Why was a blood sacrifice required in the Old Testament sacrificial system?

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?

The blood sacrifices of the Old Testament foreshadowed the coming of Jesus and His death on the cross. The shedding of blood symbolized life and death. God began this thread of atonement with Adam and Eve when He made them garments of skins and clothed them (Genesis 3:21). The blood sacrifice is also seen with the Passover in Exodus 12:21–30 and continued with the Law given to the Israelites. These practices highlighted the need for atonement due to sin and prefigured Christ’s ultimate sacrifice. Hebrews 9:12–14 and 10:1–10 emphasize that Jesus’s sacrifice was once-for-all, unlike the repeated blood offerings of the Old Testament. This transformation from external rituals to an internal, permanent solution emphasizes the grace available through Christ, allowing believers to live freely and confidently, without the burden of repeated self-atonement (2 Corinthians 5:21; Ephesians 2:8–9).

FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT

• God foreshadowed the atonement by killing an animal to clothe Adam and Eve in Genesis 3:21, symbolizing the necessity of shedding blood to cover sin and pointing toward the ultimate sacrifice of Christ for atonement (c.f. Hebrews 9:22). This act prefigured Christ’s sacrificial death, which would offer complete forgiveness and redemption for humanity.
• In Leviticus 17, the Lord commands against consuming blood by noting, "For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it for you on the altar to make atonement for your souls, for it is the blood that makes atonement by the life" (Leviticus 17:11). Blood represented life. Without blood, a creature or person could not live. Because of this, God chose to use a blood sacrifice as part of the sacrificial system of the Jewish people. Each time blood was shed, it reminded the people of life and death. Each time a blood sacrifice was made, the one giving was also reminded of the cost of sin because it represented a price that had to be paid to provide the offering.
• The blood sacrifice of the Jewish people was directly tied to their liberation from Egypt during the first Passover. Each family was instructed to share a meal of lamb, placing some of the blood on the doorposts and lintels to protect their firstborn sons from the angel of death. Those in Egypt who did not follow this command were struck by the plague, and many died. The blood in these sacrifices symbolized life, death, and freedom from slavery, showing God’s deliverance and judgment (Exodus 12:21–30).
• Before the death of Christ, the Jewish law required regular blood sacrifice offerings on behalf of sins. Hebrews 10:11–12 shares that this need changed with the shed blood of Christ: "And every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God." Christ's sacrifice was sufficient, and no further blood sacrifice would be necessary.
• God also used part of the sacrificial offerings at the tabernacle and temple as a means of providing food for the Levites. The Levites served in the tabernacle and temple and did not share in the land inheritance of the other tribes. Deuteronomy 18:1–2 explains, "The Levitical priests, all the tribe of Levi, shall have no portion or inheritance with Israel. They shall eat the LORD's food offerings as their inheritance. They shall have no inheritance among their brothers; the LORD is their inheritance, as he promised them." God gave instructions for how and what the Levites could use as food for themselves and their families from the sacrifices of the people.

FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT

• Hebrews 9:11–18 expresses that the blood sacrifices of the Old Testament pointed toward what Jesus would later provide. Verses 13–14 explain, "For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God."

IMPLICATIONS FOR TODAY

The blood sacrifices of the Old Testament foreshadowed the coming of Jesus and His death on the cross. The blood of Jesus was poured out as a sacrifice for the sins of humanity, fulfilling the Old Testament law and establishing a new covenant for those who believe in His name. Hebrews 9:12–14 emphasizes the once-for-all nature of Christ's sacrifice: "He entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption" (Hebrews 9:12). This one-time sacrifice brought complete atonement, unlike the repeated sacrifices of the Old Testament (Hebrews 10:1–10).

Those who have placed their trust in Christ’s death and resurrection for the forgiveness of sins do not need to offer repeated sacrifices—either by animal sacrifices or by constantly asking to be saved—for their sins; instead, they can rely on the complete atonement provided by Jesus. This shift from a temporary and external ritual to an internal, permanent solution reveals the depth of grace offered through Christ. It means that we can live confidently, without the burden of guilt and shame, knowing that we are fully forgiven and free in Him (2 Corinthians 5:21). This transformation calls us to live holy lives (Exodus 19:6; 1 Peter 1:15–17), empowered by the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:11), grateful for the price He paid for our sins. We can experience true freedom in Christ, free from the need for continual self-atonement, and live with the assurance that God's forgiveness is complete and final (Ephesians 2:8–9).

UNDERSTAND

• Blood represents life, and God used the symbolism of shedding blood to bring life.
• Blood sacrifice in the Old Testament sacrificial system was meant to be repeated as a temporary solution for the problem of sin.
• Jesus gave His life and shed His blood once-for-all so that all who believe in Him would have the fullness of forgiveness and life.

REFLECT

• How does understanding the symbolism of blood as representing life and the cost of sin influence your view of the seriousness of sin today?
• What does it mean to you that Christ’s sacrifice was once-for-all, providing complete atonement and freeing believers from repeated sacrifices?
• How does the transformation from Old Testament external rituals to the internal, permanent solution in Christ change your daily relationship with God?

ENGAGE

• How do the Old Testament sacrifices point to Christ’s ultimate sacrifice on the cross?
• How does the necessity of shedding blood in the Old Testament reflect God’s justice and mercy?
• What implications does the transition from temporary sacrifices to a permanent solution in Christ have for how we live out our faith today? How should this change our approach to sin and guilt?