Sacrifice Continues in the Temple

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Adam and Eve at the altar One of the criticisms leveled at the LDS (Mormon) practice of temple worship is the seemingly dissimilar forms of the ordinances when compared with those found practiced by ancient Israelites in the Bible. It is true that the forms of the ordinances and sacrifices are different, but their meaning and symbolism remain the same. Let us consider why the forms are different.

From Adam down to Moses, the Melchizedek priesthood, with its accompanying higher ordinances, were practiced by the covenant people of the Lord. These were similar in form to LDS temple worship today. Unfortunately, since most of the accounting from the Old Testament takes place from the time period of Moses to Christ, from the Bible we become most familiar with the lower ordinances that the Israelites practiced in the Tabernacle, Solomon’s Temple, Zerubbabel’s Temple, and Herod’s Temple. This is because when Moses desired to give the higher law of the gospel and the ordinances of the Melchizedek priesthood to his people they rebelled against him and the Lord withdrew these higher ordinances and instituted the lower Aaronic priesthood (including the Levitical priesthood) with its accompanying outwardly observances and performances. The Israelites were not worthy to come into the presence of the Lord as a whole; only the high priest was allowed into the most holy place in the Tabernacle, and only on certain prescribed days. These practices continued for 1200-1300 years, and the Israelites’ writings during this time fill a large measure of the Bible.

When Christ came to earth, he restored the Melchizedek priesthood with its accompanying higher ordinances. The Mosaic law was also fulfilled in Christ at that time, and the type of sacrifices performed in temples were consequently changed. Blood sacrifices were no longer required. Intermediary animals were also now not required. All of the Lord’s covenant people were able to approach the Lord directly and offer a self-sacrifice of their time, talents, and everything that they had, including the only true sacrifice we can give God, our individual will. The form of the sacrifice changed, but the meaning and symbolism remained exactly the same.

Yesterday and today, the ordinances and sacrifices offered in the Lord’s temples have always pointed to Jesus Christ and his ultimate sacrifice and atonement. The following table helps compare the types and forms of sacrifice offered in the temple of the Lord since Adam to the present day: ¹

	Pre-Mosaic	Ancient Israel (Mosaic law)	Early Christian/Modern Israel (LDS Church)
Place	High Mountains, possibly Mount Moriah, possibly temples or other designated holy places	Mosaic Tabernacle Solomon’s Temple Zerubbabel’s Temple Herod’s Temple	High Mountians Mount of Transfiguration Modern Temples (125 operating worldwide)
Why offer sacrifice?	Obedience to God, To make one’s life holy or sacred like Christ did through his sacrifice, in imitation of his sacrifice to become holy like him	Obedience to God, To make one’s life holy or sacred like Christ did through his sacrifice, in imitation of his sacrifice to become holy like him	Obedience to God, To make one’s life holy or sacred like Christ did through his sacrifice, in imitation of his sacrifice to become holy like him
Remembrance or Imitation	Similitude of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, yet to come (Moses 5:7)	Similitude of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, yet to come (Jacob 4:4-5)	Similitude of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, in the past (3 Nephi 9:20; Rom. 8:17). As in other dispensations, this similitude is in mind, emotion, and action.
Officiator	All worthy members of the House of Israel (made kings and priests, queens and priestesses)	Priests in Israel	All worthy members of the House of Israel (members of the Church) (made kings and priests, queens and priestesses)
Type of sacrifice	Vicarious Animal Blood Sacrifice	Vicarious Animal Blood Sacrifice	Self-sacrifice of a broken heart and contrite spirit, offering our individual will to God (3 Nephi 9:20), in similitude of Christ’s sacrifice of body, spirit, and will.
What was offered?	Animals, Prayers, Sealing of families, Covenants of self-sacrifice and consecration	Animals, Prayers, Incense (a symbol of prayer and sacrifice)	Covenants of self-sacrifice and consecration, Prayers, and Sealing of families
Vicarious (proxy) offering	Animal was offered in place of the person making the sacrifice, similar to how Christ offered himself as a sacrifice for us.	Animal was offered in place of the person making the sacrifice, similar to how Christ offered himself as a sacrifice for us.	Temple patrons offer themselves a vicarious substitutes or proxies for the deceased, similar to how Christ offered himself as a sacrifice for us we become saviors on Mount Zion for the dead doing for them what they cannot do for themselves.
Extent of sacrifice	A total and complete sacrifice of oneself to God vicariously through the giving of the life of the animal, again in similitude of Christ.	A total and complete sacrifice of oneself to God vicariously through the giving of the life of the animal, again in similitude of Christ.	“At the altars in the Lord’s temples today, worshippers covenant to sacrifice all they possess for the sake of the Lord’s kingdom”². All in similitude of Christ’s total sacrifice (Rom. 8:17).
Altars	Built with earth (Ex. 20:24), or unhewn stones (Ex. 20:25)	Altar of Burnt Offering (made of acacia wood overlaid with brass)(Ex. 27:1-2; Ex. 39:39; Ex. 40:26; 2 Chr. 4:1) Altar of Incense (overlaid in gold) Ark of the Covenant (Lev. 16:14-15)	Early Christian Altars (Matthew 5:23-24; Heb. 13:10; Rev. 8:3-5; Rev. 11:1) Latter-day altars are found in each ordinance room (either for endowments or sealings) of each temple worldwide. The sacrament table is also a type of altar, found in every chapel within the Church worldwide.

