The blood of Abel

(Heb 12:24)  And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.

 

There are three references to the blood of Abel in the Bible, each indicating that the shedding of his blood by Cain was a type of the shed blood of Christ. The first mention of blood in the Bible is God’s accusation of Cain killing Abel and the blood speaking to God (Gen 4:10).

      God does not over look the shedding of innocent blood. The Bible speaks of the shed blood crying out to Him (2 Ki 9:26; Psa 9:12; 72:12-14; Heb 11:4. If an innocent person is found dead without as city, God gave instruction for an inquisition to the closest city to discover the person guilty of shedding that blood and a sacrifice was to be made in order to deliver that city from consequences from God (Deut 21:1-9). God does not want innocent blood to be shed and He made provision for the protection of a person to be kept safe from what we call an accident (Deut 19:9, 10). God also told Israel not to pity the one who committed murder and paid for it with his life (Deut 19:13).

      God tells us that the life of the flesh is in the blood (Lev 17:11) and we know that diseases and many other problems occur when the blood has problems. We also know that lack of blood can cause shock or death and many problems in our physical can be detected by examination of the blood.  But not only is blood the physical life, it is also spiritual life as God said He gave it for us on the altar to make atonement for our forgiveness from sin which has eternal value for us.

      God gave the innocent blood of animals to Israel for the covering of their sin(s) and to provide a way for people to come into right relationship with Him. Through the years much blood was shed to atone for the sins of people, but God tells us that the blood of bulls and goats, though innocent and perfect, could not take away the sin – “For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.”

      Abel was the first of many through the years whose blood was shed because of their testimony of being righteous (1 Jn 3:12). Many have been killed because they were righteous and their killers were wicked. This indictment of human wickedness reached its zenith in the spilling of the blood of the One Who was perfectly righteous (Matt 23:35; Lu 11:50, 51).

      In Rev 17:6 and 16:5, 6 it speaks of the blood of martyrs for Christ crying for vengeance and the blood of Abel also cries out for vengeance. Then as our text says, the blood of Christ speaks of better things than those called forth by Abel’s blood and that of others. In the old covenant there was a demand for blood for blood, with the atoning blood of animals substituting for that of the guilty (Ex 24:8). Jesus is the Mediator of a better covenant and with His blood we have our hearts sprinkled form an evil conscience (Heb 9:15; 10:22).

      We are solemnly warned not to take His shed blood for granted else we experience greater judgment than that of the law – “Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?”

      Easter time is a wonderful time when we re-visit the last days of Christ, His crucifixion and resurrection. It was His blood that made our forgiveness from sin possible. Let us not forget it.