When the Spirit was poured out on Pentecost, it was no longer dwelling in the temple according to Moses; a temple made with hands, with dead stones. Rather, it went into the tabernacle of men, making up the Body(Dwelling/Tabernacle of the Living God) with living stones.
Eph 2:20having been built upon the foundation of the emissaries and prophets, יהושע (Yeshua/Jesus) Messiah Himself being chief corner-stone, 21in whom all the building, being joined together, grows into a set-apart Dwelling Place in יהוה(YHWH), 22in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of Elohim in the Spirit.(ISR 98)
So, one would have to ask, when the physical temple was still standing, who exactly were the physical sacrifices being offered to? And whose food, and whose altar are you eating from?
The physical sacrifices were abolished in the carnal ordinances through the flesh of Messiah as the Passover Lamb. The blood of Yeshua ratified the New Covenant, which does not include physical sacrifices; nor a physical temple, or a Levitical priesthood. Which is why those who were(and are) under the New Covenant, did not have to follow under those ordinances to include a physical temple or altar, as they were already partakers of Yeshua’s altar, as well as built into a living temple.
♦Eph 2:15Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the LAW OF COMMANDMENTS CONTAINED IN ORDINANCES; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;”
♦Colossians 2:14 – BLOTTING OUT THE HANDWRITTING OF ORDINANCES that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;
♦Hebrews 9:1THEN VERILY THE FIRST COVENANT HAD ALSO ORDINANCES of divine service, and a worldly sanctuary. 2For there was a tabernacle made; the first, wherein was the candlestick, and the table, and the shewbread; which is called the sanctuary. 3And after the second veil, the tabernacle which is called the Holiest of all;
♦Hebrews 9:8The Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing: 9WHICH WAS A FIGURE FOR THE TIME PRESENT, IN WHICH WERE OFFERED BOTH GIFTS AND SACRIFICES, that could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience; 10Which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, AND CARNAL ORDINANCES, IMPOSED ON THEM UNTIL THE TIME OF REFORMATION.
♦Hebrews 9:11But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, BY A GREATER AND MORE PERFECT TABERNACLE, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; 12NEITHER BY THE BLOOD OF GOATS AND CLAVES, BUT BY HIS OWN BLOOD he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. 13For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: 14How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?(KJV)
Israel after the flesh(Ishmael) were still performing those sacrifices, and the physical temple, of which no longer was Yah’s, as the House of Judah rejected Yeshua’s sacrifice and the New Covenant. This temple was destroyed in 70AD as Yeshua prophesied that it would, with “not one stone left”(Mat 24:2) along with the laying waste of the House of Judah(Mat 23:38) and cast out the Bondwoman and her son.(Gal 4:30)
So, the physical sacrifices that were still being performed, were no longer an offering to Yah, but were being offered to demons; as the true Israel of the Spirit(Isaac) were partaking in the true Altar, and true Sacrifice.
1Cor 10:18Look at Yisra’ĕl(ISRAEL) AFTER THE FLESH: Are not those who eat of the offerings sharers in the altar? 19What then do I say? That an idol is of any value? Or that which is offered to idols is of any value? 20No, but what the gentiles offer they offer to demons and not to Elohim, and I do not wish you to become sharers with demons. 21You are not able to drink the cup of the Master and the cup of demons, you are not able to partake of the table of the Master and of the table of demons.(ISR 98)
Paul was warning to those in Corinth, that just as Israel after the flesh, the pagans(nations/gentiles) after the flesh, they are all sharers in the same altar, and they were all offering sacrifices to demons. Once in Messiah they could no longer offer/partake in the sacrifices of the flesh, but the ‘flesh’ of Messiah, the Bread of Life, the Shewbread, offering up spiritual offerings.
Yeshua is not going to be coming back to rule and reign physically on this earth, nor is He going to go back and undo what was already and is being accomplished through Him. (Read more about the earthly millennium deception) He has already been building the tabernacle of David for the last 2,000 years, which was a prophesy mentioned by James in Acts 15:14-18, quoting from Amos 9:11-12. The tabernacle/temple of David is being restored and built through living stones.
From my blog post “The Living Temple“.
“The purpose of animal sacrifice was the temporary atonement for sin under the old covenant. It was a foreshadow to the Perfect Sacrifice and perfected atonement for sin through Yeshua who is YHWH/God come in the flesh. When Messiah was crucified and presented His Body as a Living Sacrifice, the Perfect Passover Lamb, it nullified physical sacrifices.
Yeshua came and died, shed His blood, so that we may enter into a NEW Covenant with Him, A NEW AND LIVING WAY, not by the blood shed of animals, but by HIS One Offering of HIMSELF. For many to say that the ONLY reason we do not have physical sacrifices right now because we do not have a temple, is in absolute error. WE DO HAVE A TEMPLE.”
Hebrews 10:1For the Torah, HAVING A SHADOW OF THE GOOD MATTERS TO COME, and not the image itself of the matters, was never able to make perfect those who draw near with the same slaughter offerings which they offer continually year by year.
