DID YESHUA BRING ANIMAL OFFERINGS TO THE TEMPLE?

“Gather together the people, the men, the women, and the small children, and your stranger (Non-Jewish believers) who is in your cities, so that they will hear and so they will learn, and they shall fear HaShem, your Elohim, and be careful to perform all the words of this Torah.” Devarim (Deuteronomy) 31:12

Did Yeshua personally bring animal and grain korbonot (Offerings) up and offer them to HaShem in the Temple? I know this question and its subsequent research and answer could ignite a firestorm, even though that is NOT my intention, however, I believe it is a very good question which needs to be asked, researched and answered!

Unfortunately Replacement Theology has done enormous amounts of damage to the Apostolic Writings and especially to tainting and corrupting just Who is the Messiah of HaShem! It is has presented an image of a Messiah who does not in any way, shape or form, fit in with the Prophecies and Scriptural references HaShem gave in His Tanakh. This must be addressed and must be corrected, especially in these unprecedented times we currently live in!

We will address this question in this Op, but keep in mind, the Apostolic Writings ARE in fact very Jewish writings, utilizing Jewish customs, references and idioms and carry on what was written in the Tanakh. It is Replacement Theology, going back hundreds and hundreds of years, which has taken the Apostolic Writings, and twisted them into what we see today, a compilation of letters which seemingly endorses separating from the Torah of HaShem, changing what HaShem established in the beginning, establishing new Feasts and presenting a figure head which when compared to the Torah of HaShem, appears to be teaching a message of rebellion and insurrection against HaShem and His Kingdom. The point I am attempting to make right off the bat per se, is DO NOT LISTEN to what Replacement Theology teaches about the Apostolic Writings! Replacement Theology is NOT in any way the expert interpreters of the letters! When 95% of the entire Bible is disregarded and ignored, how can Replacement Theology be qualified to render any definitive interpretation of the Apostolic Writings?

No, this Op is not a bash fest on Replacement Theology, I have to lay the foundation before we can proceed and explain why Replacement Theology is not qualified to be a credible source. Keep this in mind as we progress in this Op, but as always, never forget the following unchanging characteristics of HaShem:

• HaShem never changes per Num 23:19/Mal 3:6/Hebrews 13:8/James 1:17
• His Word is firmly established per Psalm 119:89
• He reveals the end out of the beginning per Is 46:10
• He does nothing without first revealing it to His prophets per Amos 3:7
• He says there is nothing new under the sun per Ecclesiastes 1:9
• He says His Torah is a tree of life and eternal per Proverbs 3:18-19 and Psalm 119:160
• He says His Torah is perfect and restores the soul per Psalm 19:7
• He says His Torah makes the simple one wise per Psalm 19:7
• He says His Torah Is freedom and liberty per Psalm 119:45 and James 1:25
• He says His Torah is the only good doctrine there is Proverbs 4:2
• He says His Torah will add length of days and years of life and peace per Proverbs 3:2
• He says all of the ways of His Torah are ways of pleasantness and peace per Proverbs 3:17
• He says His Torah is for our good and well-being per Deuteronomy 6:24
• He says His Torah is health for our lives per Proverbs 3:8
• He says His Torah is life to our soul and a graceful ornament for our neck per Prov 3:22
• He says His Torah is better than pearls and all desires cannot compare to it per Prov 8:11
• He says those who walk with His Torah are praiseworthy per Psalms 119:1
• He says observing His Torah is how we purify our path per Psalms 119:9
• He says His Torah is better than thousands in gold and silver per Psalms 119:72
• He says His Torah brings abundant peace to those who love Him and His Torah per Psalms 119:165
• He says there is one Torah for all per Exodus 12:49/Leviticus 24:22
• He says those who hate His Torah love death per Proverbs 8:36
• He says His Torah is the way of faith per Psalms 119:29-30
• He says His Torah makes us wiser than our enemies per Psalms 119:98
• He says His Torah is a lamp for my feet and a light for my path per Psalms 119:105
• He says one who finds His Torah has found life per Proverbs 8:35
• He says one who finds His Torah has found favor from HaShem per Proverbs 8:35

The opening verse at the top of this Op from Devarim 31:12 is very interesting because HaShem is clearly saying the Torah is for EVERYONE and it is the vehicle through which we can have a relationship with our Great King! Torah doesn’t save or redeem, Torah is the natural result of true faith in HaShem! First Abraham believed and then he began his journey in striving to walk in the Torah of HaShem out of love, devotion and loyalty. I point this out because I do not want anyone to come away from any of my Ops thinking I am teaching a Torah based salvation, which is impossible, none of us can keep His Torah perfectly. I will reiterate, first we believe in HaShem, THEN we begin our Torah journey and learning the Torah each Shabbat. I digress.

