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Blood Covenant in the Bible: Meaning and Significance – Viral Believer
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Blood Covenant in the Bible: Meaning and Significance

Blood covenant is an important concept in the Bible that is often overlooked. In the Old Testament, a blood covenant was a sacred agreement between two parties that was sealed with the shedding of blood. This covenant was a binding agreement that could not be broken and was taken very seriously.

The first mention of a blood covenant in the Bible is found in Genesis 15:9-21 when God made a covenant with Abraham. In this covenant, God promised to give Abraham a land and make him the father of many nations.

To seal the covenant, God instructed Abraham to take a heifer, a goat, a ram, a turtledove, and a young pigeon, cut them in half, and lay the halves opposite each other. Then, as the sun was going down, a smoking oven and a burning torch passed between the pieces.

This signified that God was making a covenant with Abraham that was sealed with blood.

Throughout the Old Testament, blood covenants were used to establish relationships between people and between God and His people. Understanding the concept of blood covenant is important in understanding the relationship between God and His people and the significance of the shedding of blood in the Bible.

The Concept of Blood Covenant

What is a Covenant?

A covenant is an agreement or a contract between two parties where they make promises to each other. In the Bible, covenants are often made between God and His people, or between people themselves. Covenants are binding and usually involve terms and conditions that both parties must fulfill.

What is a Blood Covenant?

A blood covenant is a type of covenant that involves the shedding of blood. In ancient times, blood covenants were made by cutting an animal in half and passing between the pieces, symbolizing that the parties involved would be cut in half if they broke the covenant.

Blood covenants were also made by cutting the flesh of the parties involved and mixing their blood together.

In the Bible, God made a blood covenant with Abraham in Genesis 15. God promised to make Abraham a great nation and to give him and his descendants the land of Canaan. Abraham believed God’s promise, and God counted it as righteousness to him.

Later on, God made a new covenant with His people through Jesus Christ, which is known as the new covenant.

The Significance of Blood Covenant in the Bible

Blood covenant is significant in the Bible because it represents the seriousness of the promises being made. The shedding of blood symbolizes the cost of the covenant, and the parties involved are bound to fulfill their promises or suffer the consequences.

In the old covenant, blood sacrifices were required to atone for sins and to maintain the covenant relationship between God and His people.

The blood of animals was used as a temporary substitute for the blood of humans until Jesus Christ, the perfect sacrifice, shed His blood on the cross to atone for the sins of humanity once and for all.

Through faith in Jesus Christ, believers are now heirs of the promises made to Abraham and are part of the new covenant. The new covenant promises forgiveness of sins and eternal life to all who believe in Jesus Christ as the Son of God.

In conclusion, blood covenant is a significant concept in the Bible that emphasizes the seriousness of the promises made between God and His people. The shedding of blood symbolizes the cost of the covenant, and the parties involved are bound to fulfill their promises or suffer the consequences.

Through faith in Jesus Christ, believers are now heirs of the promises made to Abraham and are part of the new covenant.

Examples of Blood Covenant in the Bible

The Covenant Between God and Abraham

The covenant between God and Abraham is one of the most significant covenants in the Bible. In Genesis 15, God promises Abraham that he will have many descendants and that they will inherit the land of Canaan.

To seal the covenant, God instructs Abraham to prepare a sacrifice of a heifer, a goat, a ram, a turtledove, and a pigeon. Abraham cuts the animals in half and arranges them in two rows, with a path between them.

As Abraham falls into a deep sleep, God appears to him and tells him that his descendants will be enslaved in a foreign land for 400 years, but that He will bring them out with great possessions.

God then passes between the animal halves, symbolically binding Himself to the covenant. This covenant is a blood covenant, as the animals were cut in half to signify the seriousness of the agreement.

The Covenant Between Jonathan and David

Jonathan and David’s covenant is an example of a blood covenant between two people. In 1 Samuel 18-19, Jonathan, the son of King Saul, recognizes that David is destined to be king and makes a covenant with him.

Jonathan strips himself of his robe, which symbolizes his power and authority, and gives it to David, symbolizing his transfer of power to David.

