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Why have the Jews stopped animal sacrifice?

by Stephen Davey

Rebecca asks, “When was the last animal sacrifice made, and why did those who reject Jesus as the Son of God stop sacrificing animals?”

For the Christian, we know that animal sacrifices ended at the moment of Jesus’ death, when the temple curtain was torn in two. That moment signified the final, once-for-all sacrifice of the innocent lamb, Jesus Christ, that replaced the need for animal sacrifices at the temple.

In the Old Testament, only a priest could offer sacrifices and they could only be carried out at the temple in Jerusalem. But the apostle Peter encourages us that through Jesus, all believers are “a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 2:5).

The question here, however, speaks of Jews who have not accepted Jesus as their Savior, and so they continue to seek redemption through animal sacrifices as they continue to wait for who they believe will be the Messiah.

The reason why animal sacrifices have stopped is because of the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple by the Romans in the first century. In 70 AD, Titus and the Roman army put Jerusalem to the sword and to the torch, fulfilling the prophecy of Jesus, who said “The days will come when there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down” (Luke 21:6).

The Law of Moses commanded that animal sacrifice take place only on the altar of God, near the holy place in the designated house of the Lord. That was the tabernacle, then the temple, but there is no physical house of the Lord today.

Some Jews have begun preparing for animal sacrifice when the temple is restored. Some have even started practicing live animal sacrifices, dressed in priestly garments, to be ready for that day.

With our Great Commission in mind, I pray we can reach Jewish people with the truth of the gospel and show them that their temporary sacrifices are no longer needed, for the Lamb of God has already come!

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Comments

gary says:
If Jesus was the Lamb of God who was slain for our sins, doesn't that make him a human sacrifice? How can any modern, educated person participate in a religion founded on the concept of human sacrifice and ritual cannibalism (the Lord's Supper)? Wake up, my friend. Your belief system is irrationally superstitious and highly immoral.
Sheila Bowen says:
Thank you for this explanation. I am a Christian and read/listen to a lot about bible prophesy and was wondering why the Jewish people no longer offer animal sacrifices, especially since they don't consider Jesus as their Savior. I will continue to pray for them, and all others, to accept Jesus as Lord!
Debra Schoppe says:
There is nothing more immoral than to deny and refuse the sacrifice of God's only Son for us in forgiveness of our sins. There is not any cannibalism involved. That notion is the twisting of God's Word to meet the unbeliever's lack of belief in Jesus Christ. Only one God out of all of the gods in the world had so much love, compassion and mercy on His creation that He sacrificed His only Son for us. Communion and wine are sweet to the lips of Believers as God created it to be. That is a fact.
Dwight Osborne says:
With the one permanent and perfect sacrifice Jesus offered as the spotless Lamb of God, there is no other acceptable sacrifice for sin in the Lord's eyes. However, animal sacrifice WILL be reinstated in the Tribulation. It will continue in the millennial kingdom where worship will be from a Jewish distinction rather than from a Christian distinction. Animal sacrifice will be required, but NOT for the purpose of atonement or forgiveness for sin but rather for ceremonial cleansing from sin in order for entrance into the Temple. Those who enter into the kingdom in their mortal bodies still possess a sin nature and will need to be ceremonially clean in order to stand in the presence of God in the Temple.
Daniel says:
The question about human sacrifice is a good question. The answer can be understood in seeing that if it werea human offering another human as a sacrifice then yes that would be immoral and a sin. However it was God Himself who offered this sacrifice to Himself so it is something that transcends us beyond what we could establish. God being the sacrifice in the body of a man and sinless. That is the real meat of the question is that the man was sinless and taking the place of everyone who would believe in Him. God being in a man’s body offering Himself up to God the father in heaven for man and women. This is totally mind boggling. I know. But take your time to think about it and pray to the father to show you something. Amen?
Uriel says:
For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believe on him should not perish, but have everlasting life. He or she that believe is not condemn, but they that believe not is condemned already because of their choice, not to accept the sacrifice of the Lord... for him, and for her... everyone will on that day give account for their choices (work s) Make your excuse and sound clever, but the Lord will have the last word.
Diane Schilleci says:
Gary, Read John chapter 6 verse 53: Jesus said, “Truly, truly I say unto you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you shall have no life in you.” Many, many disciples left Jesus upon hearing this because they thought the teaching was too hard (cannibalistic) like you. If you are not an atheist and believe in God, surely you believe he can do all things. It’s is the miracle of transsubstantiation at the Mass where bread and wine are transformed into the body and blood, soul and divinity of our Lord. Jesus at the Last Supper commanded us to celebrate in like manner which we do in His church. Being inquisitive is a good thing. Although you may vehemently disagree, the Holy Spirit may be working in you as you seek the Truth. God bless!
Iso Jasie says:
Brother Gary, please understand that God himself, the one who created us in his own image, sent his own begotten son to be sacrificed in place of animals. The bread and wine (Communion) are only symbolic of one accepting Jesus Christ as his or her savior. Besides, if Jesus was the begotten son of God representing God on earth, what harm is there if we take a piece of God into our earthly bodies? It was Jesus himself who commanded us to do so in remembrance of him so what choice have we?
Ed says:
Animal sacrifices have stopped because there is no physical house of the LORD anymore. Sounds like a cop out. What’s the synagogue for then? Is it not a house of worship for the Lord? God was not physically in the temple during Jesus day as he was in the Tabernacle during Moses’s. Yet they made animal sacrifices during Jesus day. If Jews expound the Torah so much and don’t accept the revelation of Christ as messiah. They should stick to the law that tells them to atone for their sins. But they do not. So they did not follow the law when given to them neither when Christ was revealed. Point is they will always make excuses for why they’re in sin but never accept that God is God enough to clean them completely through the BLOOD of Christ. Even though blood is how sin was atoned for…No wonder, God grafted gentiles in because who can contend with such hypocrisy?
Antonio says:
@gary You have legitimate points, but I think your level of analysis is off. Extremely secular thinkers like Brett Weinstein speak of the importance of metaphorical truth. And the great french anthropologist wrote extensively on the mythical architecture of Christianity and how it upended the millennia of sacrificial traditions that preceded it. You can learn more about that here:
https://theweek.com/articles/587772/unlikely-christianity-ren-girard
Wishing you well, brother...
Lee says:
The comment about human sacrifice and ritual cannibalism lacks a basic understanding of the tenants of Christianity. Jesus Christ wasn’t sacrificed by Christians or Jews as a religious human sacrifice. The bread and wine of the last supper isn’t “ritualistic cannibalism” as alluded to. Jesus Christ was put to death by the Romans, largely due to political pressure, yet after having been proclaimed by Pilot the magistrate leader as without fault, and as a form of capitol punishment, which was the common practice of the day. If anything it was a gross injustice and wrongful execution. However, the reason his death is considered a sacrifice isn’t because the Jews or Romans considered him innocent but rather because he WAS innocent, without sin. Also, as the only begotten son of God the Father he had the literal power to stop his death at any given moment and could have easily vanquished those doing it to him, but instead he willingly gave up his life to fulfil the will of God his father. Not only did he have the power to willingly give his life as a sacrifice for sin but he also had the power to take it up again and become resurrected which he did do only 3 days after his death. You don’t have to believe it by faith alone. It’s well documented. In all of this he overcame the power and hold that both sin and death have on every individual in the entire human race. It’s because of the supernal gift of Jesus Christs’ atoning sacrifice that we all will be resurrected some day after we die and why we can be forgiven of our sins both here now and for the eternities hereafter. All of this, only on the condition that we willingly accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior and willingly repent of our sins. The bread and wine of the last supper is symbolic and is partaken in “remembrance” of his flesh and blood that was freely given and spilt to atone for the sins of all who will accept him as their Lord and Savior. You may not believe now, and that’s okay I suppose. However, the scriptures say that every one of us will one day bow the knee confess that Jesus is the Christ.
Rob says:
The "third Temple" has been built. Jesus is the Cornerstone. And every believer is a stone in it. The Sacrifice was Jesus, The Lamb of God. There are no required Sacrifices any longer, The former things have passed away and Jesus made all things new, His blood was the Sacrifice. The Cross was the Tree and His Body the Fruit that each of us must partake of to have Everlasting Life. As Adam and Eve ate the fruit of the Tree that brought death to us all we must eat of His fruit to regain Life eternal, as it was in the Beginning. We live in the New Covenant. The Messiah Came. seek him while he can be found
Omar says:
NOTE FROM WISDOM: While we disagree with your view of Jesus and the Scriptures, we're glad you engaged with our content.

