Leviticus 17:11: “For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul.”

Blood-donation drives challenge us with the slogan, “Give the Gift of Life,” and according to Scripture, this slogan is theologically correct. Throughout the Bible, blood represents the essence of life. And today, biologically, we understand how true this concept is. Blood carries many life-sustaining components to and from all parts of the body. It brings necessary nutrients and takes away toxins and other by-products of cellular metabolism. As it journeys through the body, it picks up carbon dioxide, which it then releases through the lungs. And then from the lungs, it picks up fresh oxygen and takes it back to the cells, making it truly a life-giving fluid.

Because the blood is life, it is sacred to God, and the shedding of blood represents the shedding of life, or death. A sacrificial substitute’s blood is required to cover or atone for the sinner, who is then allowed to live. Leviticus 17:11 says, “it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul.” This verse, written more than fourteen hundred years before Jesus was born in Bethlehem, can be better understood in the light of Revelation 13:8, which speaks of our Lord Jesus as “the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.” Webster’s dictionary rightly defines atonement as the reconciliation of God and man through the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ.

Only the blood of Jesus has the power to go beyond covering our sin to actually cleansing us from sin, as John wrote in 1 John 1:7: “the blood of Jesus Christ, His Son, cleanses us from all sin.” And only the blood of Jesus can provide our souls with perfect peace, as Paul wrote to the Colossians in Colossians 1:20: “And by Him to reconcile all things to Himself . . . having made peace through the blood of His cross.”

“LORD, thank you for Your blood shed for us. We ask that You would cleanse us anew and use us to further Your kingdom this day.”

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Leviticus 17 KJV

¹ And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, ² Speak unto Aaron, and unto his sons, and unto all the children of Israel, and say unto them; This is the thing which the LORD hath commanded, saying, ³ What man soever there be of the house of Israel, that killeth an ox, or lamb, or goat, in the camp, or that killeth it out of the camp, ⁴ And bringeth it not unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, to offer an offering unto the LORD before the tabernacle of the LORD; blood shall be imputed unto that man; he hath shed blood; and that man shall be cut off from among his people: ⁵ To the end that the children of Israel may bring their sacrifices, which they offer in the open field, even that they may bring them unto the LORD, unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, unto the priest, and offer them for peace offerings unto the LORD. ⁶ And the priest shall sprinkle the blood upon the altar of the LORD at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and burn the fat for a sweet savour unto the LORD. ⁷And they shall no more offer their sacrifices unto devils, after whom they have gone a whoring. This shall be a statute for ever unto them throughout their generations. ⁸ And thou shalt say unto them, Whatsoever man there be of the house of Israel, or of the strangers which sojourn among you, that offereth a burnt offering or sacrifice, ⁹ And bringeth it not unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, to offer it unto the LORD; even that man shall be cut off from among his people. ¹⁰ And whatsoever man there be of the house of Israel, or of the strangers that sojourn among you, that eateth any manner of blood; I will even set my face against that soul that eateth blood, and will cut him off from among his people. ¹¹ For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it isthe blood that maketh an atonement for the soul. ¹² Therefore I said unto the children of Israel, No soul of you shall eat blood, neither shall any stranger that sojourneth among you eat blood. ¹³ And whatsoever man there be of the children of Israel, or of the strangers that sojourn among you, which hunteth and catcheth any beast or fowl that may be eaten; he shall even pour out the blood thereof, and cover it with dust.  ¹⁴ For it is the life of all flesh; the blood of it is for the life thereof: therefore I said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall eat the blood of no manner of flesh: for the life of all flesh is the blood thereof: whosoever eateth it shall be cut off. ¹⁵ And every soul that eateth that which died of itself , or that which was torn with beasts, whether it be one of your own country, or a stranger, he shall both wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even: then shall he be clean.  ¹⁶But if he wash them not, nor bathe his flesh; then he shall bear his iniquity.