What is the meaning of Leviticus 17:11? For the life of the flesh is in the blood “Life” isn’t an abstract idea here; it is the animating power God placed in every creature. Genesis 9:4 echoes this truth: “But you must not eat meat with its lifeblood still in it”. • Blood is the God-given indicator that a body is alive; once it is drained, life departs (Leviticus 17:14). • Because life belongs to God (Deuteronomy 32:39), handling blood was never casual. • This insight also foreshadows the New Covenant reality that eternal life is found in the poured-out blood of Christ (John 6:53-54). and I have given it to you The Lord Himself provided the means of reconciliation; people did not invent sacrifice. • In Exodus 12:13, He says of the Passover blood, “When I see the blood, I will pass over you.” • The gift language underscores grace: God supplies what He later requires (Romans 8:32). • Every sacrificial animal was therefore a physical reminder of divine generosity, pointing ahead to “the gift of God, which is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23). to make atonement for your souls upon the altar Atonement is the covering of guilt so fellowship can be restored. • Leviticus 1:4 describes the worshiper laying a hand on the animal “to be accepted on his behalf to make atonement for him”. • The Day of Atonement in Leviticus 16 culminated all the daily sacrifices, showing that the altar was God’s appointed meeting place. • Hebrews 9:12 ties the pattern together: Christ entered “the Most Holy Place once for all by His own blood, thus securing eternal redemption”. for it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul The verse ends by repeating, and therefore emphasizing, the central instrument God uses. • “Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness” (Hebrews 9:22). • Peter links the Old and New when he writes that we were redeemed “with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish” (1 Peter 1:19). • Revelation 1:5 celebrates the same reality: He “has freed us from our sins by His blood.” The Old Testament altar declared what the cross ultimately accomplished. summary Leviticus 17:11 teaches that (1) life belongs to God and is resident in the blood, (2) God graciously provided blood as His chosen means, (3) that blood must be offered on His altar to cover sin, and (4) only blood can accomplish that covering. Every animal sacrifice anticipated the once-for-all sacrifice of Christ, whose poured-out life perfectly atones for every soul that trusts in Him. |
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