Blood Covenant Part 3: Should You Be Sprinkled With The Blood?

For many years, I have observed how the previous religious cultures of believers have influenced how they believe the Word of God. One of the most misunderstood concepts among these believers is the blood of Jesus. In certain Eastern religions, actual blood sacrifice is made to their deities. I saw a video of a man who plunged his head under the gushing blood of a decapitated carcass of a sacrificed animal. The purpose was to get his sins cleansed by the blood of the sacrificed animal. Another series of disturbing photos online showed devotees of certain Eastern religions drinking fresh blood right off the recently killed animals. Some believers today also have this idea that the blood of Jesus is to be magically sprinkled upon them when they ask to be “covered or sprinkled by the blood.” A similar image of the gushing blood of Jesus somehow would cover and protect them. And so, with this idea, they proceed to “cover their loved ones and their treasured items with the blood of Jesus”. Many of them are now doing this as a daily ritual for divine protection and guidance. Our question is whether this practice was taught by Jesus and the Apostles. Should believers continue to include such a ritual in their daily life?

The Contextualization of the Gospel
As the Gospel of Jesus Christ is spread throughout the world, it is inevitable that certain degrees of contextualization of the message would take place. What is contextualization? To put it in a nutshell, it is to share the message of God’s love in the language and cultural understandings of a particular race, dialect, nation, or culture.

For example, the celebration of the birth of Christ on 25th December. This is a tradition that is supposedly adapted from the ancient European celebration of the resurgence of the sun after a harsh winter. The joy of welcoming spring and the warm summer was contextualized from welcoming the sun to welcoming the Son of God.

Healthy contextualization helps the people to appreciate the Gospel within their own cultures, languages, and also meanings. However, if contextualization is not done properly, then all kinds of misunderstandings will happen in the local Church. For example, in the 1970s, we received news that certain remote churches in China actually sacrificed goats or sheep and drank their blood on Good Fridays.

In Singapore and Malaysia, due to the Charismatic influences of the 1970s to 2000s, many extra-biblical teachings from other nations became appealing to the local believers. The new believers readily swallowed the teachings by teachers of Generational Curses, performed prayer walking to rebuke the territorial spirits, depended upon personal prophecies from self-styled prophets, sold out to the teachings of the Word of Faith that included the “name it and claim it” approach of the prosperity gospel. Then they were inundated by the laughter movement, animals’ sounds movement, uncontrollable shaking and jerking of the head movement, etc. All these were claimed to be the new works of God as they did not have any biblical basis or precedents.

Sprinkled By The Blood?
When more people from other religions were converted, they found consoling similarities of their former religions in Christianity. For example, the idea of being “sprinkled by the blood” or “covered by the blood”. The biblical image of having the blood of the sacrifice sprinkled over the people came from a ceremony conducted by Moses upon the children of Israel as commanded by God in Exodus 24:4-8…

[Moses] got up early the next morning and built an altar at the foot of the mountain and set up twelve stone pillars representing the twelve tribes of Israel. Then he sent young Israelite men, and they offered burnt offerings and sacrificed young bulls as fellowship offerings to the Lord. Moses took half of the blood and put it in bowls, and the other half he splashed against the altar. Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read it to the people. They responded, “We will do everything the Lord has said; we will obey.”
Moses then took the blood, sprinkled it on the people, and said, “This is the blood of the covenant that the Lord has made with you in accordance with all these words.”

In that unique, one-time ceremony, Moses splashed half of the sacrificed blood upon the altar, and the other half, he sprinkled on the people to symbolize the covenantal bond between God and Israel. Though this only happened once in biblical history, what Moses did was not an uncommon practice among ancient civilizations. To those people of antiquity, the principle of any worthy covenant had to be sealed with blood. The parties involved in the covenant became partakers of that blood and became committed to a sacramental union.

The writer of Hebrews recalled this incident in Hebrews 9:19-22
When Moses had proclaimed every command of the law to all the people, he took the blood of calves, together with water, scarlet wool, and branches of hyssop, and sprinkled the scroll and all the people. He said, “This is the blood of the covenant, which God has commanded you to keep.” In the same way, he sprinkled with the blood both the tabernacle and everything used in its ceremonies. In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness.

The New Covenant In The Blood of Jesus
Strictly speaking, you should avoid doing the ritual of sprinkling water as imaginary blood or worse still, usinfg real raw blood of a sacrificed animal. This has never been required in the New Testament. Why shouldn’t you do that? The reason is that God has instituted a sacrament known as the Holy Communion or the Lord’s Supper, just for you.

Reading from 1 Corinthians 11:25, we will see its meaning:
In the same way, after supper He [Jesus] took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of Me.

