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Why Do The Jews No Longer Offer Sacrifices?

Q: As the Jewish faith, not nationality, still exists under the Law, why do they no longer sacrifice animals? They are waiting for their Messiah so the “Law” still applies to them. What was the event(s) that have the Jewish faith still abiding by the Law but not the sacrifices outlined? 

Summary

Why don’t Jews who follow the Old Testament law still offer animal sacrifices today? In this episode, Dr. E begins by explaining that modern Judaism is not monolithic. Orthodox, Conservative, and Reformed Jews approach the law very differently, with only Orthodox and ultra-Orthodox Judaism taking the sacrificial system seriously. But even for them, sacrifices are impossible without very specific biblical requirements: a functioning temple, qualified priests from the Levitical line, sacred implements, and ritual purification—including the ashes of a red heifer described in Numbers 19.

All of that changed in AD 70, when the Romans destroyed Jerusalem and the temple. Since Scripture commands sacrifices to occur only in the place God chooses, their destruction effectively halted the system. Dr. Easley then connects this history to the book of Hebrews, which explains that Jesus fulfilled the sacrificial system once and for all by offering His own blood in a heavenly tabernacle not made by human hands.

While some groups today work toward rebuilding a temple, Dr. Easley reminds listeners that Christ’s sacrifice is complete, final, and sufficient—making any future sacrifices unnecessary for salvation.

Takeaways:

• Modern Judaism includes Orthodox, Conservative, and Reformed branches with very different views of the law.
• Biblical sacrifices require a priest, a temple, sacred tools, and ritual purification.
• The destruction of the temple in AD 70 made sacrifices impossible under Old Testament law.
• Without the red heifer purification, no sacrifices can biblically take place.
• Hebrews teaches that Jesus fulfilled the sacrificial system once for all.
• Christ’s sacrifice makes any future temple sacrifices unnecessary for salvation.

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