“THE precious blood of Christ!"—words most sweet, most dear to the Christian’s soul. The apostle does not simply say “redeemed by the blood of Christ "; his heart was full of love to the Saviour; he was aglow with affection's fervor as his pen wrote down these words, “the precious blood of Christ."
So it was with the beloved John, who, speaking of the Lord as " the faithful Witness, and the First Begotten of the dead, and the Prince of the kings of the earth " at once utters His praises, saying, "Unto Him that loves us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and hath made us kings and priests unto God and His Father; to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen."
What sets the blood-bought sinner's heart on fire like contemplating the precious blood of Christ! The very repetition of the words does the soul good, lifts out of self, fills with wonder, love and praise, brings heaven near, and us nearer in spirit to its songs of praise. Come, ye who would be sweet singers on earth, “singing and making melody in your hearts to the Lord," be brimful of heaven's theme of eternal praise" Worthy is the Lamb that was slain."
The blood of Christ is precious because of its own intrinsic worth. What angel or man can declare the glory of His person who shed it. Christ is the Sent One of God the Father; the Father's only Son; the Eternal Son of the Eternal God; but become in time a Man. When we speak of His blood, we are filled with thoughts of the excellence of His sacrifice, the might of His atonement. The work He accomplished by death on the cross is of everlasting and abiding value.
I had in my hand the other day a piece of solid gold, just as it had been found on a river's side. "That is worth so many pounds," said my friend, who showed it to me. Now, that piece of gold would be of a given value in any country because of its own precious ness. Whatever use it might be put to, would not affect its intrinsic worth, neither would its real value be lessened because ignorant people did not appraise it justly.
The blood of Christ is precious because of its own unutterable value. Not all the worlds the Lord's hands have made are to be compared to the worth of His own blood. If men believe on Him, or believe not—love Him, or love Him not—the preciousness of His precious blood abides forever the same.
The blood of Christ is precious, for it is "His own blood." What a contemplation for man it is, that the Son of God became a man in order that he might die for sinners. "The Son of God who loved me and gave Himself for me," writes the apostle Paul. Can we thus speak, “He loved me and gave Himself for me?” Personal heart dealing with the Son of God's love is what we need. And if our hearts are able, by grace, thus to think of the Lord, it is our privilege to say, He Himself, the chiefest among ten thousand, the altogether lovely One, shed His blood for me. Jesus' own kind hands, ever filled with bounties, were nailed to the cross for me; His blessed feet, so ready in hastening to the needy, were fastened to the wood for me; His holy brow was gashed with the thorny crown; His side was pierced with the soldier's spear for me; from His hands, His feet, His head, His side, flowed the blood—the precious blood—to wash away my sins, to make me whiter than snow
“Lo, from His head, His hands, His feet,
Sorrow and love flow mingled down.
Did e'er such love and sorrow meet,
Or thorns compose so rich a crown?
As the believer thinks of the Lord, his Friend, his Saviour, his Redeemer, as he meditates upon His sufferings, His grief, His anguish of soul and body, beholds Him lifted up from the earth, drawing all unto Himself, dying for sinners, yea, the chief of sinners, he loves to repeat " redeemed with the precious blood of Christ!"
The blessed. Saviour, who-shed His blood to save us, lives to die no more: "death hath no more dominion over Him." (Rom. 6:99Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. (Romans 6:9).) As a Man, He has dominion over death; He is risen, and is triumphant over the grave; He is in heaven, all things are under His feet (Ep. 1:21, 22); He has the keys of hell and of death (Rev. 1:1818I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death. (Revelation 1:18)); He has not only nullified death, but him that had the power of it, that is, the devil. (Heb. 2:44God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will? (Hebrews 2:4).) Herein His people rejoice. Jesus is their risen triumphant and exalted Saviour.
"O Jesus, Lord!’ tis joy to know
Thy path is o'er of shame and woe,
For us so meekly trod:
All finished is Thy work of toil;
Thou reapest now the fruit and spoil,
Exalted by our God.
Thy holy head, once bound with thorns,
The crown of glory now adorns;
Thy seat, the Father's throne.
O Lord! e'en now we sing Thy praise,
Ours the eternal song to raise—
Worthy the Lamb alone."
Yet, while we know that His sufferings are passed, and His pains are over, we love to remember Him in “the suffering of death."(Heb. 2:99But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. (Hebrews 2:9).) The children of Israel in the land of Egypt ate of their lamb roasted in the fire, with bitter herbs. It was Jehovah's own ordinance that they should eat of what was their deliverance with bitter herbs. (Ex. 12:88And they shall eat the flesh in that night, roast with fire, and unleavened bread; and with bitter herbs they shall eat it. (Exodus 12:8).) And His redeemed people now remember with adoring grief what the Lord suffered. They recall His pains and sorrows. They meditate with loving sorrow on the sufferings of Christ!
The memory of Christ's “suffering of death" chastens the soul. It fills the heart not only with adoration, but makes the things of the world as nothing. The world rejected Jesus and crucified Him, and the practical spiritual application to the soul of the Lord's death, leads to living as He lived when here: "Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body." (2 Cor. 4:1010Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. (2 Corinthians 4:10).)
In things natural there is a melancholy pleasure, a sorrowful delight, in recalling the sufferings of one we love, whom we know is out of suffering's reach, forever with the Lord. We earnestly treasure the memory of those we love. The parent regards as his choicest jewels the trifles his little child had when on earth. True, this is natural affection; but it may illustrate spiritual affection. Our Lord has said to His people, “Remember Me." He treasures their memory of what He suffered for them on earth. The details of the sorrows and sufferings of our Redeemer are a treasury for His people's hearts. No theme on earth, no song in heaven, is dearer to them than that of the precious blood of Christ.