When you partake of the Lord’s Supper or Holy Communion, you are recalling the sacrifice of the Lord upon the cross. The purpose of His sacrifice is to reconcile the relationship between God and you. Jesus specifically said that the cup represented the “New Covenant” in His blood. This blood was poured out for you (Luke 22:20) and it was to take the place of the past animal sacrifices practiced in ancient Israel. You of course know that during the Holy Communion, you are not drinking actual blood but a symbolic representation made either of wine or grape juice. You also do not eat actual flesh but its symbol that is a piece of bread.

Do You Need To Plead The Blood Of Jesus?
The phrase “pleading the blood” is not found in the Bible but it is used among many believers today, especially those from the Charismatic circle. The word, “pleading” means a sincere and humble appeal to a higher authority. The phrase has almost a similar emphasis as “in the name of Jesus”.

Most people who plead the blood of Jesus see the scriptural relevance in Revelation 12:11 – “And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death.” Thus to them, the idea is implied that you can actually conquer the devil and his demons by “pleading the blood of Jesus”.

As the “blood of Jesus” is just another term for the New Covenant in His blood, it may seem appropriate to appeal to the authority of this covenant rather than to a mystical image of the blood. However, it is not necessary to always appeal to the New Covenant because it is a “done deal”.

Many believers may not know the reason why they “plead the blood of Jesus” and may use it like a magic spell or a mantra, especially during deliverance. I have seen fellow ministers who kept “pleading the blood of Jesus” when they could simply command the demons to leave with their “kingly authority”. Others “plead the blood of Jesus” to declare and decree so as to claim certain imaginary “legal rights” to good health and great wealth. The level of superstition in modern Christianity is unimaginably high. Too many believers have unwittingly carried the rituals and beliefs of their former religions into the Christian faith.

Should you then use this phrase, “I plead the blood of Jesus?” Strictly speaking, you don’t have to. Jesus has already defeated Satan and all the fallen angels by His death on the cross and resurrection on the third day. That was a one-time event that forever changed history. Your faith in the finished work of Christ is good enough to provide all the protection that you need. However, if you feel that the phrase helps you when you are in the midst of a deliverance ministry, then it is perfectly harmless in using it. However, it is also meaningless to the demons because they already knew about this blood covenant of Jesus that has been established for you. What you need to do is simply to command the demons to leave with the authority and power of the Lord. So, instead of saying “by the blood of Jesus”, you can command “in the mighty name of Jesus”.

Here is a video teaching on the Blood of Jesus. I trust that it will help you appreciate and understand deeper the meaning of the blood covenant that God has with all of us.

Blood Covenant Part 2 – Why The Blood Is Important?

Before becoming a Christian, I was involved in worshipping Chinese deities and ancestors. As my father was the chairman of the Seventh Month Celebration and also the treasurer of a Hainanese association, I had seen my fair share of blood sacrifices. These were usually done with live roosters that got their throats slit and blood spilling all over the altars of the deities. That was my initial introduction to “applying the blood.”
Then recently, I heard from a believer that she was taught by her church to “apply the Blood of Jesus” every day. I have heard this phrase before and I wonder if the believer really understood the meaning of “applying the Blood of Jesus”. In my last blog post, “Blood Covenant Part 1: Do You Need To Apply The Blood Every Day”, I shared why you do not need to apply the blood all the time. In this post, I like to share the importance of blood in the sacrifices instructed by God.

Why Is The Blood Important?
Many long-time Christians will remember this hymn by Robert Lowry – “Nothing But The Blood of Jesus”. The first stanza alone is enough to give us the theological meaning and purpose of the blood of Jesus:
What can wash away my sin
Nothing but the blood of Jesus
What can make me whole again
Nothing but the blood of Jesus

Oh, precious is the flow, that makes me white as snow
No other fount I know
Nothing but the blood of Jesus

Blood Represents Life
The Bible says in Leviticus 17:11 – “For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves on the altar; it is the blood that makes atonement for one’s life.” Therefore, for the blood to be shed, means death. The writer of Hebrews says: “Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins” (Hebrews 9:22).

Since antiquity, every culture has had a recorded history of religious blood sacrifices. The people of Israel have theirs too. In fact, you can read Leviticus 23 which contains a list of all the Jewish festivals that were related to blood sacrifice.

Since the time of Moses in the desert, these feasts were observed in the Tabernacle and later in the temple at Jerusalem. All these feasts carried within themselves deep prophetic meaning of future events and they all included sacrifices and offerings. The feasts were namely:
1. Passover – Leviticus 23:4-8
2. Feast of Unleavened Bread – Leviticus 23:6
3. Feast of Firstfruits – Leviticus 23:10
4. Feast of Weeks (Pentecost) – Leviticus 23:16
5. Feast of Trumpets – Leviticus 23:24
6. Day of Atonement – Leviticus 16, 23:26-32
7. Feast of Tabernacles or Booths – Leviticus 23:34

As in every feast and festival, the priests and Levites had to sacrifice animals that were without blemish and these were representatives of the future Lamb of God – Jesus Christ. The early Jewish ceremonies were very complicating, with the slaughtering of animals, shedding of blood, and sprinkling of blood around the altar and other areas. It was a very messy and bloody era but it was necessary.

