The son of God in the old testament

(2)

4- The testimony of blood

After killing of Abel by his brother1, the bible told us about the voice of the blood that cry2 upon
God. And later on we see Reuben reproved his brothers, thinking that their problem was due to
their brother's murder. And he said to them " his blood is required" (Gen42:22). But we are
surprised by the postponing of the punishment of Cain in despite of killing Abel, In addition to
giving a sign for Cain protection!!! Although we see that " Whose shredded man's blood, by man
shall his blood be shed" because "surely your blood of your lives will I require; at the hand of
every beast will I require it, and at the hand of man; at the hand of every man's brother will I
require the life of man"(Gen 9)

All these example we see the shouting of blood for vengeance. But we are also been told about
another blood effect. Blood of glory (Gen 49:11, Deu 32:14), salvation (Exo 4:25-26, Exo 12:7)
which when God saw it, He" will pass over you. And the plague shall not be upon you for a
destruction"(Exo 12:13(, for sanctification and purification (Exo 24:6-8, Lev 6:27, Lev 8:15 ), for
atonement(Exo 30:10), and testimony (Exo 24:8)

If the blood has all these benefits why eating it is forbidden (Lev 7:26). If this prohibition is due
to being life is present in the blood (Deu_12:23, Psa 30:9), does God like offering the dyeing
animals to obtain their life?!

If the blood defiles the land, how another blood will cleanse it?! "So you shall not defile the land
in which you are. For blood defiles the land. And the land cannot be cleansed of the blood that is
shed in it, except by the blood of him that shed it." (Num 35:33). It may be related to blood of
killer to achieve justice but what about the blood of animal ?!

"With what shall I come before Jehovah, to bow myself before God the Most High? Shall I come
before Him with burnt offerings, with calves of a year old? Will Jehovah be pleased with
thousands of rams, with ten thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my first-born for my
transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? (Mech 6:6,7)3. Still the priest need to
make an atonement with sacrifice. And it shall be forgiven the sinner" (Lev 4,5,6 Num 15….)!!!

1
After telling the birth of Cain and Abel, the bible completed the story with mention of Abel before Cain
in spite of he was not the firstborn
2
‫ צעק‬is used to express an ask or complain with insistence and often with pain in addition to concord in
case of group ( e.g. Gen 27:34, Exo 5:15, Num 12:13, Jdg 12:1). It's differs from other words like‫( צהל‬in
LXX it's translated as ‫ צעק‬was translated i.e. βοάω - Isa 54:1), or ‫ ( זעק‬in LXX is translated in another word
κραυγή- Gena8:20) which can also be translated as cry or shout but not often with sadness.
3
There are a lot of examples in the old testament speaking about the new sacrifices, sacrifices of pray .
But they are related to previous remission. This is obvious in some verses like "Say to Him, Take away all
The voice of Abel's blood as that of others needs justice. But it carried another symbol for
another voice. Cain didn't die but he took a sign from God of justice not to be killed!!! Abel's
blood carry a symbolic voice for another blood speaks things better than it.

Abel's blood is the first blood cried unto God and worked. The effect of its crying was judgment
despite of a companying mercy4. But still the sin was present5. All the blood before Jesus
crucifixion was carrying judgment. Jesus Christ said " on you may come all the righteous blood
shed on the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah the son of
Berachiah6" (Matt 23:35). While he said about his blood " Father, forgive them, for they do not
know what they do" (Luk23:34). And said also "I do not come to judge the world, but to save the
world" (John 12:47)

Abel was killed for his righteousness, because of testifying of his gifts by God. And by his offered
sacrifice, he spoke even after his death, Signifying his brother's sin and deserving of Judgment.
But Christ Jesus's blood was the true sacrifice offered for sins of others, asking for mercy and
remission of sins. Thus the blood of Jesus speaks better than that of Abel (Heb 12:24), although
both of them spoke after their owners death, both of them were associated with mercy for
murders, and both of them were associated with sacrifice, sins7, righteousness and judgment.