Jonathan also gives David his weapons, symbolizing his loyalty and protection. The two men swear an oath of loyalty to each other, and Jonathan makes David promise to show kindness to his descendants.

This covenant is a blood covenant because it involves the shedding of blood, as the men cut themselves and exchange their blood as a sign of their commitment to each other.

The Covenant Between Mephibosheth and David

The covenant between Mephibosheth and David is an example of a blood covenant based on kindness and love. In 2 Samuel 9, David seeks out any remaining descendants of Jonathan to show them kindness for Jonathan’s sake.

He discovers that Mephibosheth, Jonathan’s son, is still alive but crippled. David invites Mephibosheth to eat at his table, and he restores to him all the land that belonged to Saul.

David and Mephibosheth make a covenant of kindness and loyalty to each other, with David promising to protect Mephibosheth and treat him as one of his own sons. This covenant is a blood covenant because the two men share a meal together, which symbolizes their union and commitment to each other.

In conclusion, blood covenant is a significant theme in the Bible, and it involves the shedding of blood to signify the seriousness of an agreement.

The covenants between God and Abraham, Jonathan and David, and Mephibosheth and David are examples of blood covenants based on power, loyalty, and kindness, respectively.

The Blood Covenant and the Gospel

The Blood Covenant and the Cross

The blood covenant is a central theme in the gospel of Jesus Christ. The Bible teaches that without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness of sins (Hebrews 9:22). The cross of Christ is where the blood covenant was established. Jesus shed his blood on the cross as a sacrifice for the sins of the world.

Matthew 26:28 records Jesus’ words at the Last Supper: “For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.” Through his death on the cross, Jesus established a new covenant with humanity, one that provides forgiveness of sins and eternal life.

The Blood Covenant and Eternal Life

The blood covenant is also connected to eternal life. In Leviticus 17:11, it says, “For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul.”

Through the blood covenant, believers receive eternal life. John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” Through faith in Jesus Christ and his shed blood on the cross, believers receive the gift of eternal life.

The Blood Covenant and Forgiveness of Sins

The blood covenant is also the means by which sins are forgiven. In 1 John 1:7, it says, “But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.”

Through the blood covenant, believers are forgiven of their sins and made righteous before God. Romans 3:23-24 says, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.”

In conclusion, the blood covenant is a central theme in the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is through the shedding of Jesus’ blood on the cross that believers receive forgiveness of sins and eternal life. The blood covenant is a powerful demonstration of God’s love and grace towards humanity.

Conclusion

Blood covenant is a significant concept in the Bible, representing a sacred agreement between two parties.

The covenant is made by sacrificing something valuable, and it must be kept to maintain its significance. Blood covenant is a powerful symbol of God’s relationship with His people and the covenant He made with them.

Throughout the Bible, blood covenant is used to signify the bond between God and His people. In Genesis 15, God made a covenant with Abraham, promising to bless him and his descendants. The covenant was sealed by the shedding of blood, signifying the seriousness of the agreement.

The New Testament also speaks of the blood covenant between God and His people. Jesus Christ’s death on the cross is the ultimate sacrifice, sealing the new covenant between God and humanity. In Luke 22:20, Jesus says, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you.”

Blood covenant is a reminder of the depth of God’s love for His people and the seriousness of the promises He makes. It is a powerful symbol of the bond between God and His people, and the covenant He made with them.

In conclusion, blood covenant is a significant concept in the Bible, representing a sacred agreement between two parties. It is a powerful symbol of God’s relationship with His people and the covenant He made with them.

The ultimate expression of this covenant is found in Jesus Christ’s death on the cross, which sealed the new covenant between God and humanity.

Pastor Duke Taber
Pastor Duke Taber

Pastor Duke Taber

All articles have been written or reviewed by Pastor Duke Taber.
Pastor Duke Taber is an alumnus of Life Pacific University and Multnomah Biblical Seminary.
He has been in pastoral ministry since 1988.
Today he is the owner and managing editor of 3 successful Christian websites that support missionaries around the world.
He is currently starting a brand new church in Mesquite NV called Mesquite Worship Center, a Non-Denominational Spirit Filled Christian church in Mesquite Nevada.