When the Lord redeemed Israel out of Egypt in the book of Exodus, he did so by the blood of the Passover lamb. The Covenant at Sinai further expanded the system of animal sacrifices to ensure that God’s people would always have a way to purify themselves and come into his presence in the tabernacle. The Priests and Levites were essentially butchers, killing bulls and sheep and goats around the clock, and offering their meat and blood as an atonement for Israel’s guilt. All of this slaughter served to underscore the weight of sin—death is the consequence for breaking God’s commands. Hebrews 9:22 says that “without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.”

When Jesus Christ came into the world, he did so as the better Passover Lamb, and the fulfillment of the Law’s sacrificial system. The book of Hebrews says that Christ didn’t offer the blood of animals on our behalf—blood that could never really atone for the sins of people made in the image of God. Instead, he “offered himself without blemish to God” in order “to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.” (Heb. 9:14, 26). And unlike the repeated sacrifices offered by the Levites, Jesus—God the Son incarnate, the Great High Priest of a better Covenant—made this sacrifice “once and for all.” Having died, he was buried, and then he was raised.

And because he lives... we can sing that Christ’s blood will never lose its power. It is enough to forgive and to ransom every one of God’s people—anyone who would repent and believe the Gospel—from every tribe and tongue and people and nation throughout history. Worthy is the lamb!