Just asking – why was Jewish religion for thousands of years literally saturated with blood? I know the rabbis have cleaned up Judaism making it less smelly and full of death! But if the LORD doesn’t change, has he given us all a pass in the modern world? Not just the modern world, actually ever since 70AD when sacrifices ended at the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem? So did God change his mind about all that blood? - Just asking!

Do you ever feel cheated by Yom Kippur; do you really feel ‘atonement’? Just asking! What was it like in those great days in Jerusalem? - when the priest would take the sacrifice into the Holy of Holies; and even more importantly come out alive! His being alive was a declaration to the people that all is well, between the God of Israel and his covenant people. Yes, they enjoyed Shalom. God graced them with atonement; they were ‘at one’ with their God. But it needed blood, for without the shedding of blood there was no remission for sin.

Jewish people are taught to remember. And another great event to remember also concerns blood and that is Passover. Whether you observe it or not, it is a part of Jewish life. Remember those drops of wine that represent the plagues? That last one is pretty momentous – as in Passover you remember the death of the first born. And that final drop in the Seder is dramatic!

Just asking - why did the sacrifices end in AD70 after the destruction of the Temple? The Temple had been destroyed before and yet the sacrifices had resumed. But not this time. There was something final; even a final drop?

Was it because there was no more need, since One blood sacrifice was made for all; the One who would crush the devil, the One who was the ‘provided lamb’? – Just asking!

The prophet Isaiah would speak of a messianic figure who would be ‘stricken by God… wounded for our transgressions; crushed for our iniquities… it was the will of the Lord to crush him… when his soul makes an offering for sin’ (Isaiah 53:4,5,10). Wow! -a Messiah who would himself be ‘bruised’, as a God-willed sacrifice, atoning for sin. Who is ‘He’? Just asking!

So, I’m just asking. Why so much blood? And then, why no blood?