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Centralization of
Sacrifice in the Priestly
Document
Animal sacrifice was practiced in the ancient Hebrew
faith, but not in today's Jewish and Christian faiths? Why?
The answer is found in the Priestly text, which Jews and
Christians have unfortunately and unwittingly inherited in
their Bible. The Priestly text commands that sacrifices
should only be performed in the place where God resides, at
the altar of his tabernacle, which is assumed to be the temple
of Jerusalem, since that is where the tabernacle has resided
since the days of Solomon.[1] The Priestly command to
sacrifice at only one central location is as follows:
Any Israelite who kills a cow, lamb, or goat in the camp
or outside the camp, and fails to bring it to the door of
the tabernacle of the congregation, to offer it to
Yahweh, in the tabernacle of Yahweh, blood will be
upon that person. They have shed blood, and they shall
be cut off from their people.[2]
THIS SECTION:
GENESIS
CREATION
Today, an Islamic shrine sits on the spot where the ancient
STORY IS A
tabernacle of Jerusalem used to sit. Consequently, no
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In the early times, for the first six centuries after the
Hebrews entered the Promised Land, the Hebrews continued
to sacrifice anywhere they wanted, and the God of Israel was
perfectly satisfied with this arrangement. The Hebrews set
up altars on the mountain tops, which they called high places.
Jerusalem had no special status. Jerusalem was just one of
many high places. For example, David sacrificed in his
hometown of Bethlehem, a rather insignificant town.[8]
Solomon sacrificed animals to Yahweh on high places outside
Jerusalem, and Yahweh rewarded him for it. Solomon also
sacrificed animals in Jerusalem, but Solomon is not said to
have received any reward for sacrificing in Jerusalem.[9]
The Prophet Samuel also sacrificed on the high places, and so
did Saul. God rewarded their sacrifices with the gift of
prophecy.[10] Such was the disposition of the God of Israel,
that he rewarded people for sacrificing outside the so-called
"holy city" of Jerusalem. If people got a sudden urge to eat
meat or make a sacrifice, makeshift altars were created on
the spot.[11] No special location or temple was required.
Even after the temple at Jerusalem was well established,
Gods Prophets continued to sacrifice outside of Jerusalem.
For example, Elijah, who prophesied a century after the
Jerusalem temple was up and running, sacrificed on Mount
Carmel, and God confirmed that Elijah was justified in doing
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