The Covenant of Blood
Israel, through the blood covenant struck with Abraham and then renewed at the Passover in Egypt and reinforced by the Levitical sacrificial system, is in blood covenant with God. It is a covenant of service, but the requirement to serve works both ways. Israel serves God according to His word and He serves Israel according to His faithfulness and righteousness.
Deuteronomy 10:12–13 – And now, Israel, what doth Yahweh thy God require of thee, but to fear Yahweh thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve Yahweh thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul, to keep the commandments of Yahweh, and his statutes, which I command thee this day for thy good?
The blood covenant, like all covenants, has no time limit—but this one had to be renewed daily under the Mosaic system.
Exodus 29:37–39 – Seven days thou shalt make atonement for the altar, and sanctify it: and the altar shall be most holy; whatsoever toucheth the altar shall be holy. Now this is that which thou shalt offer upon the altar: two lambs a year old day by day continually. The one lamb thou shalt offer in the morning; and the other lamb thou shalt offer at even.
Very clearly, the blood covenant had to be renewed daily.
Paul writes:
1 Corinthians 15:31 – I die daily.
This may seem surprising, especially when read alongside:
Hebrews 9:12 – Not through the blood of goats and calves, but through his own blood, Christ entered in once for all into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption.
So while Christ’s blood was offered once for all, our participation in the covenant must be renewed daily. Like Paul, we must “die daily” by renewing our commitment, recognising our waywardness, and confessing our sins.
1 John 1:9 – If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
The Blood Covenant in the Renewed Covenant
Let us now consider our relationship with the Lord through the blood covenant under what is better called the Renewed Covenant.
1 Peter 1:18–19 – Since you know that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain manner of life received by tradition from your fathers; but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot… so that your faith and hope might be in God.
1 Corinthians 6:19–20 – Or know ye not that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit which is in you, which ye have from God? and ye are not your own; for ye were bought with a price: glorify God therefore in your body.
1 Corinthians 7:22–23 – For he that was called in the Lord being a bondservant, is the Lord’s freedman: likewise he that was called being free, is Christ’s bondservant. You are bought with a price; be not the servants of men.
The implication is clear: to be Christ’s servant is to be freed from bondage. Though we have been bought, it is by a Master who liberates. Our soul has changed hands—ownership transferred from hell to heaven.
The Requirement of the Covenant
There is a requirement placed upon us. We must recognise that we are no longer our own. We are called to serve God with our spirit, soul, and body.
We must work out our salvation with fear and trembling. This does not mean earning salvation, but living out the new life we have been given. Belief will get us to heaven, but working out our salvation changes us here and now.
Through the blood covenant, we are saved—but the nature of that covenant is one of Lord and bondservant. We honour the terms by willing obedience to God’s Word.
As we do so, we strengthen the new nature and weaken the old. We work out our salvation and, at the same time, we are being transformed into the likeness of Christ—bit by bit, day by day.
The Blood Covenant is the Beginning
As glorious and life-changing as the blood covenant is, it is only the beginning. There is more—more depth, more intimacy, more grace. If we are willing, we can enter into something deeper still.
And that leads very naturally into the Salt Covenant—which I will speak to you about shortly, God willing.
God bless you all,