To devout Jews only.....Reading the Old Testament, a blood sacrifice was required, to remove ones sins, ?

Question

God repeatedly calls for His followers to offer a spotless animal for blood sacrifice to cover their sins in the Old testament.
From what is given in the O.T., I understand that God never changes, His laws are the same today as it was back then in the time of Moses.
I also understand that devout Jews no longer adhere to this practice. If this law was required by God himself, why don't Jews do this today? What do they do instead? And when did this practice change, and who changed it, God or man?

I have sincerely tried to find the answer sticking to the Old Testament as Jews generally do not accept the New Testament that Jesus died to cover our sins. I myself could not find the answer, so I need help with this.
Do the Jews today handle the Old Testament Law in a new way today? Thanks so much..

Answer 1

Ok- lets answer this systematically. First off, why no sacrifices today? That is because the only place that sacrifices can be offered is in the temple on the Temple Mount. Unfortunately, since the dome of the rock is standing there currently, it is not going to be rebuilt anytime soon, and probably only when mashiach (the messiah arrives)
How do we atone without blood sacrifices? The same way the Jews did between the two temples (after the first temple was destroyed) and the way they did during the times of the temple. The bottom line is that repentance and acting to rectify the wrong have always been more important than the sacrifice. Throughout the Tanach (what non-Jews would call the old Testament) the prophets admonish us for bringing sacrifices with the incorrect intention, and state we should behave better rather than bring sacrifices.
So what about the whole blood bit? Blood has always been ONE way of atonement, it has never been the only way. Even when the temple stood- if you could not bring an animal to sacrifice for whatever reason, a libation of flour and oil could be used.

Answer 2

#1. Sacrifices only done in the Temple. Got no Temple so got no sacrifices.

#2. Jews are more into repentance and asking for forgiveness from the person they sinned against than killing a chicken.
High Holy Days are coming up along with all the forgiveness they need.

#3. Christians have Jesus. Muslims have Mohammad. Jews have God. The Jews are happy with the arrangement.

Answer 3

Jews don't read the "old" testament. We have several covenants with God and they can all be found in the Torah.

Blood sacrifice was not the only means of atonement.

You can read in the Torah that all sacrifices had to be made at the Temple and prepared by the Levites. After the destruction of the Temple in the year 70 CE, sacrifice was replaced by prayer. The altar is now found in the dining room of Jewish homes -- it is the dining room table. Judaism is a way of life and is practiced mostly outside of the synagogue, and inside our homes.
.

Answer 4

The Temple was destroyed where the sacrifices were made. There are plans in the works to rebuild it. Young men are training to be Levitical priests and the sacrifices will resume. The Jews believe there are over 600 (616 I think) commands in the Torah to be followed. Over 200 of these commands depend on The Holy Temple. This will fulfill some Jewish and Christian prophesies. It's incredible!

God Bless.

Answer 5

I am not a Jew but I do know that at the time of Christ's death, whether they beleive in the New Testament or not, the vail in the temple was ripped from top to bottom without human hands. Past the vail was the presence of God and a temple priest had to pass through the vail (being cleansed first) to come into His presense. The vail was a few inches thick and reached the top of the ceiling. No man could've ripped it. It was a miracle. God ripped it showing that there was no need for the people to rely on the priests to communicate with God. We all now have access to God's presense through Jesus. This is recorded in other places besides the New Testament. There are other witnesses, one in particular, Josephus Flavis (spelling not certain) who wrote about that day in detail. You can download it from the internet. He was a friend of the disciples but not a disciple.

Answer 6

I am not Jewish, but it is impossible for the Jews to offer the blood sacrifice as required by Torah Law because there is no Temple or altar in existence. Most practicing Jews seem to believe that they obtain repentance by prayer and good works and acts of repentance.

Some Jewish groups understand the necessity for the blood sacrifice in order to make their religious obligations complete:

http://templemountfaithful.org/

Christians understand that the part of the Law requiring blood sacrifices was fulfilled once and for all by Messiah Yashua.

Answer 7

Good answer Cuchalain, to that I would add... Hebrews 9:22 And according to the law almost all things are purified with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no remission. The word "atonement" (kaphar) means to "cover". The Levitical sacrifices only covered sin until it was later to be taken away. As John the Baptist proclaimed... “Behold! The Lamb of God who TAKES AWAY the sin of the world!"

Answer 8

Actually blood sacrifice was not required to remove sin. In fact the only way to remove sin is repentance, irregardless of

Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the LORD? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams" (I Samuel 15:22

The wicked shall give up his way, and the man of iniquity his thoughts, and he shall return to the Lord, Who shall have mercy upon him, and to our God, for He will freely pardon.
Issiah 55:7

Answer 9

Mr.Blog Dog...Good Question ! I'd like to see this answer myself. I'm not a Jew,but I am a Christian and believe In the WHOLE Bible. Jesus Is the same Yesterday,Today & Forever.Blessings...

Answer 10

They don't do it because they are unable to, the temple was destroyed in 70AD, now they have to pray for forgiveness like all of us