The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God! For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant.

In the Old Testament, the shedding of blood was required to pay the price for sin. The animal’s blood would be sprinkled on the altar and the person to cleanse them. This was an outward cleansing.

There were also activities and things they could touch that would make them outwardly unclean: women who bled, meat offered to idols, people who were injured or bleeding, Gentiles, etc.

I believe God wanted to call out these rules for a few reasons: 1) Hygiene is important. They lived in close community with each other. 2) He wanted to keep them separate from those things which were evil in the world, like worshipping idols and all the detestable practices that followed this. And, 3) he wanted them to see and understand that this temporary cleansing was not enough. It only lasted for a while. A greater sacrifice would be needed. A great relationship with God was desired to make us whole.

So Jesus came and preached the root-level meanings of many of the rules. He challenged the people and their leaders to seek God from the heart and not just technically, by outward obedience. He made a way, by paying for our sins once and for all, to clean us up from the inside out. He sent his Spirit into our hearts to cleanse our consciences and to purify us.

We can live free from the consequences of sin which is death (and the fear of death). And we can live with the source of life, Jesus Christ! He mediates for us with God. He works out plans for our good. He was the ransom for our lives and he stands as the One who advocates for us with God!

Lord, I am so happy that I can be clean from the inside out. Take my heart, purify it, and make me a vessel to be used for your glory. Cleanse my mind, my motives, and my desires. Then my actions will reflect the action of your Son, Jesus Christ.