Our title is taken from Hebrews
12:24, where the blessings of Hebrew Christians are enumerated and contrasted
with those under the first covenant. Verse 18 declares that "ye are not
come unto the mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire,"
alluding to Mount Sinai and the first covenant. Verse 22 introduces our verse
as follows:"But ye are come … to Jesus the mediator of the new
covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that
of Abel" (Heb. 12:22, 24). In short, we are come "to Jesus" and
"to the blood of sprinkling." But the latter part of our verse,
"that speaketh better things than that of Abel," has given rise to
different interpretations. We propose to examine this verse with the desire of
accepting the most commendable interpretation.

 

It is of the first order of
importance, when our blessings in Hebrews are couched in the language of the Old
Testament types, to understand just what typical sacrifice is alluded to. In
this verse with the "mediator" and "the blood of
sprinkling" we can not fail to see that the type is of the covenant
sacrifices at the foot of Mount Sinai when "Moses took the blood, and
sprinkled it on the people, and said, Behold the blood of the covenant, which
the Lord hath made with you" (Exodus 24:8). There "the blood of
sprinkling" was "of calves [bullocks] and of goats" (See Heb. 9:
19 & 12) which typified "the precious blood of Christ" which in
Hebrews is called "the blood of the everlasting covenant" (13:20). In
Exodus, Moses was the mediator and animals were the victims. But the apostle in
Hebrews has labored abundantly to show us that we are come "to Jesus the
mediator of the new covenant." The glories of this new covenant are future
and for "the house of Israel and . . . the house of Judah" (Heb. 8:8). But the Christian is already come "to Jesus" and is under the
blood and rejoicing in the blessings of that covenant. But how is it that
"the blood of sprinkling . . . speaketh better things than that of
Abel"?

 

Many have thought that Abel’s
human blood is referred to here. It is true that Abel, being righteous and slam
by the enmity of his brother, typified our Lord in His rejection and death at
the hands of His brethren. It is further true that God said to Cain "the
voice of thy brother’s blood crieth unto Me from the ground" (Gen. 4:10).
The voice therefore of Abel’s human blood cried to God for vengeance. At. this
point many have been satisfied that "the blood of sprinkling" alludes
to Abel’s human blood and martyr’s death.

 

Now we have pondered, however,
whether Abel’s human blood typifies the blood of Christ in any sacrificial
sense. As a martyr it does. But as an offering presented to God we do not see
the type.

           

We are somewhat helped by the
more literal translation of J. N. Darby, who translates the verse "and to
Jesus, mediator of a new covenant; and to the blood of sprinkling, speaking
better than Abel" (Heb. 12:24). "Speaking better than Abel"
would recall our .attention to Hebrews 11:4 where "Abel offered unto God a
more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was
righteous, God testifying of his gifts:and by it he being dead yet speaketh."
Here we find Abel "speaking’ by his sacrifice and its blood —not his own.
Furthermore, Abel’s sacrifice (though not the first animal slain, for God must
have done so to get coats of skins) was the first animal sacrifice presented in
faith to God by man. That sacrifice stands therefore at the head of all such
victims and represents them all. Its acceptance prefigured God’s acceptance of
our Lord Jesus Christ’s finished work as well as declaring man’s approach to
God to be that of shed blood. Abel, by his offering, spoke of good things! But
"the blood of sprinkling" to which we are come, that blood of the new
and everlasting covenant, the blood of Christ, speaketh better than Abel by his
sacrifice!

 

This is further clarified when
we realize that the "blood of sprinkling" of the covenant sacrifices
in Exodus 24 spoke of good things also. This blood like that of Abel’s
sacrifice, both speaking good things, is far surpassed also by the
"better" blood of Christ.

 

We also note that
"better" is the comparative of "good," not "bad."
Abel’s human blood crying for vengeance hence cries for "bad." It
speaks of God bringing men into judgment, not dispensing mercy. Hebrews 10:1
declares that the law did foreshadow "good things to come." We do not
believe vengeance, for which Abel’s human blood cried, to be one of the
"good things to come." The blood of Christ is of course far better
than this which cries for vengeance. But the force of our verse (Heb. 12:24) is
that, even though Abel’s sacrifice did typify "good things to come,"
the blood to which we are come "speaketh better than Abel."

 

Not only are we come "to
the blood of sprinkling that speaketh" but the next verse warns us not to
refuse "Him that speaketh."

 

The blood speaks. A Person
speaks. Have you heard the message?