Blood Atonement Research Paper

Beginning with the first accounts in Genesis to the ultimate final prophecies of Revelation, it is documented that God pursues reconciliation of His people to Himself. One way that reconciliation was established, because of atonement. The word atonement in the Bible is deemed an Old Testament term; appearing only once in the New Testament, which is in the book of Romans 5:11.( https://bible.org/article/atonement-christ) The meaning of atonement according to Baker’s Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology is, “that God has provided a way for humankind to come back into harmonious relation with him….” Additionally, atonement is defined as the act of reconciliation to God by covering with the price, the blood of a substitute, so that no punishment

Leviticus 17:11 declare, “For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves on the altar; it is the blood that makes atonement for one’s life.” The blood of another creature was known as a sacrifice due to every sin, blood was to be shed. In many cases, an animal was sacrificed as an offering for the sins of a person or multiple people with the significance and importance placed in blood atonement. (old testemnet) The word sacrifice is closely related to the words propitiation and expiation and stems from the Hebrew word kipper and the Greek word hilaskom. Propitiation is the appeasing of the wrath of God by some action directed toward Him. An example would be the offering of a sacrifice. Expiation is that the sacrifice has a direct effect on the sin itself, covering it or blotting it out. These words can also mean to appease, pacify, conciliate, to cover over with a price or to atone for. (systematic) Some scholars have been questioned as to which of these meanings are primary, since scriptures in the Bible support both. To further elaborate on these scriptures meanings is that the blood of another creature would in fact be able to cover the sins of a human