Patricia Roberts
Patricia Roberts
Recently a preacher I know, in his message about Jesus' birth, quoted scripture "And she brought forth her first-born son." He called to our attention that birth was more, physically, than those few words. Birth itself, while anti-septic, is not always neat and quick, as those few words might indicate. Then, there were some more words in his message that I will never forget: "Jesus was born in blood and pain, and he died in blood and pain." But still we'll always cherish the biblical account.

Let's now consider the word blood. Webster defines it as "A fluid circulating throughout the vertebrate body (yours and mine) carrying nutrients and oxygen to the tissues, and removing wastes and carbon dioxide. Some of its parts serve to combat infections, and aid in clotting."

Let's determine what the first five books of the Bible tell us about blood. In Genesis, chapter 9, God said to Noah, "Every moving thing shall be food to you... only you shall not eat flesh with its life, that is, its blood." Then there followed a warning from God later, "Whoever sheds man's blood, by man his blood shall be shed."

Exodus chapter 12 is specific about the blood of the slain Passover lamb. "Take some of the blood of the lamb and put it on the door posts and the lintel... and the blood will be a sign for you on the houses where you live... and no plague will befall you... when I strike the land of Egypt."

The book of Leviticus, chapter 3, in describing a peace offering states, "You shall not eat any fat or any blood.


" In chapter four, in respect to a sin offering, a bull is slain. Then the "anointed priest" shall "dip his finger in the blood, and sprinkle some... seven times before the Lord in front... of the veil of the sanctuary."

Enough of blood for now? Join me next week for more of its importance.
