Power in the Blood

In 1628, the English physician William Harvey discovered the circulation of blood in the human body. Soon after this, the first-known blood transfusion was attempted. The first successful transfusion was accomplished by Richard Lower, who kept dogs alive by transfusing blood from other dogs.

An American physician, Philip Physick, performed the first human blood transfusion in 1795 but did not publish his work. James Blundell, a British obstetrician, successfully transfused human blood in 1818 to treat a postpartum hemorrhage. He used the patient’s husband as a donor and saved the woman’s life. Blood transfusions have come a long way since then, with the identification of blood types, the use of antibiotics to control infections during transfusions, the preservation of blood, and the creation of blood banks.

Blood played a central role in the sanctuary services established by God to atone for sin through the sacrifice of animals. In fact, Israel was instructed to no longer make blood sacrifices apart from the temple to other gods, otherwise “that man shall be cut off from among his people” (Leviticus 17:9). Blood represented life and was not even to be eaten (verse 10); if game was killed in the field, the blood was to be poured out on the ground and covered (verse 13).

The blood of the Old Testament ceremonies pointed forward to the sacrificial blood spilled by Christ on the cross. The Bible explains, “How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?” (Hebrews 9:14).

We are saved by the blood of Christ “whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness” (Romans 3:25). Jesus blood satisfied the demands of the law so that we can live eternally.

Apply It:

Have you ever donated blood? Do you know someone whose life was saved by a blood transfusion?

Dig Deeper:

Matthew 26:28; John 6:53–58; 1 John 4:10

Key Bible Texts

For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul. (Leviticus 17:11 KJV)