In order to answer the question of whether Yeshua personally offered up animal korbonot to HaShem in the Temple, we need to first lay the foundation of what HaShem commanded in His Torah with regards to the korbonot.

Always remember the following from my previous Op’s because it is vital to our discussion concerning Yeshua: Yeshua MUST come in the likeness of Moshe (Deuteronomy 18:15-19) because it was Moshe, who was HaShem’s Agent i.e His Sheliach/Sent One, who brought the Torah to Israel. Remember as we have discussed in previous Op’s, an agent is likened to the one who sent him in the first place, therefore when read the words of Yeshua where He says “When you see Me, you have seen the Father” per John 14:9, now it makes much more sense in that Yeshua is re-affirming He is the AGENT of HaShem i.e. the Sheliach of HaShem and NOT literally HaShem in the flesh as that is just not possible for many, many Scriptural reasons.

The following is from the article ‘The Law of Agency’ from the Jewish Encyclopedia and it states: “The Law of Agency deals with the status of a person (known as the agent) acting by direction of another (the principal), and thereby legally binding the principal in his connection with a third person. The person who binds a principal in this manner is his agent, known in Jewish law as sheluaḥ or sheliaḥ (one that is sent): the relation of the former to the latter is known as agency (sheliḥut). The general principle is enunciated thus: A man’s agent is like himself (Ḳid. 41b).” I digress.

Additionally, consider what Replacement Theology has taught over the centuries that Yeshua and Yosef were carpenters in the literal sense of working with wood is very likely not accurate. The word ‘Carpenter’ in Greek, as is used in the Apostolic Writings, is ‘Tekton’ which can mean a literal carpenter but also a ‘Builder’. This is VERY interesting because in Hebrew a builder is not just someone who constructs objects and buildings, etc, but per Tractate Shabbos 114a from the Talmud Bavli it says “Who are the Builders? The Builders are Torah scholars who are engaged in building the world all of their days.” Now wouldn’t this make much more sense for the Messiah of HaShem to be a Torah scholar especially if He is to come in the likeness of Moshe i.e. teach the Torah? Keep this in mind!

The Hebrew word ‘Korban’ means ‘To be close to someone. To draw near to HaShem’. The truest offering is when the owner brings himself as the offering. The owner of the animal or grain offering sets himself apart to HaShem to make himself subservient to the teachings of the Torah. The animal or grain offering is secondary in that it is an indication of what the owner feels and what the owner is striving for.

Per Vayikra (Leviticus) chapter 1 there are only three species of animals which are acceptable for korbonot i.e:

• Cattle – Bull and Male/Female calf
• Sheep – Male/Female lambs and Rams
• Goats – Male/Female goats and male/female kids
• Turtledoves and young pigeons are the one acceptable species of birds.

Minchah (Flour/Bread) korbonot are primarily made from wheat however on two occasions they are made from barley i.e. the Sotah Test (For a woman suspected and accused of adultery) per Bamidbar (Numbers) 5:15 and Vayikra (Leviticus) 2:15.

Wine korbonot are brought from unsweetened grapes.

There are eight categories of korbonot which may be brought:

• Chatat (Sin)
• Olah (Burnt)
• Asham (Guilt/Trespass)
• Shelamim (Peace)
• Todah (Thanksgiving)
• Bechor (Firstfruits)
• Maaser (Tithes)
• Pesach (Passover)

Of these eight korbonot they are divided up into two types of sanctity which will determine where in the Temple they are slaughtered:

• Kodashim Kalim – Minor sanctity korbonot which means they can be slaughtered anywhere in the Azarah (Courtyard)
• Kodashei Kodashim – Major sanctity korbonot which means they can only be slaughtered in a specific location i.e. north of the Mizbe’ach in the Beit HaMitbechayim (Slaughter House).

