But What About the Blood?
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise. Psalm 51:17 NASB
Broken/Contrite – “Without the shedding of blood there is no remission for sins.” Ah, well, maybe. Maybe not. According to the Psalmist, what God desires is a broken and contrite person, not necessarily a blood sacrifice. In fact, there seem to be a whole host of alternatives to blood sacrifice (as I listed in my book, Cross Word Puzzles). But this particular verse points us toward the symbiosis of internal and external actions. In other words, the Bible notes a wide range of sacrificial rituals, one of which is involved with blood, but none are sufficient in and of themselves. The character and attitude of the inner person cannot be set aside. Heart must be aligned with hand. To emphasize the external without the internal is just as misdirected as the reverse. The sacrifices of God are a both/and combination.
What this means is that the author of Hebrews who quotes a verse in the Tanakh in order to present his argument about the sacrificial system assumes that we know the internal cannot be dismissed. He is not suggesting that a blood sacrifice is the only means of atonement. He assumes that his readers have a good grasp of the range of sacrifices available. And they all require internal change as well as external behavior. So those who read the text of Hebrews must also notice this psalm. The God of the Tanakh desires contrition and humility. He hasn’t changed just because there is a page in your Bible between the “Old” and the “New.” Hebrews does not replace Psalms. Both verses describe the same process from different perspectives to different audiences. David is concerned with finding forgiveness for the devastating effects of personal sin. The author of Hebrews is concerned with establishing the role of Yeshua in the process of redemption.
David’s use of the Hebrew nishbara’ is telling. The verbal form is about smashing, breaking into pieces. It is most frequently used of God’s actions associated with punishment and judgment. David’s poem suggests that the experience of being broken by God is a necessary part of sacrifice. Far more than ritual is involved when we come before the Lord seeking forgiveness. Yes, there probably is a proper way to approach the God of creation, but it starts here—with feelings so deep that they tear us apart. It is our very breath, the breath of life, that is ripped, torn into pieces. It is as if we gasp for the next bit of oxygen. We have reached the last of ourselves, that place where there is only a tiny sliver between living and dying. When we get here, only God can rescue.
Most of us spend a great deal of effort not to reach this place. But David’s poem assures us that this is the goal God has in mind. When it happens to you, remember why you are here.
Interestingly, the second word, nidke’, from daka, is simply a Hebrew parallelism. It is the same thought expressed in a new word, for daka also means to crush, to pound or beat. But this word is found only in the Psalms. “The verb appears only in laments and is consistently used of one who is physically and emotionally crushed because of sin or the onslaught of an enemy.”[1] What David could not emphasize enough with one common word he accomplishes with another uncommon word. And what is the result?
Sometimes God wants us to be in the bottom of the pit.
Topical Index: daka, shabar, nishbara’, nidke’, break, crush, contrite, Psalm 51:17, Hebrews 9:22
[1] Wolf, H. (1999). 428 דָּכָה. R. L. Harris, G. L. Archer Jr., & B. K. Waltke (Eds.), Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament (electronic ed., p. 189). Chicago: Moody Press.
“For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul.” Lev. 17:11
Disclaimer: the following is only where I am at now in thinking: I may well be somewhere else tomorrow.
When it comes to sin, someone is going to die. Every sin separates us from life; we kill ourselves – fracture ourselves from life – with that action, but it is “by the mercy of God that we are not consumed” when we do. When we repent and are forgiven, that fracture is healed, but only because Someone else interposes His body in the gap, there to be beaten to death and the very life sucked out by that sin (fracture).
Blood = life. blood is symbolic of the life, but to die, or, lose that life, you have to have a process of dying; of having that life (blood) crushed and beaten out of you. Sin involves two deaths; one now and one later in that lake of fire, but both are mine. Forgiveness involves two deaths, too, but both of them are now, and only one of them is mine. Sin is already crushing the life out of me, but I can choose to punt the ball and pay (die) later. If I want to be forgiven, however, I have to pay (die) now. I do not get forgiven for sin until I “die to sin”; that mysterious process where I become sorry for it and choose to separate myself from it, but I cannot become sorry for it until I choose to experience HOW it is actually killing me; in other words, I have to choose to remember (recreate the experience of) it. That is very unpleasant!
