Require A Blood Sacrifice © By Dr. Akiva Belk This study of the weekly parsha is dedicated
in the loving memory of Ms. Fredriqua Ann Brown, may she rest
in peace. Hashem gladly accepts a simple product grown from the soil of the earth upon His altar as a sin offering. A product of grain ground into flour offered by a poor Jew. Obviously flour is not a blood sacrifice. It is a grain sacrifice. These verses of the Torah clearly dispute what the author of the Epistle of Hebrews wrote in chapter nine verse twenty-two. The King James Translators state: And almost all things are by the law [the Torah} purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission. The New International Version states: In fact, the law [the Torah] requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. It is interesting that so much emphasis is
placed on just the words without shedding of blood is no remission"
and "without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. Much has been made of the offerings of Hevel and Kayin. Hevel's offering was from the best of the first fruits of his flocks. Kayin's offering was from the rotten spoilage of the earth's produce. An attempt has been made to conclude that Hashem accepted Hevel's offering because it was a blood sacrifice and on the other denied Kayin's offering because it was a product of the earth. Not true! The Stone Chumash states in reference to the two sacrifices that Hevel selected the choicest of the firstlings of his flocks. The King James Version states "the firstlings of his flock and the fat thereof." The NIV states: "Hevel brought fat portions from some of the firstborn of the flocks." A simple study of Genesis chapter four verses three through seven will show that Hashem compared the attitudes behind the two sacrifices. One attitude was extremely grateful and generous the other was stingy and selfish. Hashem would have accepted both offerings had they been the choicest of the firstfruits. The NIV commentary states: The contrast is not between an offering of plant life and an offering of animal life, but between a careless, thoughtless offering and a choice, generous offering. Motivation and heart attitude are all important, and G-d looked with favor on Hevel and his offering because of Hevel's faith. This is emphasized by the writer of the Episle of Hebrews in chapter eleven verse four: ...By faith Hevel offered G-d a better sacrifice than Kayin did. By faith he was commended as a righteous man, when G-d spoke well of his offerings. And by faith he still speaks, even though he is dead.... To this the NIV comments: ...Both brothers brought offerrings to the L-rd: Kayin from the fruits of the soil, and Hevel from the firstborn of his flock. the chief reason for acceptance of Hevel's sacrifice was that he offered it by faith... It is implied that Kayin's sacrifice was rejected because it was without faith, as a mere formality. Another area of serious misunderstanding is the Passover in Exodus Chapter twelve. It has been erroneously implied that the sacrifice of thousands of animals prior to the deliverance of the nation Israel proves the need for blood sacrifice. The fact is that the lamb / kid was one of the highly respected gods of Egypt. It was forbidden to kill a lamb or a kid for any reason. This was the last god of Egypt to be slain. On the tenth of Nissan, which was Shabbos, hundreds of thousands of Jews selected an unblemished male lamb or kid within its first year to be slain on the fourteenth of Nissan. This was a sign by every Jewish slave in Israel of their faith in G-d. It was a great miracle that the Egyptians did nothing. As a result that Shabbos is called "the Great Shabbos." The nation of Israel made it very clear that on the fourteenth of Nissan they were going to kill over 1/2 million lambs and kids right if front of the Egyptians. Then each Jewish household declared their freedom from Egyptian gods by killing the lamb or kid and placing its blood on the doorpost of their own home. The bold Jewish defiance of the Egyptians' god was an audacious statement by the Jews of their trust in Hashem! The blood was a sign to the Egyptians that every Jewish household had slain their god. This action one year earlier would have brought certain death. The blood on the doorpost was the evidence required by the Angel of death. The blood on the doorpost does not necessarily mean everyone in the dwelling were in agreement. Just the same, regardless of one's obedience, disobedience, faith or lack of faith, if blood was on the doorpost as prescribed by Hashem, everyone in the house was spared from death. This differs uniquely from belief and acceptance in Jesus. According to Christians / Messianics, it is an individual choice. As a result, it is preposterous to make any attempt to connect the blood on the doorpost with believing in Jesus. Belief in Jesus requires that an individual acknowledge Jesus as the son of G-d. In no way did blood on the doorpost imply what each individual in the dwelling believed. In addition, Christians / Messianics require that you believe as a prerequisite that Jesus died for your sins and, without his death, your sins cannot be forgiven. In no way does selecting a lamb four days prior to its slaughter imply or suggest in any way that the nation Israel perceived as forgiveness of their sins. And to make such a suggestion is absurd and ludicrous. Christians / Messianics are insistent that you profess that Jesus shed his blood and gave his life for you. Nowhere, in the deliverance of the nation Israel from Egypt is there any reference or implication that the blood from the slain lambs required any type of profession of each individual or group dwelling in the structure where the lamb's blood appeared on the doorpost. Christians / Messianics believe that Jesus is the only name given whereby you can be saved. This is ludicrous! Human sacrifice is forbidden. Murder of a human being is forbidden. The blood from over 400,000 lambs was placed on the doorposts of each house throughout Goshen. The deaths of these lambs were a terrifying sight to the Egytians since they were Egyptian gods. So, in fact, the nation Israel killed the idolatrous diety of the Egyptians and feasted on their bounty before departing. Each Jew proclaimed their allegiance to Hashem by killing the Egyptian god and placing that god's blood on the doorpost. This was an act of defiance against the Egyptians. The blood on the doorpost represented, Hey Egypt, we have killed your god! THE BLOOD ON THE DOORPOST DOES NOT REPRESENT A PROFESSION OF FAITH THAT STATES WE BELIEVE IN YOUR GOD! So, the action by the nation Israel is the EXACT OPPOSITE to what Christians / Messianics would have you believe. Unlike the Christian / Messianic tenet, the purpose for the blood on the doorpost was a witness of Jewish obedience to Hashem and defiance of the Egyptian god. Finally, the notion that our sins are not forgiven because our Holy Temple in Jerusalem is destroyed is ridiculous. Psalms fifty-one verses sixteen and seventeen state: You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings. The sacrifices of G-d are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O G-d, you will not despise. While we greatly desire our Temple and look forward to the day it is restored we take great comfort in the fact that Hashem desires the sacrifices of a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart... It should also be noted that in the third Temple animal sacrifices will be restored forever! That being the situation what becomes of the belief that Jesus is the only way? What becomes of the indoctrination without the shedding of blood there is no remission for sin? Until our Temple is restored we are comforted because Hashem is Merciful, Gracious and Longsuffering. Hashem hears our cry and we cry to Hashem daily! Please look for my book I Don't Believe In Jesus Because... Wishing you the best... Dr. Akiva G. Belk JewishPath is a sponsor of B'nai Noach Torah Institute. As a sponsor we are permitted to offer one FREE E-Mail course on a limited basis per individual from BNTI's Introduction Courses. We invite you to visit and choose an E - Mail Intro Course. 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