March 12, 2025

Today's Reading: Genesis 8:13-9:17

Daily Lectionary: Genesis 8:13-9:17; Genesis 9:18-11:26; Mark 4:1-20

“Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed, for God made man in his own image.” (Genesis 9:6)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. 

There’s something special about the blood. Prior to the flood, God had given man “every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit” as food (Gen. 1:29). But when Noah emerged from the ark, God provided a new menu. “Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you. And as I gave you the green plants, I give you everything” (Gen. 9:3).

There’s one caveat, though. “But you shall not eat flesh with its life, that is, its blood” (Gen. 9:4). There’s something special about the blood. “The life of the flesh is in the blood,” says the Lord through Moses (Lev. 17:11). The blood has a special use. Because of this, the blood of man is sacred. “And for your lifeblood I will require a reckoning: from every beast I will require it and from man. From his fellow man I will require a reckoning for the life of man. ‘Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed, for God made man in his own image’” (Gen. 9:5-6).

The ethical dimension of this declaration indicates that all human life has dignity because God made man in His own image. Shedding the blood of man is a direct assault upon God, and the penalty is severe. But an even more interesting spiritual dimension begins to emerge when you realize that Genesis 9 echoes Genesis 1. And when you compare God’s Word to Noah to His Word to Adam, you see what’s so special about the blood.

To both Noah and Adam, God makes a declaration concerning his image in a poetic verse (Gen. 1:27; Gen. 9: 6). He follows this declaration with a command and a blessing, “Be fruitful and multiply” (Gen. 1:28; Gen. 9:7). And He gives instructions concerning food. Adam receives all plants and Noah all meat. But God has a caveat for Adam, just as He has for Noah. Just as Noah was forbidden to eat the blood, Adam was forbidden to eat of the fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.

The Tree of Knowledge had God’s Word attached to it, Martin Luther remarks, and so was a place of worship. Likewise, God reserved the blood for His Word and for worship. “Drink of it, all of you; this cup is the new testament in My blood, which is shed for you for the forgiveness of sins” (Words of Institution). There’s something special about the blood. 

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

Lift we, then, our voices, Swell the mighty flood; Louder still and louder Praise the precious blood! (LSB 433:6)

-Rev. Jacob Ehrhard, pastor of St. John's Lutheran Church and School in Chicago, IL.

Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.

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