I recently learned something that absolutely fascinates me.
Sheep’s blood is often used to make antivenom for some of the world’s most poisonous snakes. Yep, venom is injected into sheep and antibodies formed by the sheep are extracted from their blood to create antivenom.
Now, although very cool, the mechanics of antivenom production is not what amazes me. What gets me excited is the fact that the blood of a sheep defeats the venom of a snake. Why such excitement over this? Because it is essentially the story of the whole Bible, from Genesis to Revelation, written into creation itself!
At the very beginning of the Bible, in Genesis 3, we find the world’s first “snakebite.” Satan, in the form of a serpent, deceived Adam and Eve into disobeying God and eating from the forbidden tree. Consequently, creation and all of humanity became “snakebitten” because of their rebellion. Sin and death became the new reality and fear, shame, pain, and broken relationships, with both God and others, intruded on a once perfect existence.
But, amidst the tragedy of the Fall, God promised a remedy against the strike of the serpent Satan. The LORD cursed the serpent and declared the offspring of Eve would one day crush his head. (Genesis 3:14-15)
Later in Scripture, the long-awaited offspring arrived, just as promised. And how is he described?
As “the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29)
That’s right, a Lamb would crush the snake. A baby sheep would be the serpent’s demise.
“Like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before it’s shearers is silent” (Isaiah 53:7b), Jesus willingly poured out his blood on the cross and that blood was no match for the enemy. The Lamb’s sacrifice grants freedom from the power of the serpent’s bite (sin, death, and Satan) and allows us to become “his people, and the sheep of his pasture” (Psalm 100:3).
Now, this doesn’t mean that we will no longer be bitten by the enemy, experience hurt, and suffer from the poisons of this life. We remain in a fallen world.
But what it does mean for us today is that if we belong to Jesus, then the blood of the Lamb of God has ransomed us and we, as his sheep, have blood within us greater than the venom of the serpents of this life.
And what it means for the future is that one glorious day, sin, death, and Satan will be completely defeated forever and “the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of living water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes” (Revelation 7:17).
Maybe today you’re feeling the effects of the enemy’s snake bite. Or maybe you’re living in fear of the hurt it could bring. Let this be a sweet reminder that if you belong to Jesus, the venom has no power to destroy you. The blood of the Lamb secures the victory.
“To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!”
Revelation 5:13b ESV
