Is pleading the blood of Jesus biblical
"And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death."
-Revelation 12:11
The question needs to be answered because there a lot of Christians making this declaration. This is a particularly popular confession in the Neo Pentecostal – Charismatic movement. This phrase is used in prayers all the time. To many using this phrase no doubt is supposed deliver more power and force in their prayer; to move the hand of God to grant their petition.
-Revelation 12:11
The question needs to be answered because there a lot of Christians making this declaration. This is a particularly popular confession in the Neo Pentecostal – Charismatic movement. This phrase is used in prayers all the time. To many using this phrase no doubt is supposed deliver more power and force in their prayer; to move the hand of God to grant their petition.
Just recently a neighbor who
admitted she’s afraid of certain animals in the neighborhood like Skunks and
Raccoons said that she “pleads the blood”
that God will not allow her to see these animals. Others will use this same
phrase when it comes to protecting their homes, cars, finances, loved ones,
health, jobs, etc.
But, is this phrase a cure all to
our problems? Is Jesus’s blood supposed to do all these things?
What
was and is the purpose of Jesus shed blood
Simply put, Jesus shed his blood to
cleanse humanity of sin. Hebrews 9:22 states that, “Without the shedding of
blood, there is no remission.” Leviticus 17:11 said the blood makes atonement
for the soul.
We also discover that post
salvation the blood is still cleansing us of sin. I John tells us, “If we walk
in the light as he is in the light we have fellowship with one another and the
blood of Jesus cleanses us from all sin” (I John 1:7).
The blood continues to be the cleansing
agent for our sins. It is an infinite provision to those who believe.
Revelation 1:5b says, “To Him who
loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood.”
In the Old Testament the tenth
and final plague God placed on the Egyptians was the death of all the first
born. Moses commanded the children of Israel to kill a lamb of the sheep or
goats of the first year, take some of the blood, and place it on the door posts
and lintel of their homes, after which the Lord will pass over every house with the blood, and kill the
first born of all the first born with out the blood (Ex 11:5; 12;1-50). This
event marked the beginning of the Passover ceremonial feast which is still held
to this day by Israelites as the Lord commanded (Ex 12:14). Passover is in the
month of Abib (means ripe due to the grain harvest) or Nisan (the Babylonian name)
which falls in our months March/April every year.
This event obviously shedding the
blood of a spotless lamb pre-figured Jesus shedding his blood. Jesus is our Passover
lamb. John the Baptist said it this way,” behold the lamb of God that takes
away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). How? By the shedding of His precious
blood at Calvary’s cross.
In Ephesians 1:7 we read, “In Him we have redemption through His
blood, the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of His grace.”
Colossians 1:14 says the same thing, “In Him we have
redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.”
In Hebrews 9:11-14 we read, “But Christ came as High Priest
of the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not
made with hands, that is not of this creation. Not with the blood of goats and
calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for
all, having obtained eternal redemption. For if the blood of bulls and goats
and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean sanctifies for the purifying
of the flesh, how much more shall the blood of Christ who through the eternal
Spirit offered Himself without spot to God cleanse your conscience from dead
works to serve the living God?”
Here we see by Jesus shedding his blood on God’s alter – the
cross, He fulfilled all the sacrificial types of the Old Covenant. His
sacrifice of Himself ushered in the New Covenant. The Old Covenant was
completed. Jesus was a High Priest of a different order; He was both the
sacrifice and the sacrificer. The OT
High Priest offered the blood of animals, Jesus our everlasting High Priest
offered up himself. His blood was the
purchasing agent that bought us out of the sin slavery market (I Cor 6:20).
All the
aforementioned describes the reason for Christ’s blood sacrifice. Blood is our
physical life force. Without it we die. When Jesus shed His blood for our sins,
that proved He literally died for the life of flesh is in the blood; it makes
atonement for the soul(Lev 17:11).
So we see that
pleading the blood is not biblical. It is merely a mantra, an almost magical sounding
incantation that some Christians recite that has no power. Those that do this
are subliminally making the blood a fetish, an object of worship which the
Bible never proscribes.
Yes we are to thank God for the shed blood of Jesus. We thank
God for it’s washing away of our sins forever, but when one is pleading Jesus blood over their
situation, that prayer is unbiblical.
The Apostles and those of the first century church never
referred to the blood in this way.
The focus of our pleading should be to God, not to the blood.
The blood of Jesus can not hear prayers. It’s purpose was fully accomplished
when Jesus shed it on the cross; to forgive sins.
The forgiven
sinner was passed over from death and
granted life instead because of the blood.[1]
NOTES
[1]
Other articles dealing with this subject pro and con. The writer posted these
for a
Contrast of his article for the reader. Writer’s vote:
1st article – Con; 2nd – Pro
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