There are TWO Altar’s in the Temple of HaShem:

• Inner Altar (Golden Altar) – Where the Daily Incense is burned and sits in the Holy Place just in front of the Parochet (Veil), which is one of FOUR Parochet in the Holy Place. There are TWO Parochet which separate the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place, one Parochet upstairs in the Sanctuary building itself and one Parochet at the front entrance.
• Outer Altar – This is where the fires burned continuously and where the korbonot are burned.

It is the application of the blood to the Mizbe’ach (Altar) which atones, not the burning of the fats or meat. The application of the blood is what fulfills the obligation of the owner of the korbonot.

Depending on where the blood was to be applied would determine if the korbonot was an: Internal or External Korbonot i.e. the blood applied either to the Inner Altar or the Outer Altar. Additionally, the korbonot were either an Individual or a Communal korbonot, offered up by one individual or offered up on behalf of all Israel.

What is the purpose for the korbonot? They are not just for obtaining forgiveness or redemption, but are for the purpose of communing with HaShem, drawing near to Him. To give thanks, gratitude, cleansing from ritual impurity (Not a sin BTW). It should be noted there is no korbonot which can be offered to atone for malicious or deliberate sins! Those can only be dealt with by HaShem on Yom Kippur! But, it should also be noted the korbonot are a picture of the Messiah!

There are two types of actions the owner of the korbonot will do depending on what type of korbonot they are bringing to HaShem. One is ‘Semichah’ or ‘Leaning’ in which the owner places their hands on the animals head and leans down with all their strength and recites their confession stating the sin for which the offering is intended to atone for. It can only be performed for personal animal korbonot, not on bird or minchah korbonot. The other is ‘Vidui’ which the owner recites or confesses words of praise to HaShem. This applies only to Shelamim or Todah korbonot.

The four steps of the animal korbonot are:

• Shechitah/Slaughter
• Keibalah/Receiving of the blood in a sanctified vessel
• Holachah/Carrying of the blood to the Mizbe’ach (Altar)
• Zerikah/Throwing of the blood onto the Mizbe’ach

The ‘Emurim’ are the sacrificial parts or the remainder of the korbonot which are salted and is to be eaten by the kohen (Priest) or by the owner of the korbonot or the owner and their guests in the required timeframe.

This all said, we need to explore what HaShem commanded in Devarim (Deuteronomy) 16:16-17 which says “THREE times a year ALL your males should appear before HaShem, your Elohim, in the place that He will choose (His Temple in Jerusalem): On the Festival of Matzos (Pesach/Passover), the Festival of Shavuos (Erroneously called Pentecost), and the Festival of Sukkot (Erroneously called Tabernacles); and he shall NOT appear before HaShem empty handed, everyone according to what he can give, according to the blessing that HaShem, your Elohim, has given to you.”

There a total of seven Feasts of HaShem per year, but these listed above are the three Pilgrimage Feasts! It should be noted the Festival of Matzos and Sukkot both last for seven days while the Festival of Shavuos lasts for only one day. This is important, so keep it in mind.

What is interesting to note is in the verses above from Devarim 16, the phrase ‘Shall not appear empty handed’ when translated into Hebrew actually points to a specific type of Olah (Burnt) korbonot which is called an ‘Olah R’iyah’.

The commentary on this from the Chumash says “Our pasuk (Verse) commands every adult Jewish male to appear in the Beit HaMikdash (Temple) on the three Regalim (Pilgrimage Festivals): Pesach, Shavuot and Sukkot and to bring an ‘Olah Re’iyah’, an olah (Burnt korbonot) of ‘Appearance’.”