In Christ's blood, it becomes obvious the purification effect of blood. We could understand why
and how the Abel's blood voice allowed for some degree the postpone of Cain judgment. Even if

iniquity, and receive us graciously, that we may repay with the calves of our lips" (Hos 14:2). And
sometimes the bible signifies the pray and broken heart over the animal sacrifices "For You do not desire
sacrifice; or else I would give it; You do not delight in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken
spirit; a broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise." (Psa 51:16,17). This didn't ignore the
theological doing which wasn't absolutely related to animal sacrifices "Purge me with hyssop, and I shall
be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow….Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold
me with thy free spirit."(Psa 51:7,12).
We can easily realize that the sacrifices and blood effect take their power from supernatural non-
temporal sacrifice which gives every sacrifice its effect. Thus offering of these symbolic animal sacrifices as
a routine work without preparing of the heart and mind about that non-temporal true sacrifice prevents
receiving of the power of this sacrifice. "For I desired mercy and not sacrifice, and the knowledge of God
more than burnt offerings. But, like Adam, they have broken the covenant. They have acted like traitors
against Me there" (Hos 6:6,7)
4
whoever kills Cain shall be avenged seven times. And Jehovah set a mark upon Cain(Gen 4:15). it isn't
actually understood how God protect the killer unless there is a sign for another blood voice doing
something different and better than the normal blood voice.
5
My punishment {‫ עון‬fault, punishment of iniquity, sin) is greater than I can bear (Gen 4:13)
6
Some fathers considered Zechariah the son of Berachiah is Zechariah the son of Jehoiada( either
Brachiah is Jehoiada or Brachia is son of Jehioda). Others, in addition to a lot of recent commentaries,
considered him is the prophet of the book of Zechariah in the old testament. He might be killed later on
after the book Nehemiah was written or merely not mentioned. But the third opinion, which I found more
accepted, he is Zachariah, Father of John, the Baptist. Also Gregory of Nyssa and Cyril of Alexandria
explained the tradition of killing of Zachariah, father of John by Jews near the altar (PG46:1132B-1137C,
PG72:717C-721A)
7
Cain didn't obtain witness that he was righteous even before killing of his brothers. He also didn't believe
and obey the warning of God to return from iniquity
Cain might be killed by Lamech. This may point to whom will not believe in God or sinned with
insistence although their clear knowledge of Him. They will be convicted concerning sin, and
concerning righteousness, and concerning judgment (John 8:16). And they will be under
punishment of " who has trampled the Son of God, and who has counted the blood of the
covenant with which he was sanctified an unholy thing, and has insulted the Spirit of
grace?(Heb10:29)

In the old testament, We meet the sacrifices and offerings and their temporary effect, as " it is
not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins" (Heb 10:4). And when
Israelites thought that theses sacrifices were like a magic, had inside them their own effect on
God, God clarified that:" I will take no bull out of your house, nor he-goats out of your folds. For
every beast of the forest is Mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills. I know all the birds of the
mountains; and the wild beasts of the field are Mine. If I were hungry, I would not tell you, for
the world is Mine, and the fullness of it. Will I eat the flesh of the mighty, or drink the blood of
goats?(Psa 50:9-13).

Thus we meet a lot like that in old testament, "Sacrifice and offering You did not desire" (Psa
40:6)." For You do not desire sacrifice; or else I would give it (Psa51:16)" To what purpose is the
multitude of your sacrifices to Me?.... When you come to appear before Me, who has required
this at your hand, to trample My courts? Bring no more vain sacrifice; incense is an abomination
to Me" (Isa 1:11-13). And we saw God asked Ibrahim to sacrifice his son8 although this type of
sacrifice He never commanded nor spoke, nor did it come into His mind. (Jer 19:5)

Sacrifices in the old testament, their blood was used upon the altar of burnt offering
repeatedly; upon the horns ( Lev 4:25), round about (Lev1:11)at the side (Lev1:15), at the
bottom(Lev4:7), before the vail of sanctuary (Lev4:6). In addition to another sacrifice was done
annually outside the door, the Passover sacrifice (Exo 12:7)9

But there was a sacrifice which was done only once every year by the high priest only. This
special sacrifice was that of the Day of Atonement ‫ אֵ ָתנִ ים‬in which only 1- He shall put on the
holy linen coat, and he shall have the linen breeches upon his flesh 2- He shall bring within the
vail; incense upon the fire before the LORD, that the cloud of the incense may cover the mercy
seat that is upon the testimony, that he die not 3- He shall take of the blood of the bullock and
the blood of goat, and sprinkle it with his finger upon the mercy seat eastward; and before the
mercy seat shall he sprinkle of the blood with his finger seven times. 4- the bullock for the sin
offering, and the goat for the sin offering, whose blood was brought in to make atonement in
the holy place, shall one carry forth outside the camp; and they shall burn in the fire their skins,
and their flesh, and their dung 5- send the goat away away (Lev 16)10

8
We will discuss that later on
9
All these sacrifices carried a sign or more for work and life of Christ.
10
I hope we can discuss this day later on in details
Almost all the sacrifices were only limited to reach the altar, or only between the temple and
the altar. The only blood could enter within the vail was that of the day of atonement. Thus all
blood before Jesus from Abel which is killed outside the door up to the Zachariah11 which is
killed between the temple and the altar can't enter into that within the veil. All of them were
merely imperfect symbols.

