The gory story of grace

The idea of the blood of a murdered person calling from the earth is pretty universal. It calls for vengeance and haunts the murderer, this is the stuff horror movies are made of. And although I'm familiar with the idea, I never realized that it was scriptural. That the very first person to be murdered in the whole of human history, Abel's blood, cried out to God from the earth. I guess it makes sense when I think about it, because really, who else is going to hear blood calling from the soil on which it was spilt? Except for the God who created it?
Thinking about all of this morbidity, contemplate the blood of Jesus. Was Jesus not murdered? Did not His blood also spill into the sand at the foot of the cross? Murdered at the hands of our sin and depravity, yet does His blood also cry for vengeance in a haunting voice of malice and just rage?
Matthew Henry says it this way, and I find these words very moving and beautiful.
"How well it is for us that the blood of Jesus speaks better things than that of Abel! Abel's blood cried for vengeance, Christ's blood cries for pardon."
Praise God for the mystery of the cross!

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Dan and Catrina said…
Ok, woah, you've just blown me away here. Not only do you got an amazing blog going, you have links on your sidebar, and a 'what i'm reading' list......so cool! I'm tellin' you, you guys are raising the bar here.
Love your blog, so stoked to have it on my favorites and to check it often! I love you
March 15, 2007 at 10:20 PM
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