Notes:

Most of this information was gathered from Andrew Skinner’s Temple Worship, 121-125, 181-189 [←]
Andrew Skinner, Temple Worship, 184 [←]

3 Comments

Justin

Posted April 9, 2008 at 4:59 am | Permalink

I think 3 Nephi 9:19-20 best sums up what you are saying. The only reason there exists any difference in our current Temple sacrifices is b/c Jesus has fulfilled His mortal mission.
The letter of the law has changed, but the spirit remains the same.
anonymous

Posted June 23, 2008 at 12:28 pm | Permalink

Hi I was just wondering if you could tell me if blood sacrifice will or will not return. The reason I am asking this is because of a talk given by Joseph Smith in a General Conference on October 5 1840. He mentions that these sacrifices will return so that there can be a full resoration of all things. I am really trying to understand. If you could help me out that would be very much appreciated.
Thanks!
Bryce Haymond

Posted June 23, 2008 at 1:59 pm | Permalink

Bruce R. McConkie commented on this in Mormon Doctrine:

To complete the restoration of all things, apparently on a one-time basis, sacrifices will again be offered in this dispensation. John the Baptist, for instance, brought back the commission and power whereby the sons of Levi shall offer again in righteousness those offerings which they made in ancient days. (D&C 13)

Malachi foretold that such offerings would be attended to again in the day of the Second Coming of Christ. (Mal. 3:1-4) Joseph Smith, commenting upon Malachi’s prophecy explained how this could be:

It is generally supposed that sacrifice was entirely done away when the great sacrifice, the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus was offered up and that there will be no necessity for the ordinance of sacrifice in [the] future; but those who assert this are certainly not acquainted with the duties, privileges and authority of the priesthood, or with the prophets.

The offering of sacrifice has ever been connected and forms a part of the duties of the priesthood. It began with the priesthood, and will be continued until after the coming of Christ, from generation to generation. We frequently have mention made of the offering of sacrifice by the servants of the Most High in ancient days, prior to, the law of Moses; which ordinances will be continued when the priesthood is restored with all its authority, power and blessings….

These sacrifices, as well as every ordinance belonging to the priesthood, will, when the Temple of the Lord shall be built, and the sons of Levi be purified, be fully restored and attended to in all their powers, ramifications, and blessings. This ever did and ever will exist when the powers of the Melchizedek Priesthood are sufficiently manifest; else how can the restitution of all things spoken of by the holy prophets be brought to pass. It is not to be understood that the law of Moses will be established again with all its rites and variety of ceremonies; this has never been spoken of by the prophets; but those things which existed prior to Moses’ day, namely sacrifice, will be continued. (Teachings, pp. 172-173; Doctrines of Salvation, vol. 3, p. 94.)

President Joseph Fielding Smith also offered this insight:

OFFERING OF THE SONS OF LEVI. What kind of offering will the sons of Levi make to fulfill the words of Malachi and John? Logically such a sacrifice as they were authorized to make in the days of their former ministry when they were first called. Will such a sacrifice be offered in the temple? Evidently not in any temple as they are constructed for work of salvation and exaltation today. It should be remembered that the great temple, which is yet to be built in the City Zion, will not be one edifice, but twelve. Some of these temples will be for the lesser priesthood.

When these temples are built, it is very likely that provision will be made for some ceremonies and ordinances which may be performed by the Aaronic Priesthood and a place provided where the sons of Levi may offer their offering in righteousness. This will have to be the case because all things are to be restored. There were ordinances performed in ancient Israel in the tabernacle when in the wilderness, and after it was established at Shiloh in the land of Canaan, and later in the temple built by Solomon. The Lord has informed us that this was the case and has said that in those edifices ordinances for the people were performed

These temples that we now have, however, the Lord commanded to be built for the purpose of giving to the saints the blessings which belong to their exaltation, blessings which are to prepare those who receive them to “enter into his rest, . . . which rest is the fulness of his glory,” and these ordinances have to be performed by authority of the Melchizedek Priesthood, which the sons of Levi did not hold.

RESTORATION OF BLOOD SACRIFICES. We are living in the dispensation of the fulness of times into which all things are to be gathered, and all things are to be restored since the beginning. Even this earth is to be restored to the condition which prevailed before Adam’s transgression. Now in the nature of things, the law of sacrifice will have to be restored, or all things which were decreed by the Lord would not be restored. It will be necessary, therefore, for the sons of Levi, who offered the blood sacrifices anciently in Israel, to offer such a sacrifice again to round out and complete this ordinance in this dispensation. Sacrifice by the shedding of blood was instituted in the days of Adam and of necessity will have to be restored.

The sacrifice of animals will be done to complete the restoration when the temple spoken of is built; at the beginning of the millennium, or in the restoration, blood sacrifices will be performed long enough to complete the fulness of the restoration in this dispensation. Afterwards sacrifice will be of some other character. (Doctrines of Salvation, vol. 3, 94.)