Why did the Israelites offer animal sacrifices?

Question

Did God offer any specific blessings for them in doing so, or was this one where he only told them to do so?

Answer 1

According to the book of Hebrews, everything that God did under the old Mosaic law as actually a "pattern" for the Israelites, to show the superiority of the new covenant. This was the blessing of obedience. Paul points out that if they offered those sacrfices, then they would see that the old covenant could never "do the job" as it were. Something more would be needed. Thus, as Paul says in the book of Hebrews, the old covenant would become a "tutor for them, leading to the Christ".

As other posters have mentioned, the Bible also teaches that the shedding of blood means forgiveness of sins. Why?

Because God has decided that the very symbol of life, shall be represented by blood. My life is represented before God, from my blood.

"Yahweh said, "What have you done? The voice of your brother's blood cries to me from the ground." - Genesis 4:10

""For as for the life of all flesh, its blood is identified with its life. Therefore I said to the sons of Israel, 'You are not to eat the blood of any flesh, for the life of all flesh is its blood; whoever eats it shall be cut off.'" - Leviticus 17:14

Why? Why couldn't he just "forgive us"? Because he is a God of Love, Power, Wisdom, but also, and this is key, JUSTICE. The Bible clearly demonstrates this. Satan believed that in the Garden of Eden, he had God trapped in his own words; if he could just get Adam and Eve to sin. He wasn't counting on God's supreme Justice and Wisdom to see a way out for us. This led to the very first prophecy ever uttered, by God, at Genesis 3:15 that demonstrates that God had just come up with a purpose, a way of getting us out of the mess we were in, without becoming a liar as Satan thought he would be. As is shown and demonstrated in the book of Job, Genesis, and other portions, Satan is continually trying to find a "loophole" to accuse God with. Satan is also referred to in Proverbs as the "Taunter" of God.

He needed a legal basis to forgive us. Adam sold us down the river. Just like a pan that has a dent in it will always give you bread with a dent in it, Adam took on sin. Therefore, all of his offspring would be born in sin. God required a legal way to forgive this sin. We needed another perfect human to balance the scales of Justice, and buy back what we lost.

Those blood sacrifices were representations to God that blood was needed to atone for their sins. Although animals could never do the job. To God, an animal life can never equal a perfect human life, like Adam had. Because we were sold into sin by Adam, a perfect man. So we needed perfect blood to buy us back to God, with the legal, just (Since God is a God of perfect Justice) method of asking forgiveness. The law that the Israelites lived under was a pattern, a "tutor" as Paul says, showing them the way the new covenant would work, and that a better, newer covenant was needed; since the old covenant never provided for perfect blood. Even King David recognized this fact, and spoke in prophecy regarding Jesus:

"Sacrifice and offering you did not delight in; These ears of mine you opened up. Burnt offering and sin offering you did not ask for. In view of that, I said: "Here I have come, In the roll of the book it being written about me. To do your will, O my God, I have delighted. And your law is within my inward parts." - Psalms 40:7,8

Paul pointed towards this scripture as a prophecy from the old covenant, and showed how it fit in with the new covenant.

"then he actually says: "Look! I am come to do your will." He does away with what is first that he may establish what is second. By the said "will" we have been santified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all time" - Hebrews 10:9,10

"For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive." - 1 Corinthians 15:22

So now God had a legal, just method for forgiving our sins.

1) Adam sins and dies
2) Sin comes to through whole world through Adam and we all inheriet sin and death (Romans 5:12)
3) Life is represented by blood (Leviticus 17:14)
4) A perfect life is neccessary, like Adams, to buy back what was lost. For a life to be given up, blood would be involved.

"So also it is written, "The first MAN, Adam, BECAME A LIVING SOUL." The last Adam became a life-giving spirit." - 1 Corinthians 15:45

"For the Law, since it has [only] a shadow of the good things to come [and] not the very form of things, can never, by the same sacrifices which they offer continually year by year, make perfect those who draw near." - Hebrews 10:1.