The only blood - whose flesh was burnt outside the camp, has risen from the dead having freed
prisoners out of the pit by the blood of the covenant (Zach 9:11) as the away-sent goat, was
present in a weak despised and rejected (Isa 53:3) fashion12 , a meek king (Zach 9:9) like the
linen breeches- is the Jesus's blood. This blood that can enter within the veil, offering incense on
his flesh instead of altar of incense which needs to be atoned13. So this blood speaks better
things than that of Abel(Heb 12:24). And as it's the true blood of sprinkling (Heb 12:24) whose
near symbol were sprinkling upon the mercy seat

In sacrifices blood we meet a new concept of blood, blood of covenant14. we saw blood for
purification and hallowing of even the things that would be used for sacrifices (alter, sanctuary,
garments…..), even the people who were responsible for this service (Exo 29:20). It was used as
the blood of covenant" Moses took the blood and sprinkled it on the people, and said, Behold
the blood of the covenant, which Jehovah has made with you concerning all these words" (Exo
24:8)

But there was a promise with a new covenant, a covenant by a meek king, king of peace. A king
which would free the prisoners of hope (from Abel until Him) by blood of covenant, not by the
weapons of war. " Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem; behold,
your King comes to you. He is righteous and victorious, meek and riding on an ass, even on a
colt, the son of an ass. And I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem.
And the battle bow shall be cut off, and He shall speak peace to the nations; and His dominion
shall be from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth. You also, by the blood of
Your covenant I have freed Your prisoners out of the pit in which is no water. Turn to the

11
In the Targum Neofiti blood of Abel is replaced by " blood o f the righteous multitudes that were to
arise from Abel your brother". Actually all these blood"s" are of the same kind of humanity. The new
blood of the new kind, the blood of the new covenant, is that of the Christ. " And to Jesus the mediator of
the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel."
(Heb12:24). " now in Christ Jesus you who were once afar off are made near by the blood of Christ"
(Eph2:13)
12
"who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God. but made Himself of no
reputation, and took upon Himself the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men. And being
found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of the
cross."(Php2:6-8)
13
In the Sunday praise of the Coptic church there is a hymn says: " They likened the high priest, to our
Savior, the true Sacrifice, for the forgiveness of sins. He who offered Himself, as an acceptable sacrifice,
upon the Cross, for the salvation of our race."
14
We will speak later on about the covenant in general.
stronghold, prisoners of hope15; even today I declare that I will return to you double." (Zec 9:9-
12)

Also Jeremiah told about this covenant " Behold, the days come, says Jehovah, that I will cut a
new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah, not according to the
covenant that I cut with their fathers in the day I took them by the hand to bring them out of the
land of Egypt; which covenant of Mine they broke, although I was a husband to them, says
Jehovah; but this shall be the covenant that I will cut with the house of Israel: After those days,
says Jehovah, I will put My Law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and I will be
their God, and they shall be My people. …..So says Jehovah: If you can break My covenant of the
day and My covenant of the night, and that there should not be day and night in their season,
then also may My covenant with David My servant be broken, that he should not have a son to
reign on his throne, and My covenant with the Levites the priests, My ministers.( Jer 31:32,33,
33:20,21)

However, is the priests and the king from son of David were present all time?! Even now, is the
king of Israel is the son of David, or is there a priests16 got out from Levites?! Or surely there is a
new priesthood and a new kingdom with a new covenant accompanying a new sacrifice.
Sacrifice can explain that the blood which carry the life can be drunken to give the eternal life of
its owner.

The bible says " Sacrifice and offering You did not desire; My ears You have opened17: burnt
offering and sin offering You have not asked.. Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book
it is written of me" (Psa 40:6,7)18. Of whom is written in the volume of book? In the Septuagint
translation "My ears You have opened" was been translated as "σῶμα κατηρτίσω μοι=a body
didst thou prepare for me". Away from different opinions about this source of translation, we
meet another way God Himself prepared or dug instead of different types of offering19. This way
He Himself did, not asked people to do, according to volume of book.

