New International Version (NIV)
Eating
Blood Forbidden
1 The LORD
said to Moses, 2 “Speak to Aaron and his sons and to all the Israelites and say to
them: ‘This is what the LORD has commanded: 3 Any Israelite who sacrifices an ox,[a] a lamb or a goat in the camp or outside of it 4 instead
of bringing it to the entrance to the tent of meeting to present it as an
offering to the LORD in front of the tabernacle of the LORD—that person shall
be considered guilty of bloodshed; they have shed blood and must be cut off
from their people. 5 This is so the Israelites will bring to the LORD the sacrifices
they are now making in the open fields. They must bring them to the priest,
that is, to the LORD, at the entrance to the tent of meeting and sacrifice them
as fellowship offerings. 6 The priest is to splash the blood against the altar of the LORD at
the entrance to the tent of meeting and burn the fat as an aroma pleasing to
the LORD. 7 They must no longer offer any of their sacrifices to the goat
idols[b] to whom they prostitute themselves. This is to be a lasting
ordinance for them and for the generations to come.’ 8 “Say to them: ‘Any Israelite or any foreigner residing among them
who offers a burnt offering or sacrifice 9 and does not bring it to the entrance to the tent of meeting to
sacrifice it to the LORD must be cut off from the people of Israel.
10 “‘I will set my face against any Israelite or any foreigner
residing among them who eats blood, and I will cut them off from the people. 11 For the
life of a creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make
atonement for yourselves on the altar; it is the blood that makes atonement for
one’s life.[c] 12 Therefore
I say to the Israelites, “None of you may eat blood, nor may any foreigner
residing among you eat blood.”
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Daniel’s Thoughts:
We like the Israelites are to bring our
offerings to the Lord. I think often we give to many other things and then to
the Lord. Sometimes we do so joyfully, but often grudgingly. I am not just
referring to money I think this is especially true of our time. I know for me I
say my priorities are God first and I want to spend time in the word and
prayer. Yet I look at my schedule and see bible study way down and some days I
don’t “get around to it” and prayer is last minute and I am just asking for God
to do this list of things.
You may be thinking what I often think: great
another guilt trip. Maybe you are thinking yes I want to put God first and
prayer and reading the bible is great, but how I am busy. How I am supposed to
do all the other things that are good and spend a significant time in those
things? I don’t really know, but I am trying to work that out in my heart and
life. I don’t think that means hours reading and prayer and giving up sleep. I
do think it takes time but also a change of heart. For me I think it means
reading the word and posting on this blog daily, then spending time in prayer
writing in my prayer journal. But those are just tools and not obligations. Instead
I want to do those for God alone and out of love and joy not obligation. I
think the big thing is not doing those at the last moment, but early on and
then pondering the word, listening to the Holy Spirit and praying in small ways
throughout the day.
For the second part:
Blood is the life of God’s creation. God has
given it to us as a gift for atonement. For Israel God commanded respect for
this gift by not eating blood. For us as Christians I think this means taking
seriously the sacrifice of Christ and his blood on the Cross. In communion and
in daily life we are receiving the greatest gift ever given. Our lives were
bought at a great price in the blood and suffering of Christ. Let us take
seriously God’s commands and our sin. Let
us live to Christ and serve him! For his blood has washed us clean completely
once and for all!
Hebrews
9:11-14 The Blood of Christ
11 But when Christ came as high priest of the good
things that are now already here,[a] he went through the greater and more perfect
tabernacle that is not made with human hands, that is to say, is not a part of
this creation. 12 He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves;
but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, thus
obtaining[b] eternal redemption. 13 The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer
sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are
outwardly clean. 14 How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through
the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences
from acts that lead to death,[c] so that we may serve the living God!
Daniel’s Prayer:
Father
Everything I have is yours
Everything I have is a gift from you
Given to me to take care of it for a time
Let me give joyfully not out of guilt or obligation
But joyfully and faithfully in recognition and gratitude
I am sorry that I often put other things first before you
I am sorry that I give first to school or InterVarsity or selfishness
God you have bought us at a price
In the blood of Christ
I am redeemed forever and washed as white as snow.
Let us live to Christ and serve him
Everything to your glory!
Amen
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