“And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony….”
Revelation 12:11 (RSV)
I read the following true post on a FB site:
“A rattlesnake bit one of my sheep in the face about a week ago. It’s the deadliest snake that lives around here. The sheep’s face swelled up and hurt her terribly. But the old rattlesnake didn’t know the kind of blood that flows through the sheep. Anti-venom is most often made from sheep’s blood. The sheep swelled for about two days, but the blood of the lamb destroyed the venom of the serpent. The sheep kept on eating, drinking, and climbing because she knew she was alright.”
When I read this, I fact checked it, and learned that it is a fact that sheep’s blood is used to produce an antivenin that treats snake bites in humans. This is because the immune system of sheep produces the antibodies that neutralize snake venom directly.
Since I never heard this before, I searched further and found a US Healthcare professionals website that confirmed it. I learned that a product called CroFab® or Crotalidae Polyvalent Immune Fab (Ovine) is a sheep-derived antivenin, indicated for the management of venomous snake bites in adult and pediatric patients in North America. This product is derived from sheep’s blood and is used for snakebites of rattlesnakes, copperheads, cottonmouths, and water moccasins.
I cannot believe that I lived over 70 years on this earth, and never heard this before. It’s no coincidence that in biblical history, Jesus is known as the “Lamb” of God (John 1:29) while the devil has always been known as the “serpent” from beginning to end in scripture.
(Genesis 3:14) (Revelation 12:9)
God knew what He was doing when He created everything, especially sheep and snakes. He created sheep’s blood with a natural immunity to the venom of snakes. This medical truth is not coincidence, it’s a spiritual message.
In other words, the blood of the Lamb says to the serpent’s venom, “Not here, devil !”
I thought it was interesting that the sheep who was bitten by a deadly snake, never even stopped eating, drinking or climbing, despite suffering pain and face swelling from the bite itself. The sheep had a built in confidence, and never stood still after being bit, but kept going, allowing its blood to do its thing, while the sheep recovered.
We should live with that confidence, and trust in the blood of Jesus, which is resistant to the venom of the serpent, or enemy of our soul. We may occasionally suffer temporary pain or affliction from its bite, but we have the immunity of the lamb’s blood within us.
We will still eat, drink and climb to the heights we were meant to climb because His blood gives us healing, deliverance and eternal life. The book of Revelation says that the serpent was conquered by the blood of the Lamb, and that all conquering blood is spiritually within all of us who believe in Jesus. We can pray with confidence for healing and deliverance in the power of His blood, which says, “Not here, devil !”
Lord, give us a greater confidence in the power in your blood. Help us to live with the reality of being your sheep, having your blood flowing within us, which heals, sets us free, neutralizes all evil and gives us eternal life. Amen