Feb 17 (Daily reading: Leviticus 14-15) As God instructed Moses, on the eighth day after a leper had been pronounced clean, the cleansed person was to appear with the priest at the door of the tabernacle. The blood of the sacrificed lamb was to be applied to the tip of his right ear, to his right thumb, and to his right big toe. Then a duplication of these actions was to occur, but this time the priest was to apply oil, “on the blood of the guilt offering” (14:17). The oil by this action would be united with the blood on the ear, thumb and toe of the cleansed leper.
Think of this union of blood and oil. We know what the blood of the Old Testament sacrifices represented: “And almost all things are cleansed with blood, according to the Law, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness” (Heb. 9:22). We also know that oil in the Bible represents the Holy Spirit. John wrote: “You have an anointing from the Holy One … And as for you, the anointing which you received from Him remains in you” (1 Jn. 2:20, 27).
We see the union of blood and the Holy Spirit in salvation. “He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we did in righteousness, but in accordance with His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit” (Tit. 3:5). The “washing of regeneration” is seen in Revelations 7:14, “They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.” Regeneration and renewing are synonymous actions by the blood and the Spirit.
Another example: “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our wrongdoings, according to the riches of His grace … In Him…having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of the promise” (Eph. 1:7, 13). We are saved by the unified divine actions of redemption through His blood and the sealing of the Holy Spirit! Talk about security! “Let us approach God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith” (Heb. 10:22).
– Al Gary
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