Can the blood of animals take away sin? In Exodus 24:1-8, Moses seals God's covenant with Israel by sprinkling the people with blood. Dr. Toby Holt explains why the Bible speaks so much about blood — and where it all points. After the people vow, "All that the LORD has said we will do," Moses offers sacrifices and sprinkles half the blood on the altar and half on the people. Animal blood could never truly take away sin; these were shadows pointing to Christ, the perfect Lamb. The old covenant's weakness is exactly why we need a better one.

Questions this study answers:

1. Can the blood of animals take away sin? No. Animal sacrifices could only cover sin temporarily and point forward. They could never truly remove it.

2. How did the sacrifices point to Jesus? They were shadows of the perfect sacrifice to come. Jesus is the Lamb of God whose blood truly takes away sin.

3. Why do we need a better covenant? Because the old covenant, based on the people's obedience, could not save. Christ brings a new covenant in His own blood. "And Moses took the blood, sprinkled it on the people, and said, 'This is the blood of the covenant which the LORD has made with you…'" — Exodus 24:8 (NKJV)

Dr. Toby Holt is President of New Geneva Theological Seminary, and his sermons have been downloaded more than 1.9 million times on SermonAudio. Find more verse-by-verse Bible teaching at newgeneva.org; support this ministry at newgeneva.org/give.