Neuroscience recognizes that memory is an actual physical structure in the brain, composed of a myriad of neuronal structures that recreate the experience of that memory in harmony. This capacity lies dormant in the brain unless and until we choose to bring it back into consciousness. At that point, the memory becomes what is referred to as “plastic” (someone can correct me). The psych industry understands that to deal with a memory, say of trauma, you have to recall it physically. The military expends a lot of effort to do just that in recreating trauma conditions for a patient so that the memory becomes active, or, plastic, again, at which point the now popular thing is to bury it under amnesiac hypnosis.
The Biblical way, however, would be to repent for the guilt and shame and fear (lack of trust) and so therefore “die” to it – separate yourself from it and no longer identify it as ‘you’. The only way to do this, however, that I have found, is to actually give it to God, at which point it is no longer ‘mine’. At the point of that separation, or, fracture, from it, I have ‘died’ (fractured myself in my identity with it) to it, and it is no longer ‘me’, but instead, has become Him “who was made sin for us”, and His beaten body (beaten by my sin in a very real way) interposes in the gap between me and life, and I get to live again in that place (and be so very sorry forever to Him Who is dying for me instead). Halleluah!
Halleluyah Laurita – I am in that same place
Laurita,
You saved me a response. My thoughts are pretty much the same.
I understand what you are saying, but my experience is that the “religious” way is often far too shallow, too convenient, to really deal with the trauma. The sinner’s prayer is a farce in this regard. It offers words instead of emotional release, as if cognitive therapy can deal with the human pain of separation. The biblical way, as you put it, is not what we encounter in most religious contexts. Perhaps that’s why so few of us want to actually read what the text says about the dysfunctional lives of the ones God goes after. We want the happy ending story, not the real disasters to self and family. And “dying to self” is much more destructive than we imagine, so we just go through the motions, keeping ourselves intact under the surface where no one can see.
Yep, Skip, “dying” is a strong word that describes a physical reality. Sin (death) is a physical reality in our bodies, minds and souls that MUST be destroyed. We cannot have our cake and eat it too – we cannot keep the physical reality of that sin/death and still obtain the life available through that forgiveness.
The way I see it, my identity is a sum product of my experience. To “die to self” is to alter that identity by altering that experience, but I have to go dig it up before it can be changed. The way to do that is to choose to experience those sin effects (death) in real time, and THEN hand over (repent) that experience. It feels like dying because it IS dying. The lake of fire is the death of death, but repentance recreates that experience now. However, if you are not dying, you may well, I so agree, not actually be getting forgiven, either.
Emotional beating up on yourself does NOT count, though, nor do acts of penance, for in both you can still keep the sin. I guess it goes without saying that just repeating WORDS is not going to get the job done, either, and – I say this with trepidation – that COULD include “the sinner’s prayer” IF it is not actually accompanied with a simultaneous contrition that matches the sin it represents, reason being that you can still keep the sin there, too. I guess the above refers to those “religious experiences” you mentioned.
I am going to throw another bone in here regarding forgiveness and death, for we can be dying as a result of others’ sins against us, too that we took on if we had no defense against it. We are told that we have to forgive that, too, to get our lives back in those places, as well as avail ourselves of forgiveness for our own sins; in fact, we may have to become willing to do that forgiving FIRST (just a suspicion!) to gets ours. That could involve recalling those sins (acts of death) against us, too, and that is likewise unpleasant.
It is without doubt, though, that you have to go dig up the actual corpse to get a real hanging. Um, those of us in the south know what that means.
Skip, we agree.
The actual dying to my sinful self that I have experienced, and still do,
is gut-wrenching and painful, pulling at every fiber of my physical, emotional
and spiritual being. It’s a real experience no religion can touch or teach.
And I’m so grateful to God to have it.
Thank you I agree.
“I understand what you are saying, but my experience is that the “religious” way is often far too shallow, too convenient, to really deal with the trauma…. It offers words instead of emotional release, as if cognitive therapy can deal with the human pain of separation” Skip
If I understand your commentary Laurita, you are saying to Separate “the sin” in the person from the Eph 6:12 kingdom?..
I feel the teaching on Separation, can be overly simplified and religious. Consider in the cases of Juvenal delinquents, the statement made to counselors, I have been told… is “I am good but my behaviors is bad”…
Separation can only go so far. People do reap what they sow. Separation can make people think this “dismisses them” form responsibility of sin. And can give a false hope for those who have endured real trauma and pain in life that they will always be healed. There is a balance. While it is good to deal with our spirituality, we also have a mind, feelings, emotions (which are not devils as some say), and the body keeps the score.
