Topical Bible: Blood: Red

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In the Bible, blood is a significant symbol that carries deep theological and spiritual meanings. The color red, often associated with blood, is emblematic of life, sacrifice, and redemption. Throughout Scripture, blood is a powerful motif that underscores the gravity of sin, the necessity of atonement, and the profound love of God manifested through sacrifice.

Life and Creation

Blood is first mentioned in the context of life. In Genesis 9:4, God commands Noah, "But you must not eat meat with its lifeblood still in it." Here, blood represents life itself, a sacred element that belongs to God. The prohibition against consuming blood underscores the sanctity of life and the divine authority over it.

Sacrifice and Atonement

The sacrificial system established in the Old Testament is deeply intertwined with the concept of blood. In Leviticus 17:11, it is stated, "For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you on the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood that makes atonement by the life." The shedding of blood in sacrifices was a vivid reminder of the cost of sin and the need for purification and reconciliation with God.

The Passover, as described in Exodus 12, is another pivotal event where blood plays a crucial role. The Israelites were instructed to mark their doorposts with the blood of a lamb, signifying their obedience and faith. This act of faith spared them from the plague of the firstborn, symbolizing deliverance and divine protection.

Covenant and Promise

Blood is also central to the concept of covenant in the Bible. In Exodus 24:8, Moses took the blood of the sacrifices and sprinkled it on the people, saying, "This is the blood of the covenant that the LORD has made with you in accordance with all these words." This act sealed the covenant between God and Israel, signifying a binding agreement that required faithfulness and obedience.

Redemption through Christ

In the New Testament, the theme of blood reaches its fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ. The sacrificial system of the Old Testament finds its ultimate expression in the sacrifice of Christ on the cross. Hebrews 9:22 states, "In fact, according to the law, nearly everything must be purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness." Jesus' blood, shed for the remission of sins, is the means by which humanity is redeemed and reconciled to God.

The Apostle Paul emphasizes this in Ephesians 1:7, "In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace." The redemptive power of Christ's blood is a cornerstone of Christian faith, symbolizing the ultimate sacrifice and the profound love of God for His creation.

Communion and Remembrance

The significance of blood is also commemorated in the practice of Communion, where believers partake of the cup, symbolizing the blood of Christ. In Matthew 26:28, during the Last Supper, Jesus declares, "This is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins." This act of remembrance serves as a continual reminder of the new covenant established through Christ's sacrifice.

Judgment and Justice

Blood is also associated with divine justice and judgment. In Revelation 19:13, Christ is depicted as wearing a robe dipped in blood, symbolizing His role as the righteous judge who will execute justice upon the earth. The imagery of blood in this context serves as a reminder of the seriousness of sin and the certainty of divine judgment.

In summary, the motif of blood, particularly its red color, permeates the biblical narrative, symbolizing life, sacrifice, covenant, redemption, and justice. It serves as a powerful reminder of the cost of sin, the depth of God's love, and the hope of eternal life through Jesus Christ.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

2 Kings 3:22
And they rose up early in the morning, and the sun shone on the water, and the Moabites saw the water on the other side as red as blood:
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Joel 2:31
The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and terrible day of the LORD come.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Strong's Hebrew

5332. netsach -- juice (of grapes), blood, gore
... Probably identical with netsach, through the idea of brilliancy of color; juice
of the grape (as blood red) -- blood, strength. see HEBREW netsach. ...
/hebrew/5332.htm - 6k

119. adom -- to be red
... be dyed, made red ruddy. To show blood (in the face), ie Flush or turn rosy -- be
(dyed, made) red (ruddy). 118, 119. adom. 120 . Strong's Numbers.
/hebrew/119.htm - 5k

Library

Death is the Gate of Life
... be seen, at the summit of branch and twig, formed into its very likeness: in others
the leaf-buds seem to bear its mark by breaking through the stem blood-red. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/trotter/parables of the cross/death is the gate of.htm

The Tournament at Constantinople.
... in crimson silk. He was called the Red Knight, for a blood-red cloth completely
covered his charger. His worthy achievements obtained ...
/.../the seven champions of christendom/chapter twelve the tournament at.htm

The Voice of the Blood of Christ
... And Abel entered into heaven blood-red, the first of God's elect who had entered
Paradise, and the first of God's children who had worn the blood red crown of ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 4 1858/the voice of the blood.htm

The Red, Red Sky
... And high in dark-blue heavens the red light burns and glows,. ... Of the morn
of the Day of pardon, the Blood that has washed my sins? ...
/.../bevan/hymns of ter steegen and others second series/the red red sky.htm

The Genesis Water-Mark.
... And if you look still more closely you will find this water-mark different from
those in common use, in this"there is a distinct blood-red tinge to it. ...
/.../gordon/quiet talks with world winners/the genesis water-mark.htm

The Red King
... The Red King down from Malwood came; His heart with wine was all aflame, His eyne
were shotten, red as blood, He rated and swore, wherever he rode. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/kingsley/andromeda and other poems/the red king.htm

On Mr. Rudyard Kipling and Making the World Small
... But the thing signal-box is not unpoetical; it is a place where men, in an agony
of vigilance, light blood-red and sea-green fires to keep other men from death ...
//christianbookshelf.org/chesterton/heretics/iii on mr rudyard kipling.htm

System of Marcus; a Mere Impostor; his Wicked Devices Upon the ...
... of a purple, and sometimes of a red mixture, so that his dupes imagined that a certain
Grace descended and communicated to the potion a blood-red potency. ...
/.../hippolytus/the refutation of all heresies/chapter xxxiv system of marcus a.htm

The Adventures of Saint James of Spain.
... tin"he heard the cheerful echoes of a thousand brazen trumpets, and saw issuing
from the brazen gates a hundred armed knights, bearing blood-red streamers in ...
/.../kingston/the seven champions of christendom/chapter six the adventures of.htm

Israel at the Red Sea
... shake, and your marrow quiver, just then you will see the red eyes of ... former
transgressions, as they hound you to the pit, seeking after your soul's blood. ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 2 1856/israel at the red sea.htm