In the beginning God created man in His image and likeness. Man was uniquely created for fellowship with God. That fellowship was enjoyed until the day that Adam and Eve sinned. The change that occurred was dramatic and filled with shame and pain.
Genesis 3:7 NKJV Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings.
Notice that immediately after sinning against God, Adam and Eve knew they needed some kind of covering. As a result, they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings. What they did was inadequate to cover their sin and hide from God.
Genesis 3:8-10 NKJV And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. Then the Lord God called to Adam and said to him, “Where are you?” So he said, “I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; and I hid myself.”
Many years later Moses gave a warning to God’s people about God’s blessing. He told them that if they were obedient to the Lord God, they would be blessed.
Numbers 32:23 NKJV But if you do not do so, then take note, you have sinned against the Lord; and be sure your sin will find you out.
Sin will always be exposed and bring terrible consequences.
When Adam and Eve sinned, they needed covering.
After God pronounced the consequences of their transgression, He provided clothing to cover them.
Genesis 3:21 NKJV Also for Adam and his wife the Lord God made tunics of skin, and clothed them.
In mercy, God made a covering for Adam and Eve with the skin of an animal. This was the first sacrifice of life for the covering of man. The covering was not without the shedding of blood.
God’s gift has provided a covering. Throughout the Old Testament, the shedding of blood on an altar provided covering for sin and a covenant with God.
- When Noah left the ark, he offered a sacrifice of every clean animal to God.
In Genesis 8, when the Lord God smelled the burnt offering it was a soothing aroma. God said, “I will never again curse the ground for man’s sake” and He promised “seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, winter and summer, and day and night shall not cease.” God provided a covenant of His blessing.
The blood covering was the power of the covenant.
- When Abraham responded to the Divine call, he built an altar to the Lord and the covenant was sealed with blood.
- When Isaac was laid on the altar, God provided a substitutionary ram in the thicket, so that Isaac would live.
- Four hundred (400) years later, the descendants of Isaac were in Egypt’s bondage.
Their only escape was the covering provided by the blood of the lamb. What the blood of the ram accomplished for Isaac, the Passover lamb accomplished for the whole nation of people. Blood on the door posts brought protection.
- When God gave the Law on Sinai, the covenant was sealed with the sacrificial blood on the altar, the book of the covenant and on the people, (Exodus 24).
- In the most holy place of the Tabernacle, God made provision for Israel to find mercy.
Moses was given instructions to build the Ark of the Covenant and place it in the Holy of Holies. The Ark of the Covenant contained the golden pot that had the manna, tablets of the covenant, and Aaron’s Rod that budded, (Hebrews 9:4).
All of the contents of the Ark demonstrated the sin of the people. The tablets of the Covenant represented the sin of the people at the base of Mt Sinai. The golden pot represented their rebellion against God’s provision. Aaron’s rod that budded represented their refusal to accept God’s leadership.
The Ark of the Covenant was covered with the Mercy Seat. The blood of the sacrifice was sprinkled on the Mercy Seat so that the people of God could find covering for their sins. The blood covering provided mercy and access for there is no fellowship with God without the blood covenant.
- Even Christ could not make us partakers of that eternal life without the shedding of His blood.
God has provided the blood covering.
Hebrews 9:12 NKJV But with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption.
With His Own blood, Jesus entered into heaven to offer a covering for our sins and to obtain eternal redemption.
Hebrews 9:14 NKJV … the blood of Christ… shall …cleanse your conscience.
Jesus’ blood is a covering.
Without the covering of the blood of Christ, we are as guilty and condemned as Adam and Eve in the garden. Our sin has separated us from God, but the blood of Christ has cleansed our conscience.
Hebrews 10:19 NKJV Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus.
The blood of Jesus Christ is a covering.
Through Christ’s suffering and death, God is providing the blood covering.
Hebrews 12:24 NKJV You are come… to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling.
Hebrews 13:12 NKJV…Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered outside the gate.
Hebrews 13:20 NKJV God – brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead – through the blood of the everlasting covenant.
God is providing the blood covering.
The Holy Spirit is showing us that the blood of Jesus Christ is the power of our redemption.
In Hebrews 9:22, We are told “without blood there is no remission of sin.”
In Romans 5:9, We are “now being justified by His blood.”
In 1 Corinthians 10:16, The “cup of blessing which we bless is the communion of the blood of Christ.”
In Colossians 1:20 – We are reconciled to God by the blood of His cross.
In Ephesians 1:7 – We have redemption through His blood.
In 1 Peter 1:2 – We are sprinkled with the blood of Jesus.
In 1 Peter 1:19 – We are redeemed by the precious blood of Christ.
In 1 John 1:7 – The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.
The blood of Jesus Christ is a covering
- The blood of Jesus Christ is a covering for sin.
- The blood of Jesus Christ cleanses and makes us clean.
- We are sanctified by the blood of Jesus Christ.
- We are redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ.
- We are justified by the blood of Jesus Christ.
- We have fellowship with God through the blood of Jesus Christ.
- We have overcoming power through the blood of Jesus Christ.
When we get to the Revelation of Jesus Christ, John describes the things God has revealed.
- John saw the Lamb that had been slain, standing in the midst of the throne, Revelation 5:6.
- In Revelation 5:8-9, the Elders fall down before the Lamb and sing a new song “You are worthy… for you were slain, and have redeemed us to God by Your blood…”
- In Revelation 7:14, They washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
- In Revelation 12:11 “They overcame that old dragon by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony.”
The blood of Jesus Christ is a covering.
In the glory of heaven, nothing has a greater effect on the redeemed than the blood of the Lamb. The only method of cleansing and redemption is the precious blood of Jesus.
Our testimony and confession is in the covering of the blood of Jesus Christ.
- We are sanctified by the blood of Christ and are made holy.
- We have access to the Father by the blood of Christ.
- God listens to our prayer because we are covered by the blood of Jesus Christ.
- We have boldness in God’s presence by the blood of Christ, and we can enter His courts without shame.
- We have fellowship with the Father by the blood of Christ and have been made a Son of God.
- We have victory over Satan through the blood of Christ.
- We are reconciled through the blood of Christ and have peace with God.
- We have union with God through the blood of Christ, and those things that have separated us have been broken down.
- We have been made one by the blood of Christ.
What does it mean to be covered by Christ Jesus?
- It means that the old man is dead and the sin is gone.
- It means that all things have been made new.
- It means that the blood of Jesus Christ, God’s Son, has covered me.
- It means new life, new hope, and new joy.
- Being covered by Christ Jesus means victory over Satan, hell, and the grave.
- Being covered by Christ Jesus means fellowship with the Father.
- Being covered by Christ Jesus means fullness of the Spirit.
- Being covered by Christ Jesus means a living testimony of His victory, favor and life.
- Being covered by Christ Jesus means we are heaven bound.
God the Father has given us the gift of covering.