Prophet Jesus is a human being 100%. He was born from a virgin mother without sperms as sheep dolly was made from her mother’s cell or as our father prophet Adam was made out of clay. .

Jesus didn’t die on the cross either but rather he was raised to heaven alive. The Jewish sacrifice and all other rituals are things from old because God has sent The promised Prophet Muhammad with a newest set of teachings that abolished the previously new rules of Jesus as well as the oldest rules of Moses..

In Islam animal sacrifice is carried near the New Jerusalem the descended from Heaven which is Makkah because the order came from heaven to pray towards Makkah instead of Jerusalem. Muslims slaughter millions of sheep on a single day every year during pilgrimage season to commemorate the occasion of Abraham slaughtering his son whom God redeemed with a sheep..

The rest of the Muslims who are not in Haj or pilgrimage can slaughter the sheep at any place where they live. The meat normally distributed into 2 parts one for the poor, one for the relatives and neighbours and one for the family who did the sacrifice. So all the meat will be consumed as food and still God will reward the person who did the sacrifice with lots of credit. It is a token that we are willing to obey the rules of God even if they were to slaughter our sons.
Kathy says:
I could not notice the comment by Gary and wonder what his solution would be for humanities sin debt penalty?
Adam Estrada says:
Listen to Jesus and let God be the judge. Make the way ready for the Lord! Don't worry about the speck in your brother's eye but ignore the log in your own. Leave the Hebrews to their ways and customs. They are God's chosen people. They took on the spiritual, mental, and physical cost of revealing the God of abraham and the coming on Jesus to the world. Follow the commandments and humble yourself before the Lord.