Later on, Jesus will come giving offering and sacrifices, making the new covenant- not by animal
blood but by His Own blood " And He took the cup and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying,
Drink all of it. For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission

15
later on we will hear from Jesus about the judgment requiring blood, from Abel till others who have
hope in the Savior, not as the other who didn't know the time of your visitation (Luk 19:44). Irenaeus said
" And the taking away of judgment is for some unto salvation, and to some unto the 131 torments of
perdition": The Demonstration of the Apostolic Preaching 69 (compare Joh 16:8-11)
16
We will discuss the new priesthood later on.
17
‫ ּכרה‬this word means digging (e.g. a pit, a well), not merely open something , like eye or mouth.
Whatever this phrase told about obeying with pain or the voluntarily chosen slavery, it reminds us with "
though being a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered" (Heb 5:8)
18
Compare ( Heb 10:5-10)
19
In this verse- in comparison to other verses which spoke about the internal life requirement (broken
spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, mercy, obeying) over sacrifices - almost main types of sacrifices and
offering even that related to sin are mentioned!
of sins" (Mat 26:27,28) " I am the Living Bread which came down from Heaven. If anyone eats of
this Bread, he shall live forever. And truly the bread that I will give is My flesh, which I will give
for the life of the world" (Joh 6:50)

5- The sons of God

After birth of Seth and his son Enos, the bible identified the time when the men began to call
‫ קרא‬upon the name of God (Gen4:26). We can consider that means the beginning of the
worship of God. But according to Neofiti, this means that the sons o f man began to make idols
(or a foreign cult) for themselves and to surname them by the name of the Memra o f the Lord.

After that, the bible listed offspring of the good branch of Adam starting from Adam that God
made him in the likeness of God (Gen5:1). Later on we met sons of God and daughters of men
(Gen6:2). In Neofiti, sons of God are called sons of judges20. Thus Lukas in the bible, he upraised
up to God in the offspring of Jesus to showed the acceptance of being son of God (Luk3:38-
22:70).

But Jews, according to old testament knew that there is a true Son of God who is actually god,
although the scriptures mentioned that" You are gods; and all of you sons of the Most High"
(Psa 81:6). However there is a true Son of God with the same theology of Father, the Creator. In
proverb clearly we read "Who has gone up to Heaven and has come down? Who has gathered
the wind in His fists? Who has bound the waters in His garments? Who has established all the
ends of the earth? What is His name, and what is His Son's name? Surely you know"(Pro 30:4).
And again bible told about the Wisdom the creator " even I was a workman at His side (one
brought up with him)21; and I was daily His delight, rejoicing always before Him" (Pro 8:30)22

So Jews know that they can be called son of God. But actually there is a son of the Most high
who is actually His Son. The later one can be identified by His works which are the same and
that of God, His father, the Creator.

20
The theory that sons of God are angels may be due to overlapped interpretation between mlkyy (king)
and ml'k (angel). See apparatus of chapter6 ,Martin McNamara: The Aramaic Bible-Targum Neofiti 1
Genesis
‫( ָ֫אמ֥ ֹון‬an artificer- architect-master workman- This word wasn't used again in the old testament) ‫ֹו‬- ‫אֶא ְצ ֗ל‬
21

(beside - joining together- by "him" - This word reminds us with πρὸς =with in John 1:1)
22
Some explained the addition of Wisdom in Targum Neofiti for Gen1:1 as following "From the beginning
with wisdom the Memra of the Lord created" as a trial to explain the role of wisdom in creation
depending on this verse (Pro 8:30). In apparatus, Martin McNamara added that some variants in the
manuscripts of Codex Neofiti contained corrected erasure reading “in wisdom the son of the Lord (br’
dyyyy) perfected". This reading, whatever the condition of its text, can reflect (pro 30:4). According to his
notes for this chapter Rabbinic tradition, identifying wisdom and the Torah, speaks of God creating the
world by the Torah. Even in Islamic Sunna ; God (Allah) created the word with His Word, and His words (
including Quran) are not created.
Jesus said to them :"If He called those gods with whom the Word of God was, and the Scripture
cannot be broken, do you say of Him whom the Father has sanctified and sent into the world23,
You blaspheme, because I said, I am the Son of God? If I do not do the works of My Father, do
not believe Me. But if I do, though you do not believe Me, believe the works so that you may
know and believe that the Father is in Me, and I in Him." (Joh 10:35-38)

Seth became a symbol for Christ, the true son of God. Sons of God went away from God, run
behind daughters of men. However the true Son of God came to become a Son of man, seed of
women to deliver them to their Father again. Although "son of God" is not a strange expression
for Jews, still they knows that there is a true son of God, Christ, the true Son of God, the true
Son of the Most High (Mat 26:63)

6- New Adam

across the old testament we see a lot of examples of a new Adam, Adam who will carry the
responsibility of generation of the new creature, pleased seed. Who will be the leader and will
solve the problems of the old Adam.

