Genesis 37 (3) - The blood

Father God, we thank you for the beauty of Your mercy, Your faithfulness and love that endures forever. Thank you that Your love and faithfulness are consistent because You never change so we choose to trust and put our hope in Your love and leading LORD. May You continue to speak to us LORD as we commune in Your presence, as the Word goes forth and bears fruit in our lives for Your glory in the name of Jesus, Amen. Thank you LORD.

We are still continuing with Genesis 37. Today's lead Scripture is from Genesis 37:26-27 (NKJV)

"26.So Judah said to his brothers, "What profit is there if we kill our brother and conceal his blood?

27."Come and let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and let not our hand be upon him, for he is our brother and our flesh." And his brothers listened."

Something I find pleasant about these brothers is they listened to each other. Reuben, the oldest brother suggested they shed no blood but cast Joseph into the pit and they did so (Genesis 37:22-23). However, the above verses also illustrate that the brothers did not only desire to throw Joseph into the pit but because of envy and jealousy, they conceived sin in their heart with the intention to murder him. The last time we saw blood mentioned in the book of Genesis was when Cain murdered his brother, Abel. Again, we see one brother who conceived sin in his heart because of envy and jealousy. The only difference between Cain's scenario and Joseph's brothers is Cain went ahead to murder his brother.

On the other hand, Joseph's brothers did not kill Joseph. Instead, they opted to sell their brother to Ishmaelite traders for twenty shekels of silver (Genesis 37:28) and opted to sprinkle goat blood onto their the brother's coat of many colors (Genesis 37:31). The significance of blood in the Bible is not something that God takes lightly nor should we. When Cain killed his brother Abel, the LORD God told him his brother's blood was crying out to him (Genesis 4:10).

In the New Testament, we also see the significance of blood but in a much powerful way as the new covenant we now have with God, the Father is a covenant that is firmly rooted and based in the precious blood of Jesus Christ (Luke 22:20).

In the Old Testament starting from the book of Exodus, the only way God's people could be made right with God was through repeated offerings that were meant to cleanse them from sin. It is also important to note that these animal sacrifices had to be offered continually in order for them to cleanse the sins of the people (Hebrews 10:2-3). But thanks be to God, who sent His One and Only Son Jesus Christ, who died for all the sins of the world once and for all (Hebrews 10:10), resurrected from the dead and ascended to heaven so that we could be delivered from every power of darkness because the blood of bulls and goats did not have the power to take away sins (Hebrews 10:4).

The blood of Jesus Christ has permanently cancelled out any legal ground that any other blood sacrifice would ever have over our lives as children of God.

In God's eyes, any blood that cannot wash away sins is powerless as Jesus Christ is the only One who has been given all the authority and power over all things on earth, under the earth and in heaven - Amen. Glory to God. Philippians 2:9-11 NKJV reiterates the authority and power that God has given the Christ and it speaks, "Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."

Just like God, the Father sent Joseph ahead of his family to preserve and save them from a famine that would affect different parts of the world at the time. In a similar way, the Father has sent His One and Only Son Jesus Christ so that everyone would be saved in the world from the eternal damnation of spiritual death, hell and destruction. Proverbs 12:28 AMP encourages us that, "in the way of righteousness is life, and in its pathway there is no death [but immortality- eternal life]." Jesus Christ is the eternal life that God, the Father has freely sent for all to receive!

I'll end with this Word in Hebrews 4:15-16 (NKJV)

"15.For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.

16.Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need."

AMEN. Thank you LORD.

Invitation to salvation: I invite you to make this confession that invites you to new covenant of love that is found in the precious blood of Jesus Christ where we get to have a personal relationship with God, the Father and are kept safe in all of His blessings for His children:

"I believe with my heart and confess with my mouth that; Jesus Christ, the Son of God came in a human body to die for my sins so that I could have a new life where I am dead to sin and alive to God. I repent of my past sins and enter the Kingdom of light where I choose relationship with Jesus Christ as my Lord and Saviour and with God as my loving Father today and forever." AMEN.

Congratulations, by grace you are saved and are now a new creation in Christ Jesus. The old life has passed away and you have received the free gift of salvation into your life (2 Corinthians 5:17) where you get to freely access everything I've shared in this post. To the glory of the Almighty God. Amen.

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PS: In case you have not already, please remember to read Genesis 37 alongside this post in your personal devotional time and share your thoughts in the comments below!