If people say to those who have endured brokenness, deep feelings from trauma, pain or anguish. Statements like… “Just get over it”, “you’re in self-pity”, “you’re not practicing separation”,… this is a subtle form of spiritual abuse…. as it may well be heaping a curse on those who are trying, one day at a time, to be humble and wait on G-d.
The Military and the VA system in dealing with trauma cases, especially PTSD, are cruel and abusive. I would not suggest ANY of their forms of their “therapy”… which is not to “suppress the trauma” through cerebral amnesia/hypnosis or other forms of repressive methods (in my state). But to recall the memory to such a level the person becomes re=traumatized.
“The Biblical way, however, would be to repent for the guilt and shame and fear (lack of trust) and so therefore “die” to it – separate yourself from it and no longer identify it as ‘you’.”
This may work to a point, however not in all cases as we are 3 part beings…. I did much research into this topic and sent it to those who teach the Separation teaching, and on PTSD.. They realized it is a PROCESS and sometimes painful, like Ship stated. Even the person who was stated to be have been completely healed, isn’t, are still in walkout.
On trauma, especially PTSD, please read Bessel van der Kolk, The Body Keeps Score!
Looks like one I need to read. Also try The Body Bears The Burden by Dr. Robert Scaer.
I agree that deliverance is usually a life time “walkout” and any ‘solution’ the world offers, be it the military, the secular psych community, or anything else is likely to be either abusive, ineffective, or both. Forgiveness is the only game in town, but there is only one Way that it works, and the world does not know how to present that, either.
We are very MUCH “three part beings”! Which is, I think, why Skip may in part be focusing on the experience part (mind and body) as well as the spiritual. We just are not taught this (nephesh) well, if at all.
Also, I didn’t realize that I was presenting separation as a topic, per se. I was focusing on the fact that sin is the cause of death for the entire nephesh, and so it takes the entire nephesh to deal with it. There is no “I” apart from my behavior or its results, that is so true. There is only one package called me, and if deliverance is not conducted as a package deal, it just, I think I agree with you, does not work. That being said, we cannot deliver ourselves from sin (perhaps contrary to popular teaching?). My part is to repent (and forgive!). His part is to separate (deliver) me.
I would like to see what your summary is of your research, if you could do that, Flint. PTSD is an ongoing topic and research for me, too, as I have precious people in my life that suffer.
I have dealt with my life from a spiritual stand point as you spoke of above I understand the sin and forgiveness, repent & I agree. Beginning in 1998 with M. Scott peck who coined the process of Separation in his book People of the Lie. Others have used his information in their ministries. However, Peck also noted the need for emotional, mental and physical help as well as “spiritual”, as he stated this alone is not enough. In 2000, I was at my wits end and read the Scriptures, and several other books on deliverance and attending a ministry. I was helped a lot yet I still struggled, I had a latent form of PTSD from not facing it.
Due to my own personal trauma that occurred in 1980, I began to experience issues (all along) but worsened around 2012 (repressed). I looked for the latest research provided by the combined efforts of several scientific communities materials, helping those with trauma specifically PTSD. Most of this type of research is in books that I was able to get through my ex a doctor. And several close friends who are therapists. I also found good research dealing with Vets who have endured MST/ Including the mind, body and spirituality of the person in the latest science. If you keep digging into PTSD research on the web its there. As Ship mentioned I also recommend the book Body Keeps the Score, it is secular. However, a good read. I would also like to have your sources of research. My readings came over the past 7 years.
I know you would agree. If we have a broken leg we need a cast from a Dr. Sometimes if a person is experiencing trauma stressors, and we have been practicing all that you stated about separation and repentance with a humble heart… yet are still having issues, it would be time to consider the research of the mind and body as well as the spiritual connection. For me it was a emotional release…a time to talk to someone who is trained in trauma and compassionate. A time to express emotions and feelings, not stuff them more. Sometimes there is pain in this walk, It is a process. Many of the things Skip started I felt were helping and understanding. No one knows exactly what another endures. That is YHVH’ job.
I hope this helps you.
Shalom.
