Bible Question (short): Did God really want animal sacrifices? |
Question (full): Did God really want Old Testament sacrifices. I am studying how the idea of sacrifices came into the old testament and whether God really wanted them. There are several places in the OT where prophets and psalmists state clearly that God wants repentance and obedience rather than sacrifices. So just how did animal sacrifices start? I believe that the pagan religions in the OT area sacrificed animals and even humans. Did the Jewish people pick up the idea from them? Where is the first reference to animal sacrifice (as opposed to grain and other sacrifice) in the bible? Did the construction of an Alter to the Lord imply that sacrifices were being made or did they start later? The concept of sacrifice in places appears to be a gift to God and the sacrifice was actually eaten in a feast to celebrate God. Where did the concept actually change to be a man substituting an animal in exchange for his own death for his sins? Any ideas, backgrouns and biblical references would be appreciated. |