SPECIAL TOPIC: BLOOD
In the OT blood (BDB 196) denotes the life (cf. Lev. 17:11,14; Gen. 9:4; Deut. 12:23). This life, both animal and human, is a gift from God and belongs to God (i.e., Israelites could not eat or drink blood, cf. Lev. 3:17; 7:26; 17:10-16). Murder was characterized as "shedding innocent blood" or "blood guiltiness."
The AB, vol. 1, p. 761, notes that "blood" and "life" are poetical parallels in Hebrew, Ugaritic, and Akkadian (i.e., Gen. 37:21-22; Deut. 12:23).
In the Mosaic sacrificial system sin required a life (cf. Ezek. 18:4,20). God graciously allowed the substitute (cf. Lev. 1:4; 3:2,8,13; 4:4,15,24,29) of an innocent animal's life to atone for the sin of a human. Ultimately the blood that will atone for human rebellion is Jesus, the Messiah's blood/death (cf. Isaiah 53; Mark 10:45; 14:24; John 1:29; Rom. 3:25; 15:8-9; 2 Cor. 5:21; 1 Pet. 1:2,19; 1 John 1:7; Rev. 1:5; 5:9). An innocent life was given on behalf of the guilty (i.e., Hebrew corporality, cf. Genesis 3; Joshua 7; Rom. 5:12-21; 2 Cor. 5:14-15).
SPECIAL TOPIC: BIBLICAL FAITH IS CORPORATE
SPECIAL TOPIC: SACRIFICIAL SYSTEMS OF THE ANE
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