Why did God Require Animal Sacrifices in the Old Testament?
The ancient practice of lamb sacrifices unto God can be mystifying. For many of us today, the thought of animal sacrifices seems to be a rather silly thing to practice in order to honor God.
Yet, the Bible explicitly confirms that Animal sacrifice was indeed an important event and found throughout Scripture because “without the shedding of blood there simply can be no forgiveness” of sin. (Hebrews 9:22)
So then how is it that the shedding of blood has the capacity to atone for sin? Isn’t killing an act of evil? And if sin is so serious, how can it be that the sacrificing of a poor little innocent Lamb absolve anyone from sin?
These are all good questions. The simple answer has to do with the way that Almighty God has bestowed life itself unto us. God breathed the “breath of life” into man’s body, but the body is only able to sustain breath in it through the constant circulation of Blood.
Life is in the Blood
Leviticus 17:11 For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul.
Thus within this verse we are informed that life is in the Blood and that it is from Blood that atonement for sins can be absolved!
That sounds simple enough, except for one fact. The only Blood that is pure enough to avail the forgiveness of Sin is the Blood of a perfect Sacrificial candidate!
The blood of Lambs and goats could never truly accomplish a perfect sacrifice; but God ordained the “sacrificial system” of Lambs to demonstrate a “temporary appeasement” of sin until a perfect sacrificial candidate could be selected!
In essence; God required animal sacrifices to provide only a temporary covering of sins and to foreshadow the perfect and complete sacrifice of His own Son; which He would ultimately provide!
The animal sacrifices that God commanded for Israel to observe were basically symbolic of that future Sacrifice of Gods own Lamb! The sacrifices animal simply served as an atonement substitute, that is, the animal died in the place of the sinner, which is why the animal sacrifices needed to be offered over and over.
The OT Animal sacrifices of Lambs simply foreshadowed Jesus Christ's sacrifice on our behalf; and “His Blood” was pure enough to fulfill and finish the sacrificial system for Sin!
Any animal sacrifices necessarily ended 2000 years ago because Jesus Christ was the ultimate and perfect sacrifice. John the Baptist recognized this when he saw Jesus coming to be baptized and said, "Look, the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!" (John 1:29)
You may be asking yourself, as I am want to ask, why animals? What did they do wrong? That is the point; since the animals did no wrong, they sacrificially died in place of the one performing the sacrifice.
Likewise, Jesus Christ also did no wrong but willingly gave Himself to die for the sins of mankind. (I Timothy 2:6)
Jesus Christ took our sins upon Himself and died in our place; and through His one single perfect sacrifice; all sins can be forgiven by simply accepting his sin-payment and asking him for forgiveness!
II Corinthians 5:21 For he (God) hath made him (His Son) to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be transformed into the righteousness of God in him.
Lamb Sacrifices Symbolized a Pattern
Hebrews chapter nine explicitly explains why the ancient “animal sacrificial system” was implemented by God. It established a pattern on Earth of a much better pattern in Heaven.
Hebrews 9:22 And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.
Hebrews 9:23 It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.
Whereas, Jesus Christ “Finished” his earthly mission to offer himself as the “Lamb of God” he now resides in Heaven as our personal High Priest! And having “Finished” the old symbolic animal sacrificial system, and by performing the “Perfect Lamb Sacrifice,” the need for any other Sacrifices are pointless!
Hebrews 9:24 For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us:
Hebrews 9:25 Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others;
Hebrews 9:26 For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now “once” in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.
This is the Greatest News! It is the Gospel in a Nutshell! Jesus has appeared “Once” in the “End of the World” to put away Sin; only by the voluntary Sacrifice of Himself!
Jesus First Visitation vs His Second Visitation
But there is more Good News related herein. Hebrews not only tells us that Jesus sacrifice as the Lamb of God can resolve our Sinful condition; it highlights that this was the focus of His First Visitation to the World! Then in verse 28, there is conveyed another exciting aspect to the Lord’s sacrifice!
Hebrews 9:28 So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall “he appear the second time” without sin unto salvation.
As blood bought Christians; we all have the “blessed hope” (assurance) that the same Jesus Christ that presented himself as an atonement for sin on his First Visit, will Visit the world a “Second” time and we can rest confidentially certain that when He appears, we will be found absolutely absolved of all sin through His gift of Salvation!
Focus on the Bible
January 9, 2021
by: Darrell G. Young
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