Bible verse the blood of jesus speaks better things

But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, and to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel. ~ Hebrews 12:22-24

What is the significance of the speaking of the blood of Jesus in contrast to that of Abel’s?

When Abel was murdered by his brother Cain, God vindicated Abel by judging Cain. God confronted Cain saying: “What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother’s blood crieth unto me from the ground.” ~ Genesis 4:10

Is the author of Hebrews emphasizing that Abel’s blood cried out for vengeance, while the blood of Jesus cries out for mercy?

I think it’s more than that – much more.

First, consider that the Biblical account of the murder of Abel by Cain does not make the claim that Abel’s blood cried out for vengeance. We are only told that God said “the voice of thy brother’s blood crieth unto me from the ground.”

Though a few modern translations interpret Hebrews 12:24 as Abel’s blood crying out for vengeance, there is nothing concrete in the Biblical narrative to conclude this definitively.

We know from the New Testament that Stephen, as he was being murdered, prayed for God’s mercy and not judgment for his executors.

And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep. ~ Acts 7:59-60

As he was dying, Stephen prayed for God’s forgiveness for those who were putting him to death. Therefore, if Abel’s blood did indeed cry out for vengeance, we could conclude that Stephen’s blood (or death) speaks better things than Abel’s as well, for Stephen prayed for mercy for his murderers.

I think we miss something very valuable when we come to the conclusion that the contrast being made by the author of Hebrews is one of mercy and vengeance when he says Jesus’s blood speaks better things than Abel’s blood.

What is it that we are missing? What possibly could the writer of Hebrews be telling us? First consider that the Bible tells us that Cain murdered his brother Abel, because his deeds were evil and his brother’s were righteous.

For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother’s righteous. ~ 1 John 3:10-11

The contrast between Cain and Abel is evil and righteousness. Now consider Hebrews 11:4.

By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh. ~ Hebrews 11:4

When we consider the context of Genesis 4, we find that Cain killed Abel over an offering, because God accepted Abel’s gift and rejected Cain’s gift.

The writer of Hebrews tells us that by Abel’s gift to God, he obtained witness that he was righteous, and by it – by virtue of his gift to God – he being dead, yet speaks.

God’s judgment on Cain was more than vengeance for wrongdoing. God was vindicating Abel’s righteousness and the gift he had offered to God, which was a type of the sacrifice of Jesus. Consider how much more God vindicates the righteousness of his Son Jesus, and the gift he gave to God when he died for our sins.

In contrast to Abel, the writer of Hebrews tells us it is the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than Abel’s blood.

The words the blood of sprinkling is a reference to the application of the blood of Jesus Christ. Christ’s blood has power in heaven where it was sprinkled in the presence of God for us, and it has power in our heart when received in faith, cleansing our conscience from all sin.

The book of Hebrews draws heavily on the priesthood and the sacrificial system of the Old Testament to explain the work of Christ. Under the Old Testament, God spoke directly to Moses (the mediator between God and Israel) from above the blood sprinkled mercy seat. ~ Exodus 25: 22; Numbers 7:89

The mercy seat was the covering of the ark of the covenant, and the place where the shed blood of the sin offerings for atonement was sprinkled annually to make atonement for Israel. Once a year, the high priest would enter into the most holy place and sprinkle the blood which had been shed at the altar of sacrifice upon the mercy seat in the presence of God.

This was a type of the work of Christ, who consecrated for us the new and living way to God, when through his own blood which was shed at the cross, he entered into the presence of God having obtained eternal redemption for us.

In the presence of God, Jesus lives forever to make intercession for us, and from there (God’s Holy presence), he cleanses our hearts through the sprinkling of his blood by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Now when these things were thus ordained, the priests went always into the first tabernacle, accomplishing the service of God. But into the second went the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people: The Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing: Which was a figure for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience; Which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation. But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? ~ Hebrews 9:6-14

Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; and having an high priest over the house of God; let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. ~ Hebrews 10:19-22

The one whose heart has been sprinkled (or cleansed) with the blood of Jesus Christ will hear the voice of the Holy Spirit bearing witness from God and from Christ. The Holy Spirit bears witness to our cleansed conscience as he gives testimony to Christ and his finished work. This brings about a nearness to God from the heart and causes us to have the full assurance of faith.

The power of Christ’s blood so completely purges the conscience through it’s sprinkling (it’s cleansing power) that the sense of guilt and demerit are completely removed. This results in the justifying voice of mercy and grace within the depths of our hearts by the Holy Spirit. Through the blood of Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit testifies to our conscience of Jesus’s complete victory over sin and he imparts to us the victory of Christ.

Christ’s blood speaks better things than that of Abel’s, whose more excellent sacrifice than Cain’s, was only a foreshadowing of HIM who was to come. In righteousness, Jesus gave the ultimate gift to God for us all, and through the offering of himself he brings us near to God. That is why his shed blood, sprinkled (applied) in the presence of God and in our hearts, speaks better things than that of Abel’s!

IN CLOSING

The foundation for correctly understanding all that scripture teaches about the blood of Christ is the knowledge that God is holy and we must be cleansed from our sins to stand in his presence. Without Jesus’s blood purifying us, we would have no fellowship with the Living God.

Because of Jesus (who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners and made higher than the heavens ~ Hebrews 7: 26), we can stand before a holy God who loves us and who gave his son for us. Only Jesus, the lamb of God, can reconcile sinful humanity to God and only his blood can purify us and make us holy. And this is what the speaking of the blood of Jesus is all about. God is holy and the blood of Jesus cleanses us and makes us holy in God’s sight when we trust completely in Jesus.

____________________________________________

Below are some links to more teachings I have posted about the precious blood of Christ.

Holy by the blood of Christ

Faith in the blood of Jesus

Sanctified by the Blood of Christ

The Blood of Jesus and the Presence of God

The Blood of His Cross

The Blood of the Passover Lamb

They Overcame by the Blood of the Lamb 

What does the blood speaks a better word mean?

What is the power of the blood of Jesus?

Which Scripture speaks about the blood of Jesus?

What are the redeeming qualities of the blood of Jesus?