Symbolic Objects In Biblical Worship, Part 2

Symbolic objects in biblical worship continues with blood, the bread and cup, and the cross. Blood In the Scripture, blood is a symbol of life (Gen. 9:4). While the spirit or breath is the life force, blood is the life substance. For this reason the Lord forbade Israel to eat or drink the blood of animals; it was to be poured out into the ground, symbolically returning it to God, who had given them life (Lev. 17:10-14). Because blood represents life, it was used for sanctification ceremonies in Israel's rituals. Even before the law was given, while the Hebrews were still in Egypt, the Lord gave instructions for killing a lamb and smearing its blood over their doorways for protection. The blood "sanctified," or set apart, the family within; the messenger of death recognized that the occupants of the house belonged to Yahweh and refrained from killing their firstborn (Exod. 12:13). This same symbolism is at the heart of the various sprinklings of blood required by the Mosaic Law. A…