Not too long ago, a good friend of ours was bitten by a copperhead. Her husband was out of town, but another friend took her to the hospital where she was given antivenom. She had a painful recovery, partly because she waited a while before seeking medical attention, but she did recover.
I just recently discovered that in the United States, the antivenom used for a pit viper snakebite (rattlesnakes, copperheads and water moccasins) is a purified product know as CroFab. It is made using sheep blood. Here is the process:
- A non-lethal dose of venom is injected into a sheep.
- The immune system produces an antibody targeting the venom.
- Blood is collected from the sheep.
- Plasma containing the antibodies is separated and concentrated and purified.
- This purified plasma can be given to treat a snakebite.
This life-saving medical marvel made me think of how the Blood of the Lamb of God is what saves us from the Serpent. When Adam and Eve went against God’s plan for their lives, listening to the Serpent, wanting to be like God, and doing the one thing God told them not to do, the venom of sin entered their lives and gave them a death sentence.
But God the Father had a solution. He took that “venom” and put it on His only-begotten Son. It wasn’t just a small dose. He put all the sin of everyone in the world on Him. If was a fatal dose. And Jesus took it. He poured out His blood through His suffering and crucifixion, and it was the cure for sin.
Hebrews 9:22 In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.
1 John 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.
1 John 2:2 He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.
The production of antivenom is a wonderful reminder that the blood of the Lamb of God has provided us the cure we need for our sinful condition that leads to death.
Many will endure a lot of needless pain and suffering because they don’t take the cure that God freely offers them. We need to make sure we keep telling this Good News so that people will hear about Jesus, put their faith in Him, and get the cure we have already received.
