ICS Daily Devotions
Blood Covenant In the Old Testament

Blood covenant exists in all culture, races and nationality. It is very solemn, serious and binding because the practice originates from God. In modern days, we sign a contract, shake hands or swear but even today, secret societies or cult groups still use blood to swear. Marriage is the most sacred and solemn covenant between man and woman and the Old Testament is the redemption plan of God, pointing to the coming of Jesus Christ who shed his blood for us.

1 Pet 1:18-20 – Chose before the creation of world…his own blood

Animal’s blood is not perfect and holy so mankind needed to perform animal sacrifices in the past over and over again. However, the message is clear that blood is the only way to redeem mankind. God was the first to kill an animal and thus shedding the blood of the animal to make animal skin clothes for Adam and Eve to wear. By the shedding of the blood, the price has been paid.

Later God would instruct Abram to cut a covenant with Him and it involved taking the animals and splitting them into half. This is known as the Abrahamic Covenant. God would also instruct that all of Abram’s male descendent will have to circumcise to confirm their acceptance of the covenant.

Genesis 17:4-8 As for me, this is my covenant with you: You will be the father of many nations. No longer will you be called Abram; your name will be Abraham, for I have made you a father of many nations. I will make you very fruitful; I will make nations of you, and kings will come from you. I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between me and you and your descendants after you for the generations to come, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you. The whole land of Canaan, where you now reside as a foreigner, I will give as an everlasting possession to you and your descendants after you; and I will be their God.

In this Abrahamic Covenant, we see there were personal promises in the changing of names, domestic promises where Abraham will be the forefather of kings and nations, spiritual promises where the Lord will be God to Abraham’s seed and territorial promises where Abraham and his descendants will possess the promise land.

When God tested Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac, Abraham trusted God to keep these promises and because of his obedience, God could in return give His only Son Jesus Christ legally to mankind.

Sermon Series: Blood Covenant