But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect, to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel.

This passage is from one of the most powerful in the New Testament.  It follows the great "roll call of faith" in Chapter 11.  Chapter 12 begins by saying that since we are surrounded by this great cloud of witnesses - great people of faith who have gone before us and are in the stands cheering us on - we need to run our race with perseverance and keep our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our Faith.  Then the writer goes on to talk about God's Kingdom.  We didn't come to the foot of a mountain trembling in fear, we have come to the City of the Living God, the heavenly Jerusalem.

In this city are the angels and the saints of God, Jesus, our Mediator, and his blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Able.

What does that mean, that the blood of Jesus speaks a better word than the blood of Abel?

Abel was the victim of the first murder.  He was killed by his brother Cain out of jealousy, because God accepted Abel's sacrifice and rejected Cain's.  The blood of Abel cried out for justice.  The blood of Abel cried out for vengeance.

Jesus was also a victim of injustice and violence.  He was sinless and blameless, yet He was executed in a cruel manner on the cross.  But unlike Abel, Jesus shed his blood willingly as a sacrifice for sin.  So the blood of Jesus doesn't cry out for vengeance.  The blood of Jesus speaks of mercy and forgiveness, which is a nobler, more gracious message.  The blood of Jesus speaks mercy and offers righteousness, a better word than the blood of Abel.

It is because of that blood and because of that sacrifice, because of that message that we can come before God cleansed of our sin. The next verse (verse 25) says that we need to be sure that we do not refuse, or reject the one Who speaks. 

Have you refused the blood of Jesus and it's offer of mercy and forgiveness?