McCheyne’s Bible Reading Plan: Lev 17, Ps 20-21, Pr 31, 1 Tim 2
Any one also of the people of Israel, or of the strangers who sojourn among them, who takes in hunting any beast or bird that may be eaten shall pour out its blood and cover it with earth. For the life of every creature is its blood: its blood is its life. Therefore I have said to the people of Israel, You shall not eat the blood of any creature, for the life of every creature is its blood.
“Don’t eat the blood, for the life is in the blood.” this refrain carries through the Old Testament law. With this ingrained in your thinking, imagine what the disciples must have felt when Jesus held up the cup of wine at his last supper and said, “this cup is my blood…” I can’t help but think that would have been startling and certainly attention getting. But then he goes on to say, “…drink it.” if they weren’t startled before, this instruction would have caused the hair on the back of their necks to tingle. Imagine the thoughts racing through their minds, “but wait, the life is in the blood… We can not drink it!”. If Jesus were to answer such a thought, he would say, “exactly! This is the reason for the Old Testament law, so that you would understand that concept. Only my life in you will save you. Drink it, for my life is in the blood.”
