The blood is the life

23 But be sure you do not eat the blood, because the blood is the life, and you must not eat the life with the meat. 24 You must not eat the blood; pour it out on the ground like water. 25 Do not eat it, so that it may go well with you and your children after you, because you will be doing what is right in the eyes of the Lord.  Deuteronomy 12:12-25

I will set my face against any Israelite or any foreigner residing among them who eats blood, and I will cut them off from the people.  Leviticus 17:10

People try to find life in all sorts of things.  Sometimes it's a shiny new car, a bigger house, or better clothes.  Some people try to find life in the cool new iPad, or a higher salary, or a more important title, or security, or even by having children.  The list goes on and on.  This is not new.  In the ages of the Old Testament there was a common belief in pagan civilization that by drinking the blood of an animal you could attain some of the life of that animal.  One way God set Israel apart is by forbidding them from drinking the blood of animals.

God wants us to find life in Him.  And this is good for us because that's the only place life can be found.  All other avenues lead to death, not life.  So for Israel, God forbade them from drinking the blood of animals.  God was their life.

The Jews in the time of Jesus took this command seriously, so imagine what they thought when Jesus came along and said while teaching in the synagogue,

"Very truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. 54 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day. 55 For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. 56 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in them. 57 Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me. 58 This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your ancestors ate manna and died, but whoever feeds on this bread will live forever."  John 6:48-58

To the unaware this appeared to be a direct assault on the commands of God, and yet, in reality it was the explanation of the commands of God.  We are to find our life in Christ and him alone.  There is no life for us outside of Christ.  This is one reason, among many, why the sacrament of Communion is so important to the Christian.  Each time we drink the cup of wine or grape juice, which Christ said is his blood, we agree with Christ and witness that He alone is our life:

26 While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.”  27 Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. 28 This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.  Matthew 26:26-28

Do you want true and lasting life?  "Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day."  (John 6:54)  Partake of Christ.