Yeshua Brought the Sacrifices to the Temple
Please don’t stop as you read about the sacrifices this chapter. Just continue through it and pray about it. Ask HaShem to show YOU the Truth. I say this, because talking about the sacrifices in the way I am going to explain, makes church people very uncomfortable. Why? Because we have been taught that Jesus replaced the sacrifices. I am going to show you why I believe this just can’t be true.
As a talmidim of Yeshua, you are once again, going to want to imitate Him. And as hard is it is to believe – Yeshua went to the Temple and sacrificed animals. Any time He went to one of the seven required Feasts in Leviticus 23 (more on this later) – He was required to bring animals for sacrifice. And we know He was sinless and did not disobey Torah – He is Torah!
With this in mind it is safe to say all the talmidim and Yeshua were following Torah and going to the Temple to sacrifice. But, what about after His death and ascension into heaven? First of all, let’s look at Temple sacrifices in a very simplistic way. There were sacrifices and offerings (“Qorbanot” in Hebrew) that were performed in the Temple by the priests. There were five types listed in the Torah:
The Burnt Offering: Olah
The Grain Offering: Minkhah
The Sacrifice of Well-being (Peace Offering): Zevakh Shelamin
The Sin Offering: Chatat
The Guilt Offering (Trespass Offering): Asham
Then there was the special sacrifice offered once a year. Once a year on the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur or Yom Ha-Kippurim) the High Priest would enter the Holy of Holies and call upon the Name of Yehovah to offer blood sacrifices for the people. But, what people do not generally know is the ten days leading up to Yom Kippur and the Days of Awe are Tens Days of Repentance. What the Hebrew people do is pray and repent for their sins and evil deeds for this special time. Many will begin forty days before Yom Kippur to intently ask HaShem for forgiveness and return to following Him – thus the name “Season of Teshuvah”. Then at the Day of Atonement the animal sacrifice would be made, the blood sprinkled to remove sin, and “life was given for life”. The blood of the sacrificial animal was made in exchange for the blood of the sinner.
What about repentance?
Jewish sages and students would explain to you that according to the Halakhah (Jewish laws) forgiveness of sins must be obtained through repentance and confession of sins before HaShem. And that with confession also comes any restitution to the person injured by your sinning against him. It was earnest and authentic repentance that brought forgiveness of sin. The animal sacrifice was the "restitution" of your sin before the Father that allowed you into His presence.
The church teaches that we don’t have to do animal sacrifice anymore. That Yeshua replaced in all. He was the final sacrifice. They will site Hebrews (mostly from Chapter 10) and say He has fulfilled these requirements. But, it you look at this Chapter closely you see what really happened. When Yeshua died, He was NOT killed like a sacrifice in Torah. He wasn’t an animal; He was not killed in the Temple, nor was His blood sprinkled on the altar. However, what did happen was that He did sacrifice His life for us! He was more like the Pesach (Feast of Passover) Lamb. And He was killed on the day of the Feast of Pesach. If you were to compare Him to any of the sacrifices – it would be the Lamb of Pesach. Pesach reminds us of the lambs that were slaughtered, the blood covering the doorposts, the escape from the angel of death, and the freedom to now be redeemed from the slavery of Egypt! The freedom Yeshua brings to us is the Torah. Following and obeying HaShem brings FREEDOM.
Yeshua’s death did not replace the Temple sacrifices. In fact, if you read Ezekiel you will learn that when HaMashiach returns to Jerusalem – to the Temple- the sacrifices will resume. Yes! Chapter 43:18-27 talks about all the sacrifices as well as other verses. Specifically verse 18 says, “And He said to me, ‘Son of man, thus says Yahweh our Elohim, These are the ordinances for the altar on the day it is made for sacrificing burnt offerings on it, and for sprinkling blood on it.’” Why would HaShem be instructing us to sacrifice in the Messianic Temple in Jerusalem? Because it is Torah. And we know we will still be following Torah when Yeshua returns.
Clearly written in Isaiah 2:2-3, we learn that in the “millennium” or final return of Yeshua will be worshiping Him and serving Him in the Temple in Jerusalem – where He will be teaching Torah:
“Now it shall come to pass in the latter days, that the mountain of Yahweh’s Temple, shall be established on the top of the mountains, And shall be exalted above the hills; And all the nations shall flow to it. Many people shall come and say, ‘Come, and let us go up to the mountain of Yahweh, to the Temple of the Elohim of Jacob; He will teach us His ways (Torah), and we shall walk in His paths.’ For out of Zion shall go forth the Law, and the Word of Yahweh from Jerusalem.”
And there are many other verses in the Prophets Writings. I encourage you to do a search on your own.
If you were teaching that you no longer had to follow the Torah, you would have to give a reason why not to do the Temple sacrifices or why you would not even need a Temple. This theory or theology is impossible to prove through Scripture. Remember once again that the Torah teaches us that we cannot take away from it, “Whatever I command you, be careful to observe it; you shall not add to it or take away from it.” Deuteronomy 12:32
The talmidim did sacrifices in the Temple. The last Temple was destroyed in 70 C.E. But, we know through Scripture that Yeshua will return to a new and final Temple. And in that Temple we will be offering sacrifices.
Remember Isaiah 56:7 “Even them (believing non-Jews) I will bring to My Holy Mountain, and make them joyful in My Temple of prayer. Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be accepted on My altar; for My Temple shall be called a House of Prayer for all nations.”
This is a difficult concept to understand when you have been taught otherwise. Pray and seek Him about this. It is promised you will find Him and Truth.