[Billy Bob Jenkins]

We all know Hebrews 10:4, which informs us that blood sacrifice cannot take away sins the way Jesus can.

Hebrews 10:4

King James Version (KJV)

4 For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.

God says in the Old Testament that blood sacrifice can be used for the purposes of atonement. This is subtly different from the "taking away of sin". But this difference is doctrinal and salvific.

Leviticus 1

King James Version (KJV)

1 And the Lord called unto Moses, and spake unto him out of the tabernacle of the congregation, saying,
2 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, If any man of you bring an offering unto the Lord, ye shall bring your offering of the cattle, even of the herd, and of the flock.
3 If his offering be a burnt sacrifice of the herd, let him offer a male without blemish: he shall offer it of his own voluntary will at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before the Lord.
4 And he shall put his hand upon the head of the burnt offering; and it shall be accepted for him to make atonement for him.
5 And he shall kill the bullock before the Lord: and the priests, Aaron's sons, shall bring the blood, and sprinkle the blood round about upon the altar that is by the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.
6 And he shall flay the burnt offering, and cut it into his pieces.
7 And the sons of Aaron the priest shall put fire upon the altar, and lay the wood in order upon the fire:
8 And the priests, Aaron's sons, shall lay the parts, the head, and the fat, in order upon the wood that is on the fire which is upon the altar:
9 But his inwards and his legs shall he wash in water: and the priest shall burn all on the altar, to be a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the Lord.
10 And if his offering be of the flocks, namely, of the sheep, or of the goats, for a burnt sacrifice; he shall bring it a male without blemish.
11 And he shall kill it on the side of the altar northward before the Lord: and the priests, Aaron's sons, shall sprinkle his blood round about upon the altar.
12 And he shall cut it into his pieces, with his head and his fat: and the priest shall lay them in order on the wood that is on the fire which is upon the altar:
13 But he shall wash the inwards and the legs with water: and the priest shall bring it all, and burn it upon the altar: it is a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the Lord.
14 And if the burnt sacrifice for his offering to the Lord be of fowls, then he shall bring his offering of turtledoves, or of young pigeons.
15 And the priest shall bring it unto the altar, and wring off his head, and burn it on the altar; and the blood thereof shall be wrung out at the side of the altar:
16 And he shall pluck away his crop with his feathers, and cast it beside the altar on the east part, by the place of the ashes:
17 And he shall cleave it with the wings thereof, but shall not divide it asunder: and the priest shall burn it upon the altar, upon the wood that is upon the fire: it is a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the Lord.

So Christ's temporary sacrifice on the cross took away our sin, making it no longer necessary to atone. But that does not change the fact that offerings made by fire are a sweet savor to the Lord. God commanded the Joos to do these important things because He appreciated them. The scripture declares that God is pleased by these sacrifices. So while Christ rendered them unnecessary, He did not render them forbidden. Burning meat is still pleasing to the Lord's nostrils. Just because we are no longer filthy sinners, doesn't mean God doesn't still love the smell of burning flesh.

My wife Cindy Lou pointed this out the last time I was beating her for burning breakfast while she was flipping through catalogs, fantasizing about things she will never have. So I did a little math, sentenced her to "beatings served" for burning the toast, and let her get back to work scrubbing the baseboards.

[Pastor Ed Lowman]

Excellent post.

Let me add that after Christ comes back to glorify the earth, there will be sacrifices once again, even though these sacrifices won't be necessary and would be essentially meaningless if it weren't for us Christians just wanting to make Jesus that much happier...

20In that day shall there be upon the bells of the horses, HOLINESS UNTO THE LORD; and the pots in the LORD'S house shall be like the bowls before the altar. 21Yea, every pot in Jerusalem and in Judah shall be holiness unto the LORD of hosts: and all they that sacrifice shall come and take of them, and seethe therein: and in that day there shall be no more the Canaanite in the house of the LORD of hosts. (Zechariah 14:20-21)

We might even should go one step further just to shine Jesus on and have a Holy of Holies section of every congregation (funds permitting, of course).

We should always praise our God for giving us a book with so many ways to praise Him!

19 Then shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, with burnt offering and whole burnt offering: then shall they offer bullocks upon thine altar. (Psalm 51:19)

13 I will go into thy house with burnt offerings: I will pay thee my vows. (Psalm 66:13)

Amen! And amen!

