Hebrews 9:18-22. Paul reminds the Hebrews and us that there is no forgiveness of sins without the shedding of blood. "Hence even the first covenant was not ratified without blood." After Moses declared all the Lord's commandments to the Israelites he sprinkled them and the book of the law with the blood of calves and goats saying "This is the blood of the covenant which God commanded you." Indeed, Paul points out, "under the law almost everything is purified with blood."

Moses was the mediator of the first covenant and he purified the people and the holy things with the sacrificial blood. Christ, as not only the mediator of the new covenant, but as the sacrificial lamb himself, has purified the entire world with his blood. It was a necessary sacrifice - the only way for all of creation to be purified and given a new life was for the creator himself to shed his own perfect blood as the sacrifice.

Blood is the flowing of life within our bodies, it is like the waters of the earth. And just like water is essential for the cleaning and purification of earthly things, blood is essential for the cleaning and purification of heavenly things. Thus, the holy ones who survive the tribulation wash their robes in the blood of the lamb and they become white. Revelation 7:13-17.

Sacrificial blood purifies and makes holy. Perfect sacrificial blood , that could only be shed by Christ, makes perfect purification and holiness.