2Otherwise, would they not have ceased to be offered? Because those who served, once cleansed, would have had no more consciousness of sins. 3But in those offerings is a reminder of sins year by year. 4For it is impossible for blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.
5Therefore, coming into the world, He says, “Slaughtering and meal offering You did not desire, BUT A BODY YOU HAVE PREPARED FOR ME. 6“In burnt offerings and offerings for sin You did not delight. 7“Then I said, ‘See, I come – in the roll of the book it has been written concerning Me – to do Your desire, O Elohim.’ ”
8Saying above, “Slaughter and meal offering, and burnt offerings, and offerings for sin You did not desire, nor delighted in,” which are offered according to the Torah,
9then He said, “See, I come to do Your desire, O Elohim.” HE TAKES AWAY THE FIRST (COVENANT) TO ESTABLISH THE SECOND (COVENANT)
10BY THAT DESIRE WE HAVE BEEN SET APART THROUGH THE OFFERING OF THE BODY OF (YESHUA) יהושע MESSIAH ONCE AND FOR ALL.
11AND INDEED EVERY PRIEST STANDS DAY BY DAY DOING SERVICE, AND REPEATEDLY OFFERING THE SAME SLAUGHTER OFFERINGS WHICH ARE NEVER ABLE TO TAKE AWAY SINS.
12BUT HE, HAVING OFFERED *ONE* SLAUGHTER OFFERING FOR SINS FOR ALL TIME, sat down at the right hand of Elohim, 13waiting from that time onward until His enemies are made a footstool for His feet.
14FOR BY ONE OFFERING HE HAS PERFECTED FOR ALL TIME THOSE WHO ARE BEING SET APART. 15AND THE SET-APART SPIRIT ALSO WITNESSES TO US, for after having said before,
16“This is the covenant that I shall make with them after those days, says יהוה, giving My laws into their hearts, and in their minds I shall write them,”
17and, “Their sins and their lawlessnesses I shall remember no more.”
Yeshua/Jesus is currently both a High Priest according to the order of Melchizedek, and a King who is ruling and reigning from His throne from Mt. Zion(Heavenly Jerusalem) with perfect harmony between those two roles:
Zechariah 6:13Yes, he will build the Temple of the LORD. Then he will receive royal honor and WILL RULE AS KING FROM HIS THRONE. HE WILL ALSO SERVE AS PRIEST FROM HIS THRONE, and there will be perfect harmony between his two roles.’ (taken from blog post “Until Shiloh Comes“)
We also do not need a Levitical Priesthood to offer up offerings, as even before the Levitical priesthood was established, (due to transgression at the golden calf, and transfer of the first-born inheritance), the people were all going to be priests and offer up sacrifices themselves.(Ex 19:3-11). It is also important to understand that from the establishment of the Levitical priesthood, it transferred the inheritance of the first-born, of which was rightfully transferred through Yeshua with the establishment of the New Covenant. (Read more: “Garments of a Warrior Priest“)
Now, under the New Covenant we all are priests, (be-it a disobedient priest or obedient priest), we all are offering up a living sacrifice. However, in order to effectively do that, you actually have to be crucified with Messiah, continuously putting off the flesh:
♦Romans 12:1I call upon you, therefore, brothers, through the compassion of Elohim, to PRESENT YOUR BODIES A LIVING OFFERING – set-apart, well-pleasing to Elohim – your reasonable worship.(ISR 98)
♦Hebrews 13:15THROUGH HIM, LET US CONTINUALLY OFFER UP A SLAUGHTER OFFERING OF PRAISE Through praise to Elohim, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His Name. 16And do not forget to do good and to share, for with such slaughter offerings Elohim is well pleased.(ISR 98)
♦1 Peter 2: 4Drawing near to Him, a living Stone – rejected indeed by men, but chosen by Elohim and precious –5you also, as living stones, are being built up, a spiritual house, a set-apart PRIESTHOOD, TO OFFER UP SPIRITUAL SLAUGHTER OFFERINGS acceptable to Elohim through יהושע Messiah.(ISR 98)
♦1 Peter 2:9But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a set-apart nation, a people for a possession, that you should proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvellous light,(ISR 98)
Those who rejected and still reject Yeshua’s perfect sacrifice have no authority to be partakers in His altar, as they partake in the slaughtering’s offered to demons. You cannot be a partaker of Messiah’s Perfect sacrifice, while also partaking in the physical slaughter offerings; as it profanes His Sacrifice and blood for the forgiveness of sins.
You cannot sit at the Masters table, and also dine with demons.
This is why it is the spirit of Anti-messiah that is behind all people and ministries that promote/encourage and believe in the re-instituting of physical sacrifices. Those slaughtering offerings are to Hasatan/Satan and his demons, and ironically enough a doctrine of demons.
So be careful who’s food, and who’s altar you are eating from:
Hebrews 13:9Be not carried about with divers AND STRANGE DOCTRINES. For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace; not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein.
10WE HAVE AN ALTAR, whereof they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle. 11For the bodies of those beasts, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned without the camp. 12Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate. 13Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach. 14For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come(KJV)
Blessed by the revelation in Altars and sacrifices
Thank you, Henry, good to hear. Blessings!