Did animal sacrifice work?

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YosefYosep

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When people sacrificed animals for God in the Old Testament, did it really atone for their sins? If so, then why did God have to send a redeemer?
 
It sucked for the animals - no resurrection for them:p

And it didn’t redeem us either.
 
triumphguy said:
It sucked for the animals - no resurrection for them:p

And it didn’t redeem us either.
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Then what was the point of the sacrifice? Why did God institute it if it was pointless? I’m trying to play the atheist here, because I want to gain and understanding of this matter.
 
Animal sacrifices were a temporary atonement which the priest offered the sacrifice of an animal for his own sins first, then for others and which had to be done over and over again.

Jesus sacrifice was the one and everlasting sacrifice where he sacrificed himself for all.

The practice of animal sacrifice by the Hebrews came about from the pagan tribal cultures which they were surrounded by. Those cultures also practiced human sacrifice and cannibalism. God through the prophets instructed the Jewish people they they were not to do this, and gave them strict rules to be followed in animal sacrifices.

Understanding the mindset of the tribal theology helps to understand God’s sacrifice of himself in Jesus Christ.

I just finished Pope Benedict XVI’s book, Jesus of Nazareth Volume II. He provides good theology behind the sacrifice of Jesus. I was amazed that it’s believed by some theologians, that Jesus died at the exact hour the lambs for the next day’s Passover meal were slaughtered.

Also, it’s ironic that animal sacrifices by the Jewish people ended with the destruction of the temple not long after Jesus ascension.

Jim
 
YosefYosep said:
Then what was the point of the sacrifice? Why did God institute it if it was pointless? I’m trying to play the atheist here, because I want to gain and understanding of this matter.
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Well the animals sacrificed were spotless - the pedigree show quality animal, and so would have represented a significant economic sacrifice to the Jews. So, sacrifice was an atonement for sin, since it gave to God the best, and gives back to God any advantage we may have stolen through our greedy/sinful nature.
 
YosefYosep said:
Then what was the point of the sacrifice? Why did God institute it if it was pointless? I’m trying to play the atheist here, because I want to gain and understanding of this matter.
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The sacrifices all pointed to the perfect and only Sacrifice that could ever atone for anything. That’s what the letter to the Hebrews is all about:) They were types or “Shadows” as Hebrews 10:1 says. Just like the manna from heaven pointed to Christ the true bread from heaven.

But you know what’s interesting?? I was just reading Scott Hahns book, A Father who keeps His promises, and in that he says that before the Israelites worshipped the golden calf, there was no mandate from God about ritual sacrifice!! Not that they couldn’t sacrifice if they wanted to, God provided a way for them to do that, but it wasn’t near as structured and often. It was only AFTER the golden calf incident that there had to be daily sacrifices. Which Dr. Hahn explained was a way to try to rid the Israelites of idolatry. If they had to constantly be killing the very animals that the pagans worshipped, eventually it would sink in that those things were NOT God.

Took a long time, but it did eventually work. By the time Jesus came the Jews were rock solid in their monotheism, and for that reason the sacrifices were no longer necessary.

I thought that was interesting when I read that
 
**I am also bothered by this question.

Would animal Sacrifice forgive sins? To what degree? **
 
mymamamary said:
**I am also bothered by this question.

Would animal Sacrifice forgive sins? To what degree? **
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Uhm actually it did not “forgive sin” it merely covered it over so that it did not stink the forgiving was only possible by Christ.
His sacrifice being “perfect” did forgive all sins, past, present and future

Buona Pasqua everyone
 
I agree. Informative thread. Something I have not thought about before.
 
JerryZ said:
Uhm actually it did not “forgive sin” it merely covered it over so that it did not stink the forgiving was only possible by Christ.
His sacrifice being “perfect” did forgive all sins, past, present and future

Buona Pasqua everyone
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**Same to You!! 👍 😃

Happy Easter to you all!!**
 
I mean could sins only truly be forgiven after the death of Christ?
 
YosefYosep said:
So did God only become a forgiving after the death of Christ?
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Uhmm God did not “become” forgiving after the death of Christ.
God is unchanging, His nature is what it is and also remember that Christ IS God.

If you read the Bible you will come across the term “Fullness of Time”.
So before God could be incarnated as Jesus all that had to happen DID happen. Only then Jesus (God) steps in into the human history.

Hope this clears up.
 
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