Bloodshed

"Do not defile the land where you are, for bloodshed defiles the land, and there can be no atonement for the land because I the blood that was shed on it, except by the blood of the person who shed it. Do not make the land unclean where you live and where I reside; for I, Yahweh, reside among the Israelites." Numbers 35:33,34

God had just given direction about the cities of refuge where a person who had accidentally killed another person may flee and reside until the death of the high priest. If they left before that time  the 'avenger of blood' (a close relative of the deceased) would be able to kill them.

If a man killed another intentionally then they would forfeit their own life.

The very upholders of the law intentionally killed an innocent man when they crucified Christ. They defiled the land and when the destruction of Jerusalem occurred some years later they probably forfeited their own lives.

Yet the blood of Christ liberated us once and for all from the bondage of sin.

Now He comes to live within us, we are His temple. Amen!

Today is Good Friday and rather than morn I am hearing, in the Spirit, a song: Hear the Bells Ringing. It is a glorious Easter song, usually sung on Easter Sunday. I asked The Lord why and He said: "It is finished! I have already paid the price, you are free!"

I had planned on spending the day in quiet contemplation of His suffering but He would rather me spend it in rejoicing in the finished work of the cross. Amen!