Why No More Animal Sacrifices?
- lancethackrey
- Apr 15, 2022
- 2 min read
A question was asked during the 4/14/22 Thursday Night Study regarding Passover, “Why do they/we no longer offer animal sacrifices as instructed in the Torah passages regarding Passover?” I cannot speak for everyone, but I can offer 1 main reason why the Jews no longer do so as well as 2 reasons why I do not offer animal sacrifices, and why I believe they are not required of us as believers in Yeshua.
1. With the destruction of the Temple in circa 68-70 CE, there is NO proper place (i.e. an altar) dedicated to sacrifice to YeHoVAH, and thus the instruction to go to Jerusalem to offer sacrifice 3 times a year (including Passover) cannot be properly performed (Exodus 23:13-19)
2. As a believer in Yeshua, HE is my Passover Lamb (1 Cor 5:7). Whenever I observe communion, I am, in faith and in fact, declaring Yeshua Messiah as my sin offering (1 Cor 11:22-26) until He returns in what is called the Second Coming.
3. As believers in Yeshua, we are called to offer OUR bodies, not to die physically as sin offerings, but as LIVING sacrifices: Romans 12:1 Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.-NASB95 What a contrast to the Temple Worship animal sacrifices that were still being performed in Temple at the time of Yeshua! In Romans 6:1-14 and 8:13 Sha'ul/Paul explained what kind of death is required: we die to ourselves. That is, the believer is not to live by his old sinful nature but by the Spirit: then he will be living with the Messiah's life (Romans 8:10-11) and thereby be set apart for YeHoVAH. Blessings to you! - LT
Thank you for answering this question.