November 3rd, 2025
by Stacy Long
by Stacy Long
The Walking Dead: From Death to Life
We often think of "the walking dead" as fictional zombies in movies and TV shows. But spiritually speaking, many of us may be walking around in a state of death without even realizing it. This profound truth emerges when we examine some often-overlooked passages in the Old Testament about blood, sacrifice, and cleansing.
In the ancient Israelite sacrificial system, animal sacrifices were never about suffering or substitution. Rather, they were about accessing life to counteract the forces of death. The Bible tells us that "the life is in the blood" (Leviticus 17:11). When sin contaminated the holy spaces of God's sanctuary, blood was applied to cleanse those objects - never to people directly.
This raises an intriguing question: If blood wasn't put on people for sin, when was it applied to them? There were only two instances in Scripture where this occurred. The first was at the inauguration of the Mosaic covenant, described in Exodus 24. Moses took the blood of sacrificed animals and threw half of it on the altar (representing God) and half on the people. This wasn't about cleansing, but rather binding two parties together in a covenant relationship through shared life.
The second instance involved two nearly identical ceremonies: the ordination of priests and the cleansing of those healed from skin diseases (often mistranslated as "leprosy"). In both cases, blood was applied to the right ear, right thumb, and right big toe, followed by oil in the same places. For priests, this signified their transition from common to sacred status. For the healed person, it marked their transition from the realm of death back to the realm of the living.
These Old Testament rituals shed light on profound spiritual realities. Those with contagious skin diseases were considered "the walking dead" - carrying the forces of death with them wherever they went. Their healing and subsequent cleansing ceremony restored them to the land of the living.
This concept illuminates a powerful New Testament verse: "We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love each other. Anyone who does not love remains in death" (1 John 3:14). The apostle John isn't speaking in mere metaphors. He's drawing on this rich Old Testament imagery to describe a spiritual reality. Those who don't have the love of God flowing through them to others are still in the realm of death, regardless of their religious claims or practices.
The Psalms provide a poignant illustration of this principle. When King David committed adultery with Bathsheba and arranged the murder of her husband, he found himself in an impossible situation. The Old Testament law provided no sacrifice to atone for premeditated murder or adultery. David was, spiritually speaking, a dead man walking.
In his anguish, David penned Psalm 51, crying out to God: "Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow" (Psalm 51:7). This wasn't just poetic language. David was specifically referencing the cleansing ritual for those healed of skin diseases - the only ceremony involving hyssop that could transition someone from death to life. He recognized his spiritual state and pleaded for God's mercy to restore him.
David's prayer reveals a profound truth: God responds to genuine humility and repentance, even when our actions seem beyond redemption. The prophet Isaiah echoes this, declaring God's words: "These are the ones I look on with favor: those who are humble and contrite in spirit, and who tremble at my word" (Isaiah 66:2).
This message carries immense implications for our spiritual lives today. It's not enough to simply believe certain facts about Jesus or to go through religious motions. God is looking for transformed hearts that overflow with His love. When we harbor hatred, unforgiveness, or indifference towards others, we remain in a state of spiritual death.
The good news is that through Christ, we have access to a powerful, life-giving force. Jesus confronted death itself and emerged victorious. Now, the Holy Spirit takes that resurrection life and imparts it to us. We're not just cleansed from past sins; we're infused with divine life that can overflow to others.
This understanding reframes our entire approach to the Christian life. It's not about mere behavior modification or intellectual assent to doctrines. It's about allowing the life of Christ to so permeate our being that we become conduits of His love and power to a world trapped in death.
The invitation is clear: Will we remain content as spiritual zombies, going through the motions of religion without true life? Or will we, like David, cry out in humility for God to cleanse us and fill us with His life-giving presence?
The choice is ours, but the stakes are eternal. God, in His mercy, continually calls us to move from death to life. He offers cleansing, not just from our past mistakes, but from the very forces of death that seek to cling to us. Yet, He won't force this transformation upon us. We must choose to humble ourselves, confess our need, and open our hearts to His life-giving Spirit.
As we embrace this reality, we discover an astounding truth: We don't just receive life for ourselves. We become agents of life to others. The same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead now dwells in us, empowering us to bring hope, healing, and restoration to a world desperately in need.
Today, let's examine our hearts. Are we truly alive in Christ, or are we simply going through religious motions? Do we harbor unforgiveness, bitterness, or hatred that keeps us trapped in death? Let's cry out like David, "Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me" (Psalm 51:10).
As we yield to God's transforming work, we'll find ourselves gradually moving from death to life, from mere existence to abundant living. And in the process, we'll become beacons of hope, pointing others to the source of true life found only in Jesus Christ.
