It is the blood

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. – Leviticus 17v11

On the morning of 20 December 2009 we were getting ready for church when our son Matt rang us. It was one of ‘those’ telephone calls. ‘Dad, Michelle fell in the shower and her head is bleeding.’ We hurried over and something crossed my mind that was a harbinger of what was to come. I noticed that the blood on the towel was pinkish instead of deep blood red.

About 9.00 that night Matt and I were sitting in the ICU at Tallaght Hospital. The doctor, a haematologist, came out with the news. She informed us that Michelle had APL, am acute form of leukaemia. She was ill enough that her treatment had already started.

We are now three weeks into the treatment. The problem is that her blood cells are being attacked by cancerous cells. Basically, her body is not able to produce the blood she needs to sustain life. Her prognosis is good. If the cancerous cells can indeed be defeated her body will once again produce the blood she needs to live.

We have fully learned the lesson that the life of the flesh is in the blood. We read in Leviticus 17v14 that it is the blood that sustains life. We are now aware of daily updates regarding blood counts, platelet levels, and cell counts. We watch her blood daily to see how it is doing in sustaining life. Together we are all facing a battle for her blood, and hence and battle for her life. So far the news is good and we are looking at an eventual healing if there are no changes or setbacks.

In the light of this Leviticus 17 takes on a whole new meaning. We have no doubt that it is the blood that sustains the life of the flesh.

But look at the very end of Leviticus 17v11. Yes, the life of the flesh is indeed in the blood. It goes a step further – ‘it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul.’ Not only is the life of the flesh in the blood, but the eternal life of the soul is also in the blood. Not in the blood of bulls and goats as we learn in Hebrews, they were only a forerunner of the true fulfilment of this verse. Atonement for soul, the life of the soul, is only possible in the blood of Christ.

It is the blood, the healthy blood that is going to restore Michelle’s body to health. It is only the blood of Christ that can provide spiritual life and health to the world.