So everything in the law, was a shadow of what was to occur under the new covenant. The Most Holy, Paul explained in Hebrews, represented Heaven itself. The Atonement sacrifice, Jesus sacrifice that would happen once and for all time. The High Priest entering the Most Holy with the blood of the atonement sacrifice, Paul explained, was Jesus appearing in Heaven itself with the value of his sacrifice before the throne of God, to pay the ransom.

The book of Revelations explains that the incense that was kept burning 24/7/365 in the temple actually meant the prayers of the Sons of God.on earth.

"And when He had taken the book, the four living creatures and the twenty-four Elders fell down before the Lamb, having each of them a harp and bringing golden bowls full of incense, which represent the prayers of God's people." - Revelation 5:8

Everything, that occured in Mosaic covenant, that was to occur in a specific manner, other portions of the Bible actually show were prophetic of the way everything happened under the new covenant.

Answer 2

They sacrificed animals for atonement for sins. Once Abraham was told to put his son on the alter, to give him as a sacrifice. This was a test to see if Abraham truly loved God, so he took his son up the mountain, his son willing to go because he also loved the Lord God. Before he could run the dagger thru Issac heart, a angel appeared and told him to stop and take a ram that was caught in some bushes and sacrifice it instead. Many many years went by God seen that all of the blood of these animals wasn't pure enough to wash away the sins of man. So He sent His precious Lamb Jesus Christ, Gods only begotten Son, this was the reason for Christ coming to the earth to be a living Sacrifice His Blood shed for our sins makes them white as snow. No more sacrifice of life are needed but to give our life to God and let Him be in control can you keep the planets in orbit no only God can and if you give your life to God you will never be the same the blood of Christ makes all things new.

Answer 3

Animal sacrifices were a foreshadowing of the perfect sacrifice that God himself would provide through Jesus. In the Mosaic law there was the practice of placing a hand on the head of the animal to be sacrificed and this symbolized the transference of sin to the innocent victim. The animal had to be without defect symbolizing Christ's sin free life. In Matthew 5 Jesus said that He did not come to abolish the law or the prophets but to fulfill them. In the book of Hebrews chapter 10 it says that animal sacrifices can never take away sin but that when Jesus offered himself as a sacrifice for all time He is perfecting all who are being sanctified by faith in his work of atonement for us.

Answer 4

People of all religions were known for offering animal sacrifices to their gods in those days and the monotheistic religion that would late become Judaism, Islam and Christianity evolved from those polytheistic religions and barrowed their customs.













Edit:

Keep in mind, God demanded a blood sacrifice in order to forgive us himself . . . his only son. Harkens back to Abraham a little. Why couldn't he just forgive us? He is god after all, he can do whatever he wants. I guess it's all part of his crazy plan.

Answer 5

until the Rabbinic era (i.e. Roman Exile) we purely sacraficed contained in the Temple. in actuality, we ought thus far under no circumstances sacraficed everywhere else although sacrafice replaced into used as an analogy by using Talmudic sages to communicate the presented concept of "Tzedakah" (Charity). immediately we sacrafice by using giving alms to the needy in the two individual and reason. I ought to upload that this might probable no longer have been codified had the three-d Temple been complete contained in the Byzantium era. because it incredibly is, Tzedakah which had all started gaining distant places money replaced into throughly assimilated into the foundations of our faith and way of existence, after the burning of the third Temple (then under shape).

Answer 6

That is where the Israelites were mentally and spiritually at the time; so God taught them according to their level of understanding.

Jesus was more evolved spiritually; so God gave him another message with deeper spiritual truths.

Answer 7

It was in order for them to profess their faith in the coming Messiah who's blood would be spilt, and by doing so we could all have a chance to enter into a right relationship with God again

Answer 8

It was in the Torah and since Israelites are Jewish they follow the torah.

Answer 9

He told them to do so in the Bible.. I don't remember who but someone took the lamb as a sign of something... sorry.

Answer 10

god likes sacrifices that is why he sent jesus here to be sacrificed. so all religious people who have you sacrificed lately?