Problem: Blood sacrifices were given expressly for the purpose forgiveness in the Hebrew Bible. There are a number of reasons for thinking that blood sacrifices are crucial to forgiveness in the Hebrew Bible.
Solution: First, blood sacrifices were central to religious worship in the book of GENESIS (e.g. Abel, Noah, Abraham, Jacob). As far back as the Hebrew Bible goes, blood sacrifices are found.
Second, blood sacrifices were essential in the book of EXODUS. There we find the Passover (Ex. 12), where God did not render judgment on the Jewish people, because they poured blood of an innocent lamb on the lintel of their doorpost. Moses later ratified his covenant by sprinkling blood on the people (Ex. 24:5-8). The Tabernacle demonstrates the necessity of blood sacrifices as well. Moreover, the first reference to annual atonement in the Bible mentions the necessity of blood—not prayer or repentance or good deeds (Ex. 30:10).
Third, blood sacrifices were essential in the book of LEVITICUS. Later in the book of Leviticus, God promised to reveal himself in the Holy of Holies in the Tabernacle (Lev. 16:2), because of blood atonement. Leviticus 16 prescribes the Day of Atonement—whereby the high priest would sacrifice animals in place of the people’s sins. Brown writes, “Throughout the Book of Leviticus, which is the book in the Scriptures dealing with sacrifice and atonement, whenever atonement is mentioned (forty-nine times in all), it is always in conjunction with blood sacrifices.”[5] Leviticus 17:11 explains clearly, “The life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you on the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood by reason of the life that makes atonement.” Brown writes, “A careful study of the Five Books of Moses indicates that more chapters are devoted to the subject of sacrifices and offerings than to the subjects of Sabbath observances, high holy days, idolatry, adultery, murder, and theft combined.”[6]
Fourth, after the exile, the Jewish people were quick to rebuild their Temple to bring back sacrifices again. Consider several passages:
Nehemiah: After the exile of Israel, the Jewish people immediately rebuilt their Temple and began offering blood sacrifices again (Neh. 10:32-33). Why such immediacy, unless blood sacrifices were central to atonement?
Ezra & Haggai: After the exile, the people rushed to rebuild the Temple (Ezra 1:5-6; 2:68-69; 5:1-2; Hag. 1). If blood sacrifices were replaced by other means, then why did the people rush to rebuild the Temple, in order to reinstitute blood sacrifices?
Ezekiel: In the future third Temple, blood sacrifices will still be central to atonement (Ezek. 43:19-20; 45:15-17).
Jeremiah: Jeremiah believed that the sacrificial system would be restored, when Jerusalem was done with judgment (Jer. 33:10-11).
Malachi: Malachi, who lived in the days of the second Temple, emphasized sacrificial offerings (Mal. 1:6-14).
Some Jewish interpreters have held that blood sacrifices are not important, and God has replaced the Temple sacrifices by other religious practices (e.g. prayer, good deeds, etc.). But when we survey the Scriptures, we see that blood sacrifices are central to atonement and forgiveness. Of course, as a follower of Jesus, we see that these sacrifices were fulfilled in the perfect and innocent Lamb, who gave us his life in his blood on the Cross (Jn. 1:29).
“And Samuel said, Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. (1 Sam 15:22)”
