Hi all, Newbie here. I've done a lot of reading but no posting till now. What the heck, I'll take a stab @ purpledawns criteria. This is kind of an old thread so I hope I'm not wasting my time.
Animal sacrifices for sin existed before the first temple
Gen 3:21 Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them. I admit that this is not a specific reference to the type of sacrificing that is being discussed. It is interesting at least to note though that Adam and Eve had sinned and so were naked. God sort of "covered" that sin with coats of skins. Did some animal have to die to provide those skins or did God just conjour them up? Anyway, It seems like Lev 1:1-4 says that the sacrifice will be an atonement for sins.
{H3722
kâphar
kaw-far'
A primitive root; to cover (specifically with bitumen); figuratively to expiate or condone, to placate or cancel: - appease, make (an) atonement, cleanse, disannul, forgive, be merciful, pacify, pardon, to pitch, purge (away), put off, (make) reconcile (-liation).}
Lev 4:24 mentions that the burnt offering before the Lord is a sin offering. I'll leave it at that I guess.
Animal sacrifice atoned for all sins.
Not sure what you mean here. No one animal sacrifice atoned for all sins for all time. That is why they had to keep doing it all the time. I guess I'm not sure why animal sacrifices in the OT would have to atone for all sins in order for Christ to be an atonement sacrifice for mankind. If you could maybe please elaborate a bit I will attempt a comment.
It's probably a foul and doesn't count but it seems pretty clear that the NT writers understood the sacrifices of the OT to be a "pointing forward" to the coming Christ. This could have been a convenient way to further their new religion. Jesus was quoted as saying (essentially) that the scriptures spoke of Him. Again could just be inserted by the Gospel writers.
Maybe on a more relevant note, it is interesting in the whole Abraham-Isaac ordeal in Gen 22:8 Abraham says:
"My son, God will provide HIMSELF a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together."
I though it to be an interesting play on words there. Depends on where you put the emphasis.
I'll wait on your clarification for more comment.
One more passage:
Lev 16:30 For on that day shall the priest make an atonement for you, to cleanse you, that ye may be clean from all your sins before the LORD.
Lev 16:31 It shall be a sabbath of rest unto you, and ye shall afflict your souls, by a statute for ever.
Lev 16:32 And the priest, whom he shall anoint, and whom he shall consecrate to minister in the priest's office in his father's stead, shall make the atonement, and shall put on the linen clothes, even the holy garments:
Lev 16:33 And he shall make an atonement for the holy sanctuary, and he shall make an atonement for the tabernacle of the congregation, and for the altar, and he shall make an atonement for the priests, and for all the people of the congregation.
Lev 16:34 And this shall be an everlasting statute unto you, to make an atonement for the children of Israel for all their sins once a year. And he did as the LORD commanded Moses.
Without sacrifice atonement was not possible
... well nuts, I've run outta time. Umm, if someone actually responds to the post then I shall continue my search... I probably will anyway. Later all!
™ Version 4.2