Mitzvot #489 and 490 discuss this from the Book of the Mitzvot: Mitzvah 489 – “The obligation to appear in the Beit HaMikdash (Temple) on the Festivals” plus Mitzvah 490 – “The prohibition to make the Festival pilgrimage without bringing an offering.” These give an answer to the one underlying question of this command from HaShem, which is why? What is the purpose? The purpose is “So that all the Jewish people should see and should take heart, through the act of bringing an offering, which arouses the heart, that all of them, from their youngest to their oldest, are the lot of HaShem and His heritage, a holy and chosen nation, which preserves His legacy, most treasured of all the nations under the Heavens, chosen to observe HaShem’s statutes and to uphold His decree. They are therefore brought to the Temple of HaShem three times each year, and by appearing there, it is as though they are declaring figuratively: ‘Behold, we are servants of the Almighty, entering and coming beneath the shade of His roof and into His domain, forever affirmed in love and fear of Him; no stranger may come along with us, for we alone are the members of His household.'”

Again we can see the whole point of this, is all about the heart. Not because of some religious rote, but out of love, devotion and loyalty to HaShem, Master of Legions! He doesn’t want people to strive to keep His Torah because there is a figurative gun to their heads, He wants people to strive to keep His Torah out of love, devotion and loyalty to Him…..remember as we discussed earlier, first faith then the Torah! I digress.

Per the Mishnah Torah by Rambam Hilchot Chagigah 2.3 it says “Whenever a child can hold his father’s hand and ascend from Jerusalem to the Temple Mount, his father is obligated to have him ascend and appear before HaShem to train him in the observance of the mitzvot, as implied by the phrase: ‘All your males shall appear’ (Devarim 16:16).” Tractate Chagigah 4a from the Talmud Bavli states the same with regards to when a child would accompany his father.

So thus far we can see Yeshua as a child would have had to go with Yosef up to the Temple at a minimm on these Regalim and participate in the offering of an Olah R’iyah! But, we need to address if He would have done this as an adult, during the time of His as a Rabbi. Hang on, we are getting there.

Let’s now quickly examine what all is involved with bringing an Olah R’iyah to the Temple!

Per the book ‘Avodas HaKorbanos’ by Artscroll, on page 449 it begins to list in detail the procedures of bringing an Olah R’iyah to the Temple. It begins with “On the first day of each festival (Regalim/Pilgrimage), when it falls on a weekday (If the first day fell on a Shabbat then this offering would be brought the following day), at the time that a Jewish male comes to appear before HaShem to fulfill the mitzvah to be seen before HaShem, he must bring with him an animal (Male lamb or goat in its first year).”

“He (The one bringing the korbonot) would give over the animal to the official appointed to inspect it for any blemish before designating it as an Olah (It is prohibited from verbally consecrating a blemished animal as an korbonot to HaShem). After it was inspected and deemed fit, the owner would lead the offering to the entrance of the Ohel Moed (Tent of Meeting) (This is a specific place located in the Temple which is located at the Nikanor Gate which is in the Court of the Women and leads to the Court of Israel. See the picture to the right).”

It was here that the owner would verbally consecrate the animal as an Olah R’iyah to HaShem. “He would then bring it (the animal) into the Courtyard, to the norther side (Of the Outer Altar because the Torah deems an Olah R’iyah as an Kodshei Kodashim or a Most Holy Korbonot). He woud position it there in the north with its face to the west, with the owner, who was to perform the rite of semichah (Leaning), standing to the east of the animal, facing west. He would place both of his hands between the animal’s horns and lean with all his strength upon the head of the Olah; and in the place that they would perform the leaning, they would carry out the slaughter.” It should be noted again that an Olah korbonot is NOT for sin i.e. atonement. In this instance of an Olah R’iyah it is brought simply because HaShem commanded it and none of the meat is eaten, all of it is burned on the Outer Altar!

Okay, so the animal is slaughtered according to how HaShem commands in the Torah in order to ensure the slaughter is painless without any fear to the animal. “The Kohen who was to receive the blood would stand opposite the Kohen who was to perform the slaughter, on a diagonal, his face toward the southwest, and his back toward the northeast. He would receive all of the lifeblood to fulfill the mitzvah of receiving the blood. He would recite a blessing over the blood (Blessed are You, HaShem, our Elohim, King of the universe, Who has sanctified us with the sanctity of Aharon and commanded us regarding receiving the blood of the Olah.)”

