Matt. 26:27-28
27 And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it;
28 For this is my blood of the new testament [covenant], which is shed for many for the remission of sins.

Heb. 10:4
For IT IS NOT POSSIBLE that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.

John 1:29
The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

Jesus Christ came into this world to establish the New Covenant in His blood. As the Lamb of God, He was stretched out upon the altar (a Roman cross) and sacrificed, shedding His blood for the remission of our sins.

According to John the Baptist, Jesus was the True Lamb of God – the only sacrifice which could actually take away our sins. For it is impossible for the blood of animals to take away sins.

If it is impossible for the blood of animals to take away sins, as Hebrews 10:4 declares, then what was the purpose of animal sacrifice under the Old Covenant?

Before Jesus came, the Hebrews – the offspring of Abraham were the elect of God according to the Old Testament; the covenant that God made with Abraham was a covenant inclusive to all Hebrews. Under the Old Covenant, the system of animal sacrifice was established… but, the writer of the book of Hebrews plainly declares that the blood of animals could never take away sin.

So… why was it required?

There is a large contingency of theological thought in our day, which advances the concept that God will return on the Old Covenant in the end of days, after the rapture. This is a basic teaching of ‘dispensational’ theology – the belief that God changes the way which He deals with man at different points of history.

Logically, this idea seems to make sense: after the rapture, when the elect [Christians] are taken out of the earth, there must yet be an elect people of God that will fulfill the prophecies of the last days. As the Christians (those who believe in the Jewish Messiah) have been removed from the earth, it would stand to reason that God would return to the first people of God: the Hebrews.

The Jews will re-establish the temple-worship in Jerusalem, including the ritual animal sacrifices, circumcision, and the full spectrum of Old Testament religion until the antichrist person comes and forces his way into the temple, declaring himself to be God, and taking away the animal sacrifice.

A proof text use for this perspective is Daniel 9:27, which dispensationalists claim speaks of the antichrist (to see my interpretation of Daniel 9:27, click HERE).

What I have just described is pretty standard dispensationalist theology. Unfortunately, we run into an issue if we believe in the New Covenant because, according to scripture, it is impossible for animal blood to take away sins.

The entire Old Testament system of animal sacrifice was a prophecy, declaring the coming of Messiah, who was the pure and spotless sacrifice for our sins. Under the Old Covenant, every time the Jews performed the ritual sacrifices of animals they were prophesying the coming of Messiah to take away their sins.

Jesus did, indeed, come and shed His blood to cleanse us from sin. According to Christ, Himself, His was the blood of the New Covenant; the ultimate fulfillment of ritual sacrifice. So the question I have to pose is this: can God return on the Old Covenant, and the system of ritual animal sacrifices if it is impossible for the blood of animals to take away sin, and the only blood which CAN take away sin has now been shed?

According to the prophet Isaiah who wrote under the Old Covenant, God had no delight in the sacrifice of animals; in fact according to Isaiah, the practice was abominable to God when the people did not discern that their sacrifice was a declaration of the coming Messiah:

Isa 66:3
3 He that killeth an ox is as if he slew a man; he that sacrificeth a lamb, as if he cut off a dog’s neck; he that offereth an oblation, as if he offered swine’s blood; he that burneth incense, as if he blessed an idol. Yea, they have chosen their own ways, and their soul delighteth in their abominations.

This is an interesting Old Testament verse: Isaiah declares that the sacrificial system is actually abominable to God; that those who sacrifice animals only for the purpose of shedding blood might as well be murdering people! ‘He that killeth an ox is as if he slew a man…’

That even the burning of incense was idolatry: ‘he that burneth incense, as if he blessed an idol.’

Now wait a minute… the Old Covenant has to be in place in the last days in order for the antichrist to take away the daily sacrifice… right?

But according to Isaiah, the sacrificial system is abominable, and according to Hebrews the blood of animals could never take away sin to begin with.

According to the New Testament, Jesus’ blood has been shed for the remission of our sins. But there has to be a new dispensation after the rapture… right?

