"plead the blood"

It is similar to some Christians saying they are praying a hedge of protection around someone. That smacks of witchcraft and magic. Indeed, mystical Catholicism and mystical Pentacostalism are two feathers from the same phoenix.

 

Charles Spurgeon, "Confession and Absolution":

"Friend, if we would come before God with our confessions, we must take care that we plead the blood of Christ! There is no hope for a poor sinner apart from the cross of Jesus. We may cry, 'God be merciful to me,' but the prayer can never be answered apart from the victim offered—the Lamb slain from before the foundation of the world! When you have your eyes upon the mercy seat, take care to have your eye upon the cross, too! Remember that the cross is, after all, the mercy seat! Mercy was never enthroned until she did hang upon the cross crowned with thorns! If you would find pardon, go to dark Gethsemane and see your Redeemer sweating, in deep anguish, gouts of gore! If you would have peace of conscience, go to Gabbatha, the pavement, and see your Savior’s back flooded with a stream of blood! If you would have the last best rest to your conscience, go to Golgotha—see the murdered victim as He hangs upon the cross with hands and feet and side all pierced, as every wound is gaping wide with extreme misery! There can be no hope for mercy apart from the victim offered—even Jesus Christ the Son of God! Oh, come, let us one and all approach the mercy seat and plead the blood! Let us each go and say, 'Father, I have sinned. Have mercy upon me, through Your Son.' Come, drunkard, give me your hand—we will go together! Harlot, give me your hand, too, and let us likewise approach the throne! And you, professing Christians, you come also! Be not ashamed of your company. Let us come before His presence with many tears, none of us accusing our fellows, but each one accusing himself! And let us plead the blood of Jesus Christ, which speaks peace and pardon to every troubled conscience!"

 

Thank you for this quote, Jerome. It gives context to the phrase.
Now, any good context to "praying a hedge of protection" around you?

 

Satan first used the reference to the hedge when he made reference to the protection God had given Job from Satan:

Job 1:10 Have you not put a hedge around him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land.

It is also used in Psalm 80:12

"Why have You broken down its hedges, so that all those who pass by the way pluck it?"

God's hedge of protection is spoken of in Isaiah 5:5:

"And now I will tell you what I will do to My vineyard; I will take away its hedge, and it shall be eaten up; and break down its wall, and it shall be trampled down;"

These hedges are a reference to God's protection to his people. The hedge is analogous of the thorn bush hedges they would grow to keep small livestock safe. It also kept the sheep and small livestock from wandering off into danger.

It is very common to pray for this analogous hedge and has been for a long time. There is no witchcraft or magic involved and to say it smack of it is to show a supreme level of ignorance not only over the use of the phrase but a basic principle in scripture. Such accusations are irresponsible and unnecessary.

 

The use of the phrase "plead the blood" is used differently by Spurgeon that it is explained in the op. What Spurgeon did was biblical those that use it in the way that is explained in the op do not.

 

How does someone "pray a hedge" around something? It seems to make God into a magic genie who gives protection by someone's incantation.
A Hedge witch has been around for millenniums. The concept of praying a hedge around someone smacks more of magic than of biblical faith.

 

Yes!

and from a Spurgeon sermon on Job, "Man's Scorn & God's Succor"

"my eyes pour out tears unto God" Job 16:20

"the tears of desire. I wish these were more frequent. Those are the prayers that prevail with God which are well salted with tears. I am afraid that the most of us do not pray as we should, but if we want to prevail, like Jacob, we must remember that Jacob wrestled the Angel and then he prevailed. Weeping, which reveals the soul's wrestling, will often do what nothing else can in bringing us great benedictions. We have all felt the power of tears over our own feelings and affections, but the power of tears over God, who shall describe it? The blood of Jesus secures all He wills, and when our tears look towards and plead the blood of Jesus, then those tears cannot be refused."

 

I will break this down for you in the most simplest terms so that you may gain a chance at understanding it. The phrase is analogous of Gods protection. When someone prays using this biblical term they are asking for Gods protection.

 

So why not say, "I am praying that God will keep you from physical or mental harm?"
"Praying a hedge of protection" sounds like a magical chant and incantation. It puts the emphasis on the prayer not the one who can answer prayer.

 

Charles Spurgeon, "Knock!"

text: Matt. 7:7 "Knock, and it shall be opened unto you."

"If you can only quote a promise applicable to your condition, and spread it before the Lord in faith and say, 'Remember this word unto Your servant upon which you have caused me to hope', you must obtain the blessing. Pleading the promise gives such a knock at the gate of heaven that it must be opened."

"the apostles...Jesus says to them, 'Hitherto you have asked nothing in my name'. It is a higher grade of prayer, and when we get to pleading Christ’s name with the Father, then do we gloriously prevail."

"At a Primitive Methodist meeting a person was trying to pray, but did not get on at it, and presently a voice was heard from the corner of the room, 'Plead the blood, brother! Plead the blood!'"

"this was to be commended, for it gave the right note, and set the pleader in his right place. Plead the precious blood of Jesus Christ, and you have knocked so that you must be heard."

 

Then don't use it if it bothers you. No one is asking you to use or like it. However, trying to saddle those that do with use of magic is unnecessary and childish. Grow up.

 

Thanks for your opinion Mr. Mitchell. I won't use it and I still think it puts the emphasis on human effort.

 

Echoed by Martin Luther!

Monergism.com ❧ Luther's Table Talk (CCCXXXI)

"the Apostles...prayed not as they should have prayed; for Christ says: 'Hitherto ye have not prayed in my name'"

"The upright prayer of the godly Christian is a strong hedge, as God himself says: "And I sought for a man among them that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land...[Ezek. 22:30]"

 

Which tells me you still do not understand it. You are too busy looking for the human effort boogyman

 

Monergism.com ❧ Matthew Henry, 9.5 "Evening Prayer for a Family"

"Make a hedge of protection, we pray thee, about us and about our house and about all that we have round about, that no evil may befall us, nor any plague come nigh our dwelling. The Lord be our keeper, who neither slumbers nor sleeps: Lord, be thou a sun and a shield to us."

 

I understand it. I just don't excuse man-centered Christianity.

 

Notice the phrasing is not "I pray a hedge of protection around you."

 

&...do you have a quibble with Martin Luther?

 

No you dont