (NKJV) Then Noah built an altar to the Lord, and took of every clean animal and of every clean bird, and offered burnt offerings on the altar. And the Lord smelled a soothing aroma. Then the Lord said in His heart, “I will never again curse the ground for man’s sake, although the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth; nor will I again destroy every living thing as I have done.
It continued in Noah’s time when God had to judge the earth through the flood because of sin. The first thing that Noah did coming out of the ark was to offer burnt offerings to the Lord, and the Lord was pleased. Hence, we see that the shedding of blood was necessary for a new beginning of mankind. Noah understood that the way for individuals to approach and to appease God for sin is through the sacrifice of an innocent animal on behalf of themselves by the shedding of blood, because an animal had to take the place of the sinner.
Then there was the sacrifice for the nation. God chose the nation of Israel to bring forth the Messiah through the unconditional covenant with Abraham, but first, God had to test His covenant partner, Abraham.
Genesis 22:13-14 (NKJV) Then Abraham lifted his eyes and looked, and there behind him was a ram caught in a thicket by its horns. So Abraham went and took the ram, and offered it up for a burnt offering instead of his son. And Abraham called the name of the place, The-Lord-Will-Provide; as it is said to this day, “In the Mount of the Lord it shall be provided.”
Abraham passed the test through his willingness to offer up Isaac, his only son of promise, believing that God could raise him up. God stopped him just in time and provided a ram as the burnt offering instead. The doctrine of the blood was again foreshadowed where substitution took place when the ram was provided to take the place of Isaac.
Abraham’s act of offering on Mount Moriah paved the way for the final offering on Calvary. Jesus was our substitute on the cross because an innocent party must always take the place of the sinner through the shedding of blood, so that there can be atonement for sin and redemption of mankind. It reveals the mercy and love of God, and truly understanding that will help us to be gracious and merciful to others around us too.
Sermon Series: The Power of the Blood (Part 1)
祂成为了我们的替代者
从旧约到新约，有一条血脉贯穿其中，直到耶稣宝血所成就的最终赎罪，因为流血是赎罪所必须的。最早的赎罪献祭实践出现在伊甸园，当神为亚当和夏娃预备皮衣遮盖他们，使他们离开伊甸园之前，必有一只动物被杀（创世记 3:21）。随后，亚伯献上他羊群中头生的和羊的脂油，这祭物蒙神悦纳（创世记 4:4）。
创世记8:20-21 挪亚为耶和华筑了一座坛，拿各类洁净的牲畜、飞鸟献在坛上为燔祭。耶和华闻那馨香之气，就心里说：“我不再因人的缘故咒诅地（人从小时心里怀着恶念），也不再按着我才行的灭各种的活物了。
在挪亚的时代，这个血的记号继续显明。当时因人类的罪，神必须用洪水审判大地。挪亚从方舟出来后所做的第一件事，就是向耶和华献燔祭，耶和华就悦纳了。因此，我们看见，为了人类新的开始，流血是必要的。挪亚明白，人要亲近神并为罪得到挽回，唯有借着无辜动物的牺牲，以流血来代替自己，因为必须有牲畜代替罪人。
接着，圣经也谈到为整个国家所设立的献祭。神拣选以色列民，要借着他们使弥赛亚诞生，这是出于祂与亚伯拉罕所立的无条件之约。但在此之前，神必须先试验祂的约之伙伴亚伯拉罕。
创世记22:13-14 亚伯拉罕举目观看，不料，有一只公羊，两角扣在稠密的小树中。亚伯拉罕就取了那只公羊来，献为燔祭，代替他的儿子。亚伯拉罕给那地方起名叫耶和华以勒，直到今日人还说：“在耶和华的山上必有预备。”
亚伯拉罕因着愿意献上以撒——他唯一的应许之子——而通过了试炼，他相信神能够使他从死里复活。就在关键时刻，神阻止了他，并预备了一只公羊代替以撒作为燔祭。血的真理再次被预表出来，因为在替代发生之时，公羊取代了以撒的位置。
亚伯拉罕在摩利亚山上的献祭，预备了加略山上那最终的献祭。耶稣在十字架上成为我们的替代，因为必须有无辜者以流血代替罪人，才能成就罪的赎罪与人类的救赎。这启示了神的怜悯与慈爱，而当我们真正明白这一点时，也会学会以恩慈和怜悯对待身边的人。
讲章系列: 宝血的大能
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