In fact, there IS a new dispensation after the ‘rapture.’ Once the church is caught up in the resurrection, the purchased possession of God has been fully redeemed from the earth, not only in promise, but in actuality.

Speaking of the resurrection of the dead, Paul declared these words:

1 Cor 13:10-12
10 But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.
11 When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.
12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.

According to Paul, all of the gifts of the spirit, tongues, prophecy, etc. will cease in the resurrection, we will no longer need spiritual gifts because we will see Christ face-to-face. This is a new dispensation, an involvement with God far superior than we have experienced in this life under either the New, or the Old Testaments!

When the church is caught up, there is a new dispensation. So, then, if the rapture takes place before the final return of Christ, will God return on the Old Covenant for those in the world?

Matt. 26:28
28 For this is my blood of the new testament [covenant], which is shed for many for the remission of sins.

Heb. 10:4
For IT IS NOT POSSIBLE that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.

The Old Testament sacrificial system never took sins away to begin with – it prophesied of the coming of the blood of the New Covenant.

I quoted one verse from Isaiah, let’s look at the next two verses from that passage as well:

Isa 66:3-5
3 He that killeth an ox is as if he slew a man; he that sacrificeth a lamb, as if he cut off a dog’s neck; he that offereth an oblation, as if he offered swine’s blood; he that burneth incense, as if he blessed an idol. Yea, they have chosen their own ways, and their soul delighteth in their abominations.

4 I also will choose their delusions, and will bring their fears upon them; because when I called, none did answer; when I spake, they did not hear: but they did evil before mine eyes, and chose that in which I delighted not.

5 Hear the word of the LORD, ye that tremble at his word; your brethren that hated you, that cast you out for my name’s sake, said, Let the LORD be glorified: BUT HE SHALL APPEAR TO YOUR JOY, AND THEY SHALL BE ASHAMED.

Interestingly, this verse is actually talking about the return of Christ! This passage in Isaiah that condemns the usage of the Old Sacrificial system as idolatry, and murder is a passage that speaks of the end of days, and the return of Christ: ‘HE [JESUS CHRIST] SHALL APPEAR TO YOUR JOY, AND THEY SHALL BE ASHAMED.‘

If we look at the implication of this passage in reference to the end of days, it is apparent that Isaiah is saying that in the last days there will be those who return on the Old Covenant even though Messiah’s blood has been shed. Why? Because as according to the last sentence of verse 3, they chose their own ways, rather than the Way: Jesus Christ.

They said, ‘Let the Lord be glorified’ (v.5) i.e. they were claiming that following the Old Covenant system was the correct service to God, but they cast out the Christians who believed in the Messiah, yet HE WILL APPEAR TO OUR JOY.

Really, Isaiah is prophesying that in the last days men will seek to return to the Old Covenant, rejecting the covenant in the blood of Jesus… but this isn’t God returning on the Old Covenant, it is them choosing their own way, and rejecting the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Yet: He shall appear to our glory. We know from the New Testament that when Jesus returns, He will destroy the antichrist system (Revelation 19:11-20; 2 Thess. 2:8)… wherefore its interesting that Isaiah declares that those who revert to the Old Covenant are those who will be ashamed when He comes. But I digress;

As we are talking about the return of God on the covenant of the Hebrews, let’s look at another verse from the book of Hebrews:

Heb. 10:28-29
28 He that despised Moses’ law died without mercy under two or three witnesses:
29 Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?

To return to the Old Covenant sacrificial system is to reject the saving power of the blood of Jesus Christ. To do so is to count animal’s blood superior to that of the the Son of God for the remission of sins.

The blood of animals never could take away sins, it always pointed to the sacrifice of Messiah.

To sacrifice animals in the days of this dispensation is to reject the blood of the New Covenant, claiming that Old ritual animal sacrifices are capable of doing what only Jesus could do is blaspheming the shed blood of the Son of God, and rejecting salvation that comes through His sacrifice.

Will God return on the Old Covenant in the last days? In the end of days does Jesus’ blood become insufficient for salvation? Does animal blood become superior to the blood of the Son of God in the end of days?

God forbid. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. (Heb. 13:8)