The Divine Life in the Blood of Jesus Christ by Robert Peck
June 19, 2026
The Silent Testimony of the Blood
“For the life of the flesh is in the blood.” (Leviticus 17:11)
Few statements in Scripture are as simple and yet as profound as God’s declaration in Leviticus 17:11: “For the life of the flesh is in the blood.”
At first glance, this statement appears to be merely a religious instruction given to ancient Israel; however, a reading of the entire seventeenth chapter shows that God was not simply regulating diet or slaughter practices. He was establishing the sacred purpose of blood for atonement upon the altar. He instructed Israel not to treat blood as a common food or use it in pagan worship. God’s instructions reveal a truth that reaches far beyond ceremonial law. It reveals that God Himself had ordained a divine principle linking blood to the sustenance of life.
The Book of Leviticus was written around 1400 BCE. Ancient civilizations were not ignorant of the human body; however, it is through modern medicine that we now understand that blood is not just a bodily fluid. It is a life-sustaining system continuously serving every organ, tissue, and cell throughout the body. Without blood, life cannot be maintained.
A Brief Look at the Biology of Blood
Human blood consists of four primary components:
• Red blood cells
• White blood cells
• Platelets
• Plasma
Each component performs a unique function, but for our purposes, we will focus on red blood cells. Red blood cells function as the body’s delivery system. Through hemoglobin, they transport oxygen from the lungs to every tissue and organ in the body. They then collect carbon dioxide and other waste products, returning them to the lungs for removal from the body.
Every organ depends upon this continual service. Especially, the brain, which provides a striking example. Although the brain accounts for only about 2% of total body weight, it consumes approximately 20% of the body’s oxygen supply. Unlike some organs, the brain stores virtually no oxygen reserve. It depends entirely upon the continual ministry of red blood cells.
If the oxygen delivery ceases, the consequences occur rapidly. Within seconds, consciousness may be lost. Within minutes, brain cells begin dying. Prolonged oxygen deprivation can result in irreversible brain injury or death. The brain may be the command center of the body, but even the brain cannot function without the continual ministry of blood.
An Astonishing Ministry
The count of red blood cells in the average adult human is staggering. A single drop of blood contains approximately four to six million red blood cells. Thus, the average adult human body contains roughly 25-30 trillion red blood cells.
That is the number “3” followed by thirteen zeroes. 30,000,000,000,000
At this very moment, tens of trillions of microscopic red cells are moving throughout your body. Every second of each day, they deliver oxygen, remove waste, sustain tissues, and preserve your life. Most people never think about this continual ministry taking place within them. Yet every red blood cell silently testifies to the truth God declared long ago: “For the life of the flesh is in the blood” (Leviticus 17:11).
The blood serves every part of the body without rest. It delivers what is needed. It removes what is harmful. It continually ministers life. And that raises an important question. If physical blood ministers life so faithfully to the human body, what might this reveal about the Blood of Jesus Christ?
In Part Two, we will explore the writer of Hebrews’ remarkable argument: “How much more shall the blood of Christ…”
Loretta Huggins, born and raised in San Francisco, CA, has served in the ministry with her husband, Larry Huggins since 1989: administrator, hostess, event planner, and teacher. She has traveled to eighteen countries. She is the co-founder and co-pastor of ZChurch.