(This blog was created from Stacy Long's original sermon using pulpit.ai)
We often think of "the walking dead" as fictional zombies in movies and TV shows. But spiritually speaking, many of us may be walking around in a state of death without even realizing it. This profound truth emerges when we examine some often-overlooked passages in the Old Testament about blood, sacrifice, and cleansing.
In the ancient Israelite sacrificial system, animal sacrifices were never about suffering or substitution. Rather, they were about accessing life to counteract the forces of death. The Bible tells us that "the life is in the blood" (Leviticus 17:11). When sin contaminated the holy spaces of God's sanctuary, blood was applied to cleanse those objects - never to people directly.
This raises an intriguing question: If blood wasn't put on people for sin, when was it applied to them? There were only two instances in Scripture where this occurred. The first was at the inauguration of the Mosaic covenant, described in Exodus 24. Moses took the blood of sacrificed animals and threw half of it on the altar (representing God) and half on the people. This wasn't about cleansing, but rather binding two parties together in a covenant relationship through shared life.
The second instance involved two nearly identical ceremonies: the ordination of priests and the cleansing of those healed from skin diseases (often mistranslated as "leprosy"). In both cases, blood was applied to the right ear, right thumb, and right big toe, followed by oil in the same places. For priests, this signified their transition from common to sacred status. For the healed person, it marked their transition from the realm of death back to the realm of the living.
These Old Testament rituals shed light on profound spiritual realities. Those with contagious skin diseases were considered "the walking dead" - carrying the forces of death with them wherever they went. Their healing and subsequent cleansing ceremony restored them to the land of the living.
This concept illuminates a powerful New Testament verse: "We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love each other. Anyone who does not love remains in death" (1 John 3:14). The apostle John isn't speaking in mere metaphors. He's drawing on this rich Old Testament imagery to describe a spiritual reality. Those who don't have the love of God flowing through them to others are still in the realm of death, regardless of their religious claims or practices.
The Psalms provide a poignant illustration of this principle. When King David committed adultery with Bathsheba and arranged the murder of her husband, he found himself in an impossible situation. The Old Testament law provided no sacrifice to atone for premeditated murder or adultery. David was, spiritually speaking, a dead man walking.
In his anguish, David penned Psalm 51, crying out to God: "Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow" (Psalm 51:7). This wasn't just poetic language. David was specifically referencing the cleansing ritual for those healed of skin diseases - the only ceremony involving hyssop that could transition someone from death to life. He recognized his spiritual state and pleaded for God's mercy to restore him.
David's prayer reveals a profound truth: God responds to genuine humility and repentance, even when our actions seem beyond redemption. The prophet Isaiah echoes this, declaring God's words: "These are the ones I look on with favor: those who are humble and contrite in spirit, and who tremble at my word" (Isaiah 66:2).
This message carries immense implications for our spiritual lives today. It's not enough to simply believe certain facts about Jesus or to go through religious motions. God is looking for transformed hearts that overflow with His love. When we harbor hatred, unforgiveness, or indifference towards others, we remain in a state of spiritual death.
The good news is that through Christ, we have access to a powerful, life-giving force. Jesus confronted death itself and emerged victorious. Now, the Holy Spirit takes that resurrection life and imparts it to us. We're not just cleansed from past sins; we're infused with divine life that can overflow to others.
This understanding reframes our entire approach to the Christian life. It's not about mere behavior modification or intellectual assent to doctrines. It's about allowing the life of Christ to so permeate our being that we become conduits of His love and power to a world trapped in death.
The invitation is clear: Will we remain content as spiritual zombies, going through the motions of religion without true life? Or will we, like David, cry out in humility for God to cleanse us and fill us with His life-giving presence?
The choice is ours, but the stakes are eternal. God, in His mercy, continually calls us to move from death to life. He offers cleansing, not just from our past mistakes, but from the very forces of death that seek to cling to us. Yet, He won't force this transformation upon us. We must choose to humble ourselves, confess our need, and open our hearts to His life-giving Spirit.
As we embrace this reality, we discover an astounding truth: We don't just receive life for ourselves. We become agents of life to others. The same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead now dwells in us, empowering us to bring hope, healing, and restoration to a world desperately in need.
Today, let's examine our hearts. Are we truly alive in Christ, or are we simply going through religious motions? Do we harbor unforgiveness, bitterness, or hatred that keeps us trapped in death? Let's cry out like David, "Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me" (Psalm 51:10).
As we yield to God's transforming work, we'll find ourselves gradually moving from death to life, from mere existence to abundant living. And in the process, we'll become beacons of hope, pointing others to the source of true life found only in Jesus Christ.
(This blog was created from Stacy Long's original sermon using pulpit.ai)
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