The Kohen who received the blood would then walk, “Holding the mizrak (Sanctified container) containing the blood, toward the northeastern corner of the Mizbe’ach (Altar) of the Olah, in order to fulfill the mitzvah of bringing the blood to the Mizbe’ach i.e. Holachah. He would recite the blessing upon the mitzvah of holachah (‘Blessed are You, HaShem, our Elohim, King of the universe, Who has sanctified us with the sanctity of Aharon and commanded us regarding the bringing of the blood of the Olah’).”

“And when the Kohen reached the northeastern corner of the Mizbe’ach, he would stand on the Courtyard floor in front of the corner, and throw the blood in the mizrak, from a distance, against the corner, beneath the red line (Red line marked the middle of the Mizbe’ach and the blood of all animal Olah korbonot would be applied beneath it). He would aim his throw intending that the blood would spread onto the two sides of the corner, to the east as well as to the north. He would then circle the Mizbe’ach, walking to his right until he came to the southwestern corner, where he would throw the blood in the same manner, to fulfill which is written per Vayikra (Leviticus) 1:11 ‘and the sons of Aharon, the Kohanim, shall throw its blood on the Mizbe’ach all around.’ Any remaining blood was then poured onto the base of the Mizbe’ach of the Olah.”

The animal is then dismembered and the emurim (Sacrificial parts) are salted and the Kohen takes them and puts them on the fire on the Mizbe’ach to be completely burned as a pleasing aroma to HaShem.

Some may think the level of detail required in these korbonot is ridiculous or added by the mind of man, but the reality is, it is HaShem Himself Who gave the procedures for every action and korbonot in the Temple…man had nothing to do with it! We see this in Shemot (Exodus) 25 when HaShem gave Moshe the ‘Tavnit’ or Blueprints for the Mishkan (Tabernacle) to include all the details. He did so again with David in I Chronicles 28 by His Ruach (Holy Spirit) with regards to the blueprints for the Temple to include all the detailed procedures!

Thus far we see per the Torah Yeshua was required, as a male, to appear at a minimum of three times a year on the Regalim and bring His Olah R’iyah before HaShem. But in addition to His Olah R’iyah there is the Torah command for a Chagigah Shelamim korbonot!

Per the Avodas HaKorbonos book on page 461 it says “There is an additional obligation incumbent upon every Jewish male, when he comes to appear before HaShem in the Beit HaMikdash (Temple) on the Regalim, to bring a chagigah korbonot, brought as a Shelamim (Peace) korbonot, as it is written in Vayikra (Leviticus) 23:41 ‘You shall celebrate it as a festival for HaShem, a seven day period.'”

So in addition to an Olah R’iyah korbonot, a Shelamim korbonot is also required! Per Vayikra (Leviticus) 3:1 it says “If his offering is a feast Peace (Shelamim) offering, if he offers it from the cattle whether male or female, unblemished shall he offer it before HaShem. He shall lean his hand upon the head of his offering and slaughter it at the entrance to the Ohel Moed (Tent of Meeting/Nikanor Gate in the Temple).” HaShem says the same thing in verses 6-11 with regards to a sheep being offered up and verses 12-16 with regards to a goat being offered up. In verse 17 He says “An ETERNAL DECREE for your generations in all your dwelling places; you may not consume any fat or any blood.”

The procedures for the Chagigah Shelamim are the virtually the same as the Olah R’iyah to include how the blood was applied to the Outer Altar beneath the red line. The one difference is after the emurim (Sacrificial parts) were salted and put on the fire to be burned, the chest section and the thigh of the Chagigah Shelamim are given to the Kohanim of that day’s service. Vayikra (Leviticus) 7:34 says “For the chest of the waving and the thigh of the raising up have I taken from the Children of Israel from their slaughtered shelamim offerings; and I have given them to Aharon the Kohen and his sons as an eternal stipend from the Children of Israel.”

Can you see these Olah and Shelamim korbonot are commanded by HaShem in His Torah, therefore, Yeshua, by default, MUST have obeyed and brought these animals to the Temple as korbonot at a minimum on the Regalim otherwise He would have broken the Torah and been immediately disqualified as being the Messiah! Remember He is the AGENT of HaShem and is NOT HaShem in the flesh! The point is He wasn’t offering korbonot to Himself!

