Not All the Blood of Beasts

Not All the Blood of Beasts

LSB #431

v. 1: Not all the blood of beasts
On Jewish altars slain
Could give the guilty conscience peace
Or wash away the stain.

v. 2: But Christ, the heavenly Lamb,
Takes all our sins away;
A sacrifice of nobler name
And richer blood than they.

This hymn reflects on the connection between Jesus’ cross and all the sacrifices that were offered in the Old Testament. Even a quick read through the books of Exodus, Leviticus, and Numbers reveals the volume of sacrifices and blood that were required because of our sin! Endless, countless sacrifices! That’s how great and numerous our sins. But all those sacrifices were just preparing for and pointing to the big one - the sacrifice to end all sacrifices, the blood which would finally and fully wash away all sin: the blood of the Lamb of God, Jesus, on the altar of the cross. His blood was richer, as the hymn writer put it, because it was not just the blood of an animal or even a man, but the blood of God. And so with this sacrifice, all that needed to be done has been done. No more sacrifices needed. The blood of Jesus, the God-man, has washed away the stain! So what else is there for us to say but thanks be to God!