The Blood of Jesus
The most endearing meaning is that all these ceremonies and feasts pointed to the fulfillment of them all by one Person – Jesus Christ. We can see how much God loves us by His intentional leaving of clues in the Old Covenant that foreshadowed the coming of His Son, Jesus Christ. How God has hidden truths in the Old Testament and only to be revealed gloriously in the New Testament.

All the blood of unblemished animals being shed in the Old Testament was only a shadow of the future. The real blood of the sacrifice for the sins of mankind was given by Jesus Christ, the Son of God, being crucified on a cross.

The Covenant In The Blood of Jesus
Taking the imagery of the Passover lamb in Exodus 12, Jesus taught His disciples an object lesson. During the Last Supper (Matthew 26), Jesus held up a piece of bread and said to His disciples, “Take it and eat it, for this is My body” (Matthew 26:26). He then gave thanks and offered them the cup and said, “Each of you, drink from it, for this is My blood, which seals the covenant between God and His people. It is poured out to forgive the sins of many ” (Matthew 26:27-28). Jesus would fulfill the meaning of these symbols by actually dying on the cross and having His body tortured and His blood spilled.

Paul the Apostel later recorded this event in 1 Corinthians 11:25 – “In the same way, after supper He took the cup, saying, “This cup is the NEW COVENANT IN MY BLOOD; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of Me” (Italic mine). There you have it – the blood is for the purpose of establishing a new covenant between God and you. So, whenever you “plead the blood” or “apply the blood”, you are actually reminding yourself or others of the fact that there is a blood covenant between God and you.

Pleading and Applying The Blood Of Jesus
Is it wrong to use the terms “plead the blood of Jesus” or “apply the blood of Jesus” upon your life? The answer is both “yes” and “no”. If “pleading” or “applying” the blood of Jesus is understood as a magical rendition of a powerful mantra, then you should not use these terms.

For example, one believer had made it a rule to have his wife “pleads the blood of Jesus” over their two young sons as she drops them off at school every morning. He himself “pleads the blood of Jesus” over his car and journey to work. Then he invited a pastor to come and “apply the blood of Jesus” over his new factory. During the dedication of his factory, the pastor buried four small metal boxes of scriptures in the four corners of the factory ground. And those scriptures were supposed to have supernatural power to prevent evil spirits from disturbing the premises. And in the event of any breach of the spiritual protective walls, the believer hung a big cross on the wall of his office to ward off evil spirits. Does that sound similar to what the Feng Shui masters or temple mediums are offering?

When Can We Plead The Blood of Jesus?
If I ever used the phrase, “plead the blood of Jesus”, I do not consider it a magic formula of words or the application of some invisible blood. Rather, I would be fully aware of the covenant that Jesus has established by His sacrifice on the cross. That covenant has a “spiritual dynamic” and its authority is far greater than our own human abilities and those of our spiritual enemy. The blood covenant has given us the privilege of being saved. Apart from that, it also gives us the power and authority to come against the enemy by nullifying all the demonic activities plus those of our flesh. So, when you say, “I plead the blood of Jesus”, you are bringing to your remembrance what Jesus has done at Calvary’s cross to give you victory in all situations. And the same time, you are reminding the demons that they are defeated foes. This is, of course, unnecessary because they know that they have been thoroughly defeated and waiting for the day of Judgement.
Here is a video teaching on the Blood of Jesus. I trust that it will help you appreciate and understand deeper the meaning of the blood covenant that God has with all of us.

Blood Covenant Part 1 – Do You Need To Apply The Blood Every Day?

Have you ever heard of declarations such as, “I apply the blood of Jesus over my family,” or “I apply the blood of Jesus over my marriage,” or “I apply the blood of Jesus over my business”? One popular preacher says that you must “apply the blood of Jesus” by speaking it aloud so that others can audibly hear you. The reason is that your voice would “activate the blood”. Then he says that believers should “plead the blood of Jesus” in every area of his life, and he recommends to do so, especially in the financial area. In this way, the believer will have a breakthrough in his life and never need to live in poverty. Is this understanding of the blood of Jesus biblically correct? Is there really such a thing as applying the blood?