Consider did anyone ever confront Yeshua about NOT bringing the required korbonot to the Temple on the Regalim? At His illegal trial, did anyone accuse Him of not bringing the required korbonot? Nope, no one ever accused Him or challenged Him on this topic, which is another proof He DID so!

Yeshua kept on bringing these korbonot to the Temple on the Regalim up until His death and resurrection! What gets the blood to boiling in fury with many in Replacement Theology is the idea the animal korbonot will resume when He returns and assumes both the position of King and Kohen HaGadol (High Priest) in Yechezkel (Ezekiel’s) Temple! This time He will be offering them up as the Kohen HaGadol in the order of Melchizedek! Point is, His death and resurrection ended nothing nor was the Temple rendered to be something blasphemous and rejected by HaShem as is commonly taught. I will quickly prove it to you!

Yechezkel (Ezekiel) 45:22 says “The Prince shall make on that day, for Himself and for the entire population a bull for a Chatat (Sin) korbonot.” The question is, who is this Prince? The commentary is clear this Prince is the Kohen HaGadol (High Priest) and is the Messiah! Can we prove this Prince is Messiah? Yes we can! Yechezkel 37:23-25 says speaking of the future “And they will no longer be contaminated with their idols and their abhorrent things and with all their sins; and I shall save them from all their habitations in which they sinned, and I shall purify them, and they shall be a nation for Me, and I will be Elohim for them, with My servant David King over them, and a single shepherd will be for all of them. In my ordinance they will go and My decrees they will guard, and perform them, and they shall dwell on the land which I gave to My servant Jacob within which your fathers dwelt; and they shall dwell upon it, they, their children and their children’s children forever, and MY SERVANT DAVID WILL BE PRINCE FOR THEM, FOREVER.”

Very interesting so we have King Messiah Yeshua Who is serving as not only King but also as Kohen HaGadol in the rebuilt Temple in Jerusalem and He is offering up Chatat (Sin) korbonot as well as the daily Tamid (Burnt) korbonot, Festival korbonot, Minchah (Bread) korbonot, Nesachim (Wine libations), etc. If you wish to read up on this yourselves, Yechezkel chapters 40-48 discusses in detail the rebuilt Temple that Yeshua will oversee in Jerusalem after the Birth Pains are completed, the False Messiah has been destroyed and all of Israel has been gathered back into the Land of Israel forever and ever! Point is, NOTHING changes! HaShem reveals the end out of the beginning and there truly is nothing new under the sun! This in itself fully exposes Replacement Theology as well as the False Messiah!

I know this Op has thrown a ton of information at everyone, but this is just a tiny, minuscule glimpse at the complexity of the Beit HaMikdash and how astounding HaShem is and all that He is teaching us through His Beit HaMikdash if we will just stop listening to the garbage Replacement Theology pumps out and actually search this out for ourselves! There is SO much to learn it will literally take an eternity and even then it will just be scratching the surface! Always keep in mind the Torah is the Heart of HaShem and His Beit HaMikdash is His Throne on earth! No wonder the adversary has worked so hard to convince the masses both the Torah and the Beit HaMikdash are now relegated to dung and tossed onto the dung pile of history! Further, the Torah and the Beit HaMikdash reveal the real Messiah and expose the False one!

I could keep going on and on with this subject but will end it here and continue it in future Ops. Be encouraged and stay strong….All I can say is may it be so very soon in our days!

Shalom!

SOURCE MATERIALS

• Yechezkel by Artscroll
• Avodas HaKorbanos by Artscroll
• Mishnah Torah Hilchot Chagigah by Rambam
• The Milstein Edition Chumash the Book of Exodus by Artscroll
• The Milstein Edition Chumash the Book of Leviticus by Artscroll
• The Milstein Edition Chumash the Book of Deuteronomy by Artscroll
• Kunteres Avodas HaKorbonos by Johannesburg Cheder
• Measure the Pattern Vol 1 by Joe Good HaTikvah Ministries
• Tractate Chagigah Talmud Bavli by Steinsaltz
• Tractate Chagigah Mishnah by Kehati
• The Book of the Mitzvos by Artscroll