Why Dont Jews Sacrifice Any More?

Israel should be the world's largest importer of livestock.

This is one of those thoughts that has been on my mind for about 10 years, I just... usually keep it to myself.

There are a lot of people who say that the major mono-theistic religions are essentially the same... and there is some truth to that. There are similarities between them. One reason being that Islam is from the 7th century AD and the creator would have been OBVIOUSLY familiar with (and influenced by?) both Judaism and Christianity, but thats neither here nor there. However, I would say that there is a major theme in "Judeo-Christianity" (as I prefer to call it) that is significantly different from Islam, and significantly different from all other forms of organized religion.

You are not capable... of saving yourself.

Its just that simple. Some other groups talk about meditation... or elevating your consciousness to a higher plane... performing good works... or perhaps just being somewhat more good than bad. But they all share the theme, that you are either fixing yourself... or HELPING something (or someone?) fix you.

The most fundamental difference, between Christianity... and all other forms of spirituality and religion... is this... there is nothing that you do... or even CAN do... to save yourself... and anyone who claims to be Christian who has a view of reconciliation (salvation) outside of that needs to start over.

From the very beginning, the Bible is narrating stories of sacrifice. Cain rose up against his brother due to jealousy over God's displeasure with Cain's sacrifice. We are tainted. We are born tainted. Babies are not born "neutral"... they are born with a propensity to sin. I was not taught how to lie... I was taught how NOT to lie. (with a belt!) I wasn't taught how to steal... I was instructed not to steal. From the very beginning... we are born with a bias towards sin. How can we save ourselves? We can not... and those who claim to... do not do it for a love of God... but rather for a fear of hell. Action, based on fear, is not authentic... and is not sufficient.

I shall point out here that Catholics (I should point out that I hate their "theology") believe its faith AND WORKS. Not works alone... but not faith alone either. Your actions do factor in to whether or not you will be saved. In my opinion, that really should change the view on people such as Mother Theresa. Her sacrifices are inspiring, we could use more people like her, but the altruistic nature in which she's viewed needs to be re-evaluated when she believes that works help get you in. "Oh, the blessed sacraments!" (Wont get into that today) I found it interesting that some of her private letters were found recently and there was a lot of doubt about her faith in them.

http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1655415,00.html

It seems, deep down inside, even she knew that working for salvation didn't feel right.

The Old Testament (i.e. "the Pentatuk") shows generation, after generation... after generation of Jews... who offered sacrificial offerings to God. There needs to be a purification. A cleansing. A way to wash away our taint so that we can be PURE in the eyes of God. That standard has never changed. The Islamic Allah may take people are who are 50.1% good... but the Judeo-Christian God demands 100% purity. If you read the Pentatuk, you see the elaborate rules for behavior inside the temple. For those allowed inside the Temple. For the priest who went into the MOST holy of holies. If you read the requirements of the law, you see the golden standard for perfection. For living a perfect life. The depths for which a life of pure and total obedience would take. Who could meet such standards? Who could go an hour in perfect obedience, let alone a lifetime? Thus the need for something pure to cleanse our imperfection. The priests were even required to find lamb that were spotless. No markings or physical imperfections.

When the man Jesus walked the earth the Temple still stood. From the time of Moses, hundreds of years later, the Jews STILL understood as it says in Hebrews, without blood... there is no remission.

The reason I like to say, Judeo-Christianity... is because the two are one in the same. You can't have Christianity without Judaism. There are "Christians" out there who dislike Jews and feel that Christianity dissolved Judaism. Or ended Judaism. Remember, for many years, it was The Church that persecuted Jews. Jews were among those killed in the Catholic Inquisition. (Wow, That Torquemada... a true man of God!) Christianity is a COMPLETION of Judaism. I dont mean completion in the sense that... "its over." but rather in the sense that... "it is now as it should be." A culmination of sorts. A finished product. Jesus himself says that he came not to destroy the law, but to fulfill it. Paul recognized that no man could live in total obedience under the law. Not a one. Noone other than Jesus. He seems to suggest that the Law was not intended for one to live in total perfection, but to SHOW that it was impossible for fallen man to do so. Yet, as Jesus says, he lived His life in total obedience.

As the beautiful chapter of Isaiah 53 prophesizes towards, Jesus, a sheep, without blemish... who lived His ENTIRE life in perfect obedience to God... would be the Lamb. Rather than thinking that Jesus was symbolic of the Old Testament lambs being sacrificed, we should think that the Old Testament lamb was a foreshadowing of the perfect sacrifice. As the author (some believe to be Paul) of Hebrews points out... He was not only the Lamb, Himself... but also the High Priest. And in Hebrews you get the imagery and analogy to the inner workings of the Temple. The place that ONLY the High Priest could go, with the blood sacrifice, to give the offering as a cleansing on behalf of the people. The author of Hebrews says that, Jesus didn't go into the physical Temple (in Jerusalem), but died, rose from the dead (in a physical "glorified" body), and ascended into heaven, into the TRUE most Holy of Holies, to stand at the right hand of God as a permanent cleansing, for all who would believe on him.

There would be no more lambs. There would be no more sacrifices on Earth. They would not be required. The payment... the TRUE payment... the payment that was ALWAYS planned... the Lion from the Tribe of Judah... had come to fruition. But what of those who did not believe? The Jews did not accept Jesus or his message. He was a heretic. He was a blasphemer. His offer was not accepted. In their view... his cleansing... was not real. Which is how I got to my original question. If Jesus doesn't cleanse you... what does? The Old Testament Jews had a very elaborate (read Leviticus) and meticulate process of what to sacrifice and how. But the author of Hebrews clearly understood... without the sacrifice... there is no remission. So, how are orthodox Jews of today reconciling themselves to God? The temple was destroyed about 35 years after Jesus' death.. and it hasn't been rebuilt since.

One reason that the Temple (R.I.P. 70ad) has never been rebuilt is because the priest had to be from the House of Aaron... and after the first century... people simply do not know that lineage anymore. My response to that would be, if you are a Jew... and a blood offering is necessary for cleansing... and you reject that Jesus is now the permanent (perpetual) sacrifice on behalf of all who would have faith in him... why do you not sacrifice? We have come full circle.

Israel should be the world's largest importer of livestock.