Where Did This Idea Come From?
The original idea came from Exodus 12:7 – “Then they are to take some of the blood and put it on the sides and tops of the doorframes of the houses where they eat the lambs.” The context was during the time of slavery in Egypt when God sent Moses to set the Israelites free. God was about to send the last plague which was the death angel against the Egyptians. All the children of Israel in Goshen were to stay indoors with their doors being applied with the blood of the Passover lamb:

But the blood on your doorposts will serve as a sign, marking the houses where you are staying. When I see the blood, I will pass over you. This plague of death will not touch you when I strike the land of Egypt.
Exodus 12:13

The blood was applied with hyssop (a herbal plant from the mint family that apparently has cleansing, medicinal, and flavoring properties) on the lintel that was across the top of the door and the two side posts. There was to be no blood on the threshold because no one was allowed to trample on the blood of the Passover lamb. So, the three spots, where the blood was, formed a shape like a covering. When the death angel passed over the land, only those families in the houses with the covering of the blood of the Passover lamb will be protected. Thus this idea of applying the blood and activating a protective shield is adopted and taught by some preachers some thirty years ago. Since then, many believers of the Charismatic persuasion have been taught to “apply the blood of the Lamb and activate the power of the blood” upon their lives.

Do You Need To Activate The Blood?
One notable preacher says that the blood in the basin is of no use. It has to be applied to the doorframes for the blood to be “activated”. Thus, he claims that even though Jesus shed His blood on the cross, it is of no use unless you “activate” it. As the hyssop is used to apply the blood on the door frame, it is, therefore, an activating agent. Today, you are no longer using real hyssop and the real blood of the lamb. So, you have to find your “spiritual hyssop” to activate the “blood of the Lamb of God”.

Then promptly, the preacher refers to Revelation 12:11 – “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony….” How convenient this verse seems to fit into the preacher’s idea of the missing “spiritual hyssop”. He points out that in this verse, the believers are using the blood of the Lamb to “conquer” the devil with the “applicator” or “spiritual hyssop” which is the “word of their testimony”. A new idea has emerged and that is you need to “apply the blood and activate it by your own confession”. Another common slogan that evolved from this idea is to “plead the blood” (To be discussed in another blog post).

What Is The Actual Meaning?
First and foremost, the blood of the Lamb is the GROUND or BASIS for the believers to triumph over the devil. It is the REASON why they are victorious and not because they use the blood like a weapon or an instrument of warfare.

We know that the word “blood” is a short form for the “covenant of blood”. It has never been referred merely to the biological blood that includes hemoglobin in the red blood cells. No, it is never about the red fluid that flows in our bodies unless it is related to a covenant. A covenant is strictly not a weapon but a relational agreement. The Old Testament has the same idea that covenant is only for relational purposes – the blood sacrifice was always made in connection with God’s covenant and no blood alone was ever used as a weapon to fight the enemies.

How Do You Apply A Blood Covenant?
You don’t have to apply a blood covenant because it is already a “done deal”. The day that you surrendered your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ, accepted Him as your Lord and Savior, and simultaneously, you recognized that Jesus had shed His blood and died on the cross for your sins, He washed away your sins. The covenant between God and you had been established and you are under His protection and blessings. From then on, you live in obedience as a faithful child of God within the blood covenant.

It is like a marriage covenant. How do you practically “apply” it? By being faithful to your spouse after you have signed the wedding certificate and wedding ceremony. Do you wake up every morning, and declare that you are applying the marriage covenant in the mighty name of Jesus? No, of course not. If you were to keep doing that every day, your spouse might suspect that you are crazy.

Why are some believers still doing this daily ritual of applying the blood to themselves? They do not have to do that anymore. The blood covenant of Jesus Christ is sealed confirmed by God with the giving of the Holy Spirit.

“When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.” (Ephesians 1:13-14).

What Does It Mean To Be Sealed With The Holy Spirit?
In antiquity, letters were sent out with a seal of the writer upon the wax. This method is used, even today, in some countries for their contracts, certificates, and important documents. In farming communities. the flocks are often sealed or branded so as to show to which farmers the animals belonged.

The Bible says that Abraham “received circumcision as a sign, a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised.” (Romans 4:11).

A seal is a mark of ownership and God used it quite often to indicate who were his chosen ones. In Ezekiel 9:4-6, God asked His angel to put a seal upon the people whom he approved and kept them protected from the judgment of His anger.

The Holy Spirit is the seal that God has given to the believers in this New Covenant. If you have been born again, the Holy Spirit has already indwelled or taken up residence in your heart. You are forever sealed in this covenant with God and identified as His children. He has prepared an inheritance for you because you are the heir of God. Read what Paul says in Romans 8:15-17

So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when He adopted you as His own children. Now we call Him, “Abba, Father.” For His Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children. And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ, we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering.

Since The Holy Spirit is given to confirm that you belong to God, you now have the fullest assurance that on that basis, you can move from victory to victory. You have no need to go through the ritual of “applying the blood” anymore. You are already under the “blood” and that is to say, you are already protected by the blood covenant that Jesus has established on the cross. You may go through trials and difficulties, but the promised Holy Spirit is there to help you. One day, you will see God face to face and enjoy your inheritance as an heir of your Father in heaven.