[BelieverInGod]

Does anyone know why the Jews stopped the animal sacrifices? They don't accept the sacrifice of Jesus, so wouldn't they have to continue with the animals?

[Witch Hammer]

When I was a younger man, I used to catch cats in the neighborhood which I believed to be familiar spirits and gave them about 10 minutes in the microwave. I hope it was pleasing to The Lord...it certainly pleased me. Even so, the stench will haunt me forever.

[MitzaLizalor]

Originally Posted by BelieverInGod

Does anyone know why the Jews stopped the animal sacrifices? They don't accept the sacrifice of Jesus, so wouldn't they have to continue with the animals?

The temple was destroyed. Was it done by the Romans? It was a punishment.

[Shimei]

Interesting article:

Controversial Orthodox Jews Call for Renewal of Sacrifices

by Caleb Colley, M.L.A.
Judaism, as a modern religion, exists in four general forms: Orthodox, Conservative, Reformed, and Messianic (Ridenour, 2001, p. 67). An Orthodox Jew is one who claims the Mosaic code of the Old Testament, along with certain non-biblical Jewish documents, as his religious authority. At February’s end, CNN reported that certain “extremist rabbis” (Orthodox Jewish leaders) in Jerusalem wanted to “resume the biblical practice of animal sacrifice” despite the absence of the Levitical priesthood (“Extremist...,” 2007). Since the Romans destroyed Herod’s temple in Jerusalem in A.D. 70, the ritual of animal sacrifice has ceased there (see Ridenour, p. 67). Now, a new group that calls itself the “Re-established Sanhedrin” is trying to reinstitute the practice at the Temple Mount (“Extremist...”).


Some Jews are against restoring animal sacrifices. Doniel Hartman, of the Shalom Institute in Jerusalem, said of the A.D. 70 destruction: “Around that time, animal sacrifice, as a mode of religious worship, stopped.... Moving back in that direction is not progress” (quoted in “Extremist...”). Muslims also are protesting the move to renew animal sacrifices. Jerusalem’s senior Islamic cleric, Mohommed Hussein, said: “Regrettably, there are many extremist Israeli groups who want to carry out their plans.... Let them say what they want, Al Aqsa [formerly the site of Herod’s temple—CC] is a Muslim mosque” (quoted in “Extremist...”). Jewish leaders have conceded that the sacrifices will not be renewed anytime soon.


The Sanhedrin was “[t]he Jewish court in Jerusalem from the Persian through the Roman period; it had both religious and political powers and comprised the elite (both priestly and lay) of society” (Moulder, 1988, p. 331, parenthetical in orig.). Though the Sanhedrin was a manmade institution, absent any divine mandate, these modern Jews are reviving it to add perceived authority and significance to their movement.
Of course, the Bible plainly teaches that the Old Covenant between God and Israel was removed and replaced when Christ provided

Read More: http://www.apologeticspress.org/APCo...=8&article=503

[MitzaLizalor]

Originally Posted by Shimei

“resume the biblical practice of animal sacrifice” despite the absence of the Levitical priesthood

They intend to rebuild the Temple and aren't the Levites called "Cohen"? Or Kohanim (requiring a genealogy)?

[BelieverInGod]

Originally Posted by MitzaLizalor

The temple was destroyed. Was it done by the Romans? It was a punishment.

So? Before the temple they'd sacrifice an animal on a pile of rocks. Are the Jews trying to say that God changed his mind?

[Pastor Ed Lowman]

Originally Posted by BelieverInGod

Does anyone know why the Jews stopped the animal sacrifices? They don't accept the sacrifice of Jesus, so wouldn't they have to continue with the animals?

Yes, they would, but the joo$ want to wait until the world has become perfect for their takeover. Their plans are to make everything into one big, corrupt Hollywood. They won't resume sacrifices until a hook-nosed king resumes the thrown of David.

They quit sacrifices based on a few passages, but specifically, because they were forced...

"4For the children of Israel shall abide many days without a king, and without a prince, and without a sacrifice, and without an image, and without an ephod, and without teraphim: 5Afterward shall the children of Israel return, and seek the LORD their God, and David their king; and shall fear the LORD and his goodness in the latter days." (Hosea 3:4-5)

See also...

"2Take with you words, and turn to the LORD: say unto him, Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously: so will we render the calves of our lips." (Hosea 14:2)

"11And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days." (Daniel 12:11)

Pastor Ed