We have seen the better voice of the new Adam, Christ which speaks better than that of Abel to
salve all the creation and carry the sins of the sinners " for the transgression of My people He
was stricken.. He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days, and the will of Jehovah shall
prosper in His hand…He bore the sin of many, and made intercession for transgressors." (Isa
53:8-12)

We will review some examples of new Adams who were not obligatory firstborn, but almost of
time, replaced the firstborn

- Adam and Woman's seed: first time and first promise. When Adam and his wife sinned and
were needed for salvation, we see a new generation, new seed who will overcome the serpent.
(Note the death; bruising of His heel and the resurrection; bruising of serpent head)

- Cain and Abed-Seth: Cain was the firstborn and the promising son but his sins ( killing of a living
one and destruction and cutting of the promising seed ) were corrected by Abel24 who was killed
for his sacrifice by which his blood spoke. And Seth who was " instead of Abel". As Abel couldn't
be raised from death cause of no true living or creation power inside him. So Seth completed
the symbolic life for new Adam who will be killed to overcome the judgment and serpent and
rise from death to give the new good generation, Woman(church)'s seed.

- Adam and Noah: the new generation and new life will arise again from Noah after death of all
old generations. Noah was symbolically dead and raised In flood "while the ark was being
prepared in which a few, that is, eight souls were saved through water. which figure now also

23
" I come, in the volume of the Book it is written of Me; I delight to do Your will, O My God; and Your
Law is within My heart."(Psa 40:7,8)
24
We have noted that Abel was the preeminet in spite of he was not the firstborn (Gen 4:2)
saves us, baptism; not a putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good
conscience toward God, by the resurrection of Jesus Christ(1Pe 3:20,21)

- Terah and Abraham: by Abraham, the new blessed seed will come in miracle manner. From
the deadening of Sarah's womb and his own already dead body (Rom 4:19) come alive, Isaac.
Abraham left his country, Kindred, and his father's' house to another land to be a great nation.
Abraham was also the firstborn, obeying son which became the only son with his father,
however he was worshiping true God at variance with his father.

- Ismail and Isaac: Isaac can be consider the firstborn (to Sarah, and from the first wife) and also
the only son. But he is also the second one, come to be new Adam instead of Ismail. Of course
symbolism of his death and resurrection in story of Abraham's sacrifice is so obvious.

- Esau and Jacob: Although Esau was the firstborn, but he delight with a foreign women25.
However Jacob, as his father, took his wife from Abraham family. Jacob also went through death
experience many times; with Laban, against Esau. Also with a Man who wrestled with him, he
took a sign of death i.e. limping. But went back again to his family (Gen 32)26 with a new
generation.

There are a lot of examples of sinned one and the new one who toke his place. We will mention
them later on with every character. In addition to New Eva which by obeying to the Word of
God, man was reanimated and received life27

25
Along the bible, delighting or clinging to foreign or sinned women in love is pointing and related to
foreign worship. In contrast to that, it's praised to follow hard after and cling to God (2King 18:6-psa 63:8)
26
This story with symbolic events and it's possible relation to Gethsemane is a big entity. When Jacob
took the power to face his fears and temptation, to do the commandment of God of Abraham (Gen32:9).
This power, also was needing to get rid of self- confidence and making flesh his arm (Jer 17:5). He was in
need to learn: When He suffers, He doesn't threaten, but gives himself up to Him who judges righteously
(1Pet 2:23). So He touched the hollow of his thigh and Jacob become limping {later on we will see how
God ordered Gideon to decrease the people of his arm (Jdg 7:2), and will announce Paul that His My
power is made perfect in weakness(2Co 11:9)}. Now he became ready to rejoice as he was symbolically
partaker of Christ's suffering (1Pet 4:13) bearing in his body the brands of the Lord Jesus (Gal6:17). So
now he can take from the power of Gethsemane which for us Jesus prepared. Now he stretch forth to a
better fatherland, Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God (Heb 11:16). As Jesus sanctifies
them through sufferings perfecting the captain of their salvation. For which cause He is not ashamed to
call them brothers and for in that He Himself has suffered, having been tempted, He is able to rescue
those who are being tempted(Heb2). Thus God called him, after that, Israel. in addition to clinging His
name with him the God of "Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob" which motioned repeatedly along the bible.
27
Irenaeus: The Demonstration of the Apostolic Preaching 33. Also the great Paul compared a lot of times
between some of women of the old testament and new ecclesia.