Day 19

The Covenant Ceremony

from the Exodus reading plan


Exodus 23:20-33, Exodus 24:1-18, Matthew 26:26-29, Hebrews 9:18-22

BY Kaitie Stoddard

Playing make believe in the fields, building forts in the woods, dancing in the woods—this is how my best friend and I spent our childhood together. She was the sister I never had. With a bandana, we tied our wrists together and proclaimed ourselves “blood sisters.” We didn’t take any action, but in our imaginations her “blood” ran through my veins and mine through hers. Archaic as it seemed, we believed that would unite us in an unbreakable way. 

What I grasped better as a child than I do as an adult is that blood is more than physical cells. In our Western world, we generally view blood as a way to test and treat disease or a way to dramatize a movie. We are so far removed from a sacrificial culture that we struggle to see the true power of this red liquid.

In the age of Moses, people believed that blood could sanctify and blood could bind. Don’t miss what happened when Moses took the sacrificial blood and threw half of it on the altar and half of it on the leaders of the people. This was not a scene from a horror movie or a superficial gesture. With the sprinkling of blood, the God of grace and the people of slavery were united. Moses took the blood, splattered it on the people, and said, ‘This is the blood of the covenant that the LORD has made with you’” (Exodus 24:8).

Fallen people have always needed a way to be right with the perfect Lord. Throughout the ages, God has graciously provided different ways and covenants to commune with His people. In the Old Testament, we see animal sacrifices, rules, and promises, and we might be tempted to think it’s outdated. But even today we need a mediator to access our holy God. 

As believers on this side of the cross, we celebrate a new covenant that God made with His people. It is now Jesus who intercedes on our behalf with the Father. Rather than oxen blood thrown on an altar and our leaders, it is the blood of Christ that cleanses our sins and binds us to the Lord. The blood of Christ truly transforms us into God’s children.

As daughters of the King, we are blessed to be able to commune with the Lord at any moment. This access is made possible only through the new covenant of Christ. May we remember today the power and beauty in the blood that Jesus shed for us.

Post Comments (26)

26 thoughts on "The Covenant Ceremony"

  1. martha phillips says:

    Thank you God for sending your son, Jesus as the new covenant and giving us access to you forever and ever through your son and what he did on the cross for ME. Poured his blood out for ME. Wow. Thank you!!!

  2. belle ingersoll says:

    “ as believers on this side of the ✞ , we celebrate a new covenant that God made with His people . it is now Jesus who intercedes on our behalf with the Father . rather than oxen blood thrown on an altar and our leaders , it is the blood of Christ that cleanses our sins && binds us to the Lord . the blood of Christ truly transforms us into God ‘ s children . “

    what a beautifully spoken paragraph ! thank you for sharing this very sweet truth to my heart today !

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