# 79 Nothing But the Blood

The Book of Genesis Day 79 Ge 7:2 "You shall take with you seven each of every clean animal, a male and his female; two each of animals that are unclean, a male and his female; 3 "also seven each of birds of the air, male and female, to keep the species alive on the face of all the earth. Noah and his family have tickets to board the ark, now God gives him the rest of the passenger list. This list will help Noah understand what is to come in the way of dietary restrictions after the flood. There is no written record in Scripture at this juncture that defines “clean” and “unclean” animals, but no need to worry, remember, it is God who brings the animals to Noah. Ge 6:20 "Of the birds after their kind, of animals after their kind, and of every creeping thing of the earth after its kind, two of every kind will come to you to keep them alive.” Noah only had to see the groups of seven to know what would be considered clean and unclean. These excessive clean animals would be necessary after the flood for the purpose of suitable sacrifices to God and suitable food for Noah and his family. The first thing Noah did after the flood, was offer a sacrifice of clean animals to the Lord. Ge 8:20 Then Noah built an altar to the LORD, and took of every clean animal and of every clean bird, and offered burnt offerings on the altar. Noah and his descendants would now be allowed to eat flesh, as long as the blood had been removed. Ge 9:4 "But you shall not eat flesh with its life, that is, its blood. In blood, there is life, and this restriction would serve as a reminder that one day the precious blood of Jesus would be shed for the sins of the world! 1Pe 1:18 says, “knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.” Once Jesus had died, rose from the dead, and ascended into heaven the “blood” restrictions were lifted” (See yesterday’s devotion) I think it is interesting to look at the list of “unclean animals found in Leviticus 11, you will see that basically they are not vegetarians . Their diet consists of flesh or carrion. The food chain of the unclean animal is typically tainted with blood in one way or another! Again this speaks of how precious God considers the blood of His only Son Jesus. This “blood” was a type of the blood of Jesus and once Jesus shed His blood, the restrictions were no longer necessary. Oh how precious is the blood of Jesus and its benefits: Ro 5:9 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. Eph 1:7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace 1Jo 1:7 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. Re 12:11 "And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death. No wonder Jesus said in Joh 6:53, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you.” And as He instituted the Lord’s Supper in Mt 26:28 "For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. The blood of Jesus! Precious! Let us never make it common! Hence the stern warning found in 1Co 11:29 For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. Reflect: What are some ways we can eat and drink at the Lord’s table in an unworthy manner? Pray: Lord, let us never forget Your costly sacrifice for our sins. For without the shedding of blood, there can be no forgiveness.