Perfect Blood; Perfect Covenant; Perfect Promises.

Hebrews 9:16-22

For where there is a testament, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator. For a testament is in force after men are dead, since it has no power at all while the testator lives. Therefore not even the first covenant was dedicated without blood. For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and goats, with water, scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people, saying, “This is the blood of the covenant which God has commanded you.” Then likewise he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle and all the vessels of the ministry. And according to the law almost all things are purified with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no remission.

• Jesus shed His own blood through those who tortured Him, while carrying the cross, being nailed to it, and the giving of His life to pay the ultimate, once and for all penalty for our sins. It is because of His perfect blood being shed that we could even begin to have any hope of forgiveness or reconciliation to God (Romans 5:8/10, 2nd Corinthians 5:18/20). Our own blood being shed could never be enough, no matter how much 'good' we think that we are doing (Matthew 7:21/23).

• We must also remember as well that it was God Himself who made the perfect and unfailing covenant from the beginning with Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and their descendants (Genesis 15, Jeremiah 33:19/26, Romans 11) that even made it possible for there to even be hope for the Gentiles who would eventually be grafted in because of Christ Jesus. It is because of the original promise THROUGH BLOOD AND SACRIFICE that we have hope in the BLOOD AND SACRIFICE of what Jesus Himself has accomplished on the cross and through the grave.

• Once we understand exactly what Jesus has accomplished, we begin to love Him and serve Him faithfully, no matter the cost, just as He counted the cost. We will begin to understand what it means to become a POURED OUT VESSEL for His glory (2nd Timothy 4:6, Philippians 2:17), and to 'not love our lives to the end' (Revelation 12:11).