INNOCENT BLOOD

"Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed THE INNOCENT BLOOD." (Matthew 27:3-4)

THERE CAME A TIME when something of the magnitude of Judas' dreadful transgression came home to him. He realized he had betrayed "THE innocent blood." He was gripped by a fleshly remorse, or the "sorrow of this world which worketh death" (2 Cor 7:10). He "repented himself," which is not like godly sorrow that "works repentance."

WHEN "SIN ENTERED THE WORLD," death entered with it (Rom 5:12). In order to retrieve humanity from death, an undeserved death had to occur; or, to put it another way, an innocent life had to be forfeited. Innocence, in this case, could not be the mere absence of personal guilt; an infant could meet that requirement. It had to be a life lived in the crucible of conflict. The remedy for sin required the offering of one who had confronted the devil in all of his subtlety, without yielding to temptation a single time. That life belonged to Jesus alone, the "innocent blood" (Matt 27:4).

THIS TERM, "THE INNOCENT BLOOD," is common in the old Scriptures. Deut 19:10, 13; 21:8,9; 1 Kgs 2:31; 2 Kgs 21:16; 24:4; Psa 106:38; Prov 6:17; Isa 59:7; Jer 7:6; 22:3,17; 26:15; Joel 3:19). Of these references, six refer to SHEDDING "innocent blood" (2 Kgs 21:16; Psa 106:38; Prov 6:17; Isa 59:7; Jer 22:3,17; Joel 3:19). In these instances, the taking of "innocent blood" brought a curse upon those so doing. Wicked king Manasseh "shed innocent blood very much," doing "that which is evil in the sight of the Lord" (2 Kgs 21:16). In flagrant disobedience, and in alliance with heathen nations, Israel "shed "innocent blood," polluting the land with it (Psa 106:38). God is declared to "hate hands that shed innocent blood" (Prov 6:17). He desolated Egypt and Edom because they "shed innocent blood in their land" (Joel 3:19). Think of the record of innocent blood being shed. Abel was slain by his own brother, because his works were righteous, while those of Cain were wicked (1 John 3:12). Ahab and Jezebel conspired to murder Naboth, because they coveted his vineyard (1 Kings 21). David arranged the death of Uriah because he coveted his wife, Bathsheba (2 Sam 14). Wicked Pharaoh slaughtered innocent children because he was "grieved" with the Divinely directed increase of the children of Israel (Exo 1). Herod mandated the slaughtering of infants in a quest to eliminate Him Who was born, "the King of the Jews" (Matt 2). These were sins against "innocent blood," and they brought a curse upon those committing such atrocities. The shedding of "innocent blood" is strictly forbidden by God!

IN THE CASE OF CHRIST, however, the shedding of "innocent blood" brought a blessing! Christ's life was given for our life. He lost His life that might gain ours. He was "cut off" that we might be "grafted in." He was cursed that we might be blessed! Christ's rejection by God while bearing our sins assured our acceptance by God while receiving His righteousness. Because the Father turned His face from the Son in His death, He now may turn His face toward us with grace and acceptance. How blessed is our condition because of the shedding of this "innocent blood" ! This is the Lord's doing!

IT IS NOT POSSIBLE to come to God apart from Christ, or to enter the holiest without the blood of Jesus. It is not that this is simply not recommended, it is not possible! There is no procedure adequate to replace Jesus! No work can be performed that can obviate the necessity of The Substitute!

OUR DEBT LEGITIMATELY PAID. A debt can be paid vicariously – by one that did not incur the debt. The debt can thus be completely liquidated. This reality is portrayed in the parable of the good Samaritan who willingly volunteered to pay the charges required to fully restore a wounded man (Lk 10:35). Paul also displayed this quality in asking Philemon to charge him with any indebtedness incurred by a returned slave, Onesimus (Phile 18). In the case of humanity, sin incurred indebtedness to God. Sin is an attempt to rob God of His glory, and it cannot be excused. That debt cannot simply be overlooked, it must be paid, and paid in full. Jesus did precisely that when He "redeemed us from the curse of the law" (Gal 3:13). Our redemption involved the complete liquidation of the monumental debt incurred by the sin of our race. That payment is applied to our account by means of faith in the One that made it.

ENTERING THE HOLIEST BY THE BLOOD OF JESUS IS COMING TO GOD WITH A LIVELY AWARENESS OF THE EFFECTIVENESS OF CHRIST'S ATONING DEATH. IT IS APPROACHING GOD PERSUADED THAT JESUS HAS CLEARED THE WAY FOR US TO COME.

– Given O. Blakely