God speaks of the significance of blood in His instructions to Noah. Genesis 9: 4 But you must never eat any meat that still has the lifeblood in it. 5 “And I will require the blood of anyone who takes another person’s life. If a wild animal kills a person, it must die. And anyone who murders a fellow human must die. 6 If anyone takes a human life, that person’s life will also be taken by human hands. For God made human beings in his own image.[1]
These words demonstrate the sanctity of life. In the flood, Noah and his family had just experienced how God controls all life on the earth. God is the author of life and reminds Noah how He created in the beginning. Genesis 1: 27 So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.[2] God had preserved life and wants Noah and us to do the same. Any shedding of blood is serious business.
The Sacrificial Concept of Blood
Noah seems to understand the concept of blood, burnt offerings, and clean versus unclean animals. God won’t give specific Scriptural guidelines for blood sacrifices until the Exodus, hundreds of years later. However, the first thing Noah does as he exits the ark is build an altar for a burnt thank offering. Genesis 8: 20 Then Noah built an altar to the Lord, and there he sacrificed as burnt offerings the animals and birds that had been approved for that purpose.[3]
This sacrifice demonstrates animal life given up for human life. Blood is the supreme offering to God and is used to make atonement for sin. The basic idea of atonement is a “covering” of sin; the purpose is to accomplish reconciliation between man and God. In the Old Testament Day of Atonement, the high priest sprinkled goat’s blood on the Temple’s mercy seat. This was to prevent God from seeing their sin by covering it up. This was only temporary and had to be repeated every year.
The Blood of Christ
God told Noah the importance of blood, which foreshadows how vital the blood of Jesus will be. The night before Jesus was crucified, He had an important message. Luke 22: 20 After supper he took another cup of wine and said, “This cup is the new covenant between God and his people—an agreement confirmed with my blood, which is poured out as a sacrifice for you.[4]
The blood of Jesus achieved complete payment for the sins of those who trust Him. He gave His life in place of our life. Colossians 1: 20 and through him (Jesus) God reconciled everything to imself. He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth by means of Christ’s blood on the cross.[5]
To learn more about the significance of blood, listen here:
https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/restoration-through-covenant
[1-5] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation. Tyndale House Publishers.