Thank you, Flint. You are courageous to share, and I hope it means that you are as far along as it may appear to be (to me, anyway). By the time a person has processed enough to be able to articulate and trusting enough to share, there has already been a good amount of separation (deliverance). I, too have read Peck more than once, and felt he opened a door to the hurting world, even though I feel that he introduced the beginning of the journey more than the completion of it.
You are right, “no one knows exactly what another endures” but still, we are all fellow humans and we have a need to at least try to know and be known. Isolation and sitting in a corner singing “nobody knows the trouble I’ve seen” just ensures that it is true. They won’t know unless and until we try to tell them! I also feel that you are speaking for a whole lot of others who are not in as good a place yet as you seem to be, and just knowing that you are not alone is the best thing of all. Thank you for that.
I can try to forward the internet file that I have stored, if you email me at lauritahayes at g mail dot com. I culled about 200 articles on PTSD using a friend’s university access card and am slogging through them and trying to condense the info. Quite the education! We have come such a long way in understanding the connections of the nephesh but it is also clear to me that the world does not know how to interpret what that ‘mean’s (i.e. what to do with it).
Please continue to speak up as it is a true help to those of us who are still walking out our own particular darkness. Thank you, brother.
Self pity gets us no where. Coming forward is not for sissy’s either and can be very hard on a person (as skip stated – painful, his article is so well put-thanks Skip) The stigma (shame) marking, that is heaped onto the person speaking out about this specific trauma is ruthless especially in the VA (as they are reacting to their own responsibility and shame and the person is further victimized) People do not like to hear about this topic either, as it causes mixed feelings in them. There is a rejection and isolation that comes from seeking help, or trying to speak out in ANY circle, including ministries. This is why the one approach method as Skip stated is not enough. This is a complex issues. As you know alternative treatments are used by the world (I do not do those). Thanks for allowing me to share.
Thank you this is a wonderful book. Thank you for all your words.
Shalom.
Thank you Skip for another masterful reminder of how we need to continually search our hearts for those areas that need correction or elimination in order to align with His will.
Thankfully, HaShem is waiting for us, ready to pick up those crumbled pieces at the bottom of the pit…and turn them into gold.
We may have heard before the Hebrew term for repentance meaning to turn around. The Lord usually wants us to change our Direction put on the mind of Christ put off the former life. Willful determination with the demonstration of following the Lord. The desires of the flesh the willful lusts of it. The pride of life selfishness, knowing he clearly tells us these are wrong and hearing his commendation that we can and will and must each moment of every day resist all that we are capable of doing against his will focusing on carrying our cross and pressing toward the mark of the High Calling of Yeshua!!
IF we use it as a metaphor (remembering that the literal is always true) then blood is a metaphor for life. Shedding of life… = put off the old man. Christ’s death was necessary (literal) as well as our own death to the flesh (metaphor).
Don’t forget the role the yetzer ha’ra plays in this whole process. The yetzer ha’ra (who undoubtedly instigated or was complicit in the particular sin in question) is intimately involoved in covering over that sin. It whispers to our ego that our efforts in seeking forgiveness and reconciliation with God (or healing of the fracture, as Laurita rightly calls it) are either 1) not necessary 2) not sufficient) 3) not important 4) not pressing or any other number of reasons that resonate within us for not going down the painful path of memory recall. Thus we don’t get the reconciliation or the relationship with YHVH that we desperately need and want. Of course, the yetzer ha’ra will afterward wisely quiet it’s noisey condemnations for a season in order not to have to go near that minefield again and we thus experience a calming of the soul which we misinterpret as atonement or forgiveness. Oy Vey, what a pickle (and don’t think the Adversary isn’t enjoying our plight!). But YHVH is faithful to engineer our circumstances in order to get us to truly encounter our fractures (as we are willing), so that we can come into a working understanding of both how sin kills and how to kill sin. In this dual death we find forgiveness and life in Yeshua and learn to daily embrace Him and walk in lightness, light and life. Now we can share with others, who are both broken and breaking, the power of God’s forgiveness. Thank YHWH for His faithfulness. Michael and Arnella.
Wisdom of the front lines.
Let us not forget the other half of the pair the yetzer Hara tov, The Godly desires which through his . Holy. Spirit takes over and wins the battle for he is more powerful than any other spirit.