DAY 9: Blood Guilt

One of the key principles of justice in the Old Testament is the concept of blood guilt. This occurs when the life of an innocent person is taken but the perpetrator goes free.

In such cases God - whose eye is ever watchful and who sees every deed done in darkness - takes personal responsibility to ensure that justice prevails. 

“Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” (Romans 12:19)

Every day in the United States about 3600 innocent children are sacrificed in the name of abortion – about 1 million every single year. 

Since the Roe vs. Wade decision in 1973, our country has taken the lives of over 62 million children, and our land is stained with the guilt of their innocent blood.

Isaiah 1:15-20 paints a vivid picture of this:

“When you spread out your hands, I will hide my eyes from you; even though you make many prayers, I will not listen; your hands are full of blood. 16 Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean; remove the evil of your deeds from before my eyes; cease to do evil, 17 learn to do good;
seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow's cause.

18 “Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool. 19 If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land; 20 but if you refuse and rebel, you shall be eaten by the sword; for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”

I often hear people quote the second half of this passage, but ignore the first half.  

Why would God not listen to the prayers of the Israelites?  Because their hands were full of blood.  Then the Lord goes on to say: “though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool.”  

God is capable of washing away blood guilt.  No sin is too great for him to forgive!  But notice what is required – repentance.  Not just a feeling of remorse, but true genuine repentance that results in action: “cease to do evil, learn to do good, seek justice, correct oppression.”

Just as it was in the days of Israel, so repentance is the only hope for our nation.  He granted it to Nineveh.  He can grant it to America.  May the Spirit of God grant us true biblical repentance, and may we – his children – be the first to model it.

Suggested things to pray for:

• Today let’s offer prayers of repentance up to the Lord on behalf of ourselves and our nation.  Earnestly plead for God to grant us a spirit of repentance that leads to transformation and revival.