Yeshua wasn’t “sacrificed”….

It seems some people are confused about Yeshua’s “sacrifice” on the cross, so I’m going to try to explain in as simple language as possible….

First of all, Yeshua was NOT “sacrificed.” "sacrificing" involves doing a special ritual for a purpose. For instance, performing an actual “sacrifice” was when the priests killed a blemish-free "clean" animal for the purpose of spilling its blood (and smearing some of it on the "horns" of the altar) to atone for the PAST sins of the people for that year:

Leviticus 4:7 “The priest shall also put some of the blood on the horns of the altar of fragrant incense which is before YHWH in the tent of meeting; and all the blood of the bull he shall pour out at the base of the altar of burnt offering which is at the doorway of the tent of meeting.”

(See also Hebrews 9:19-20 which teaches that blood is for atonement.)

Nobody ever said a word about “sacrificing” YHWH’s Messiah - and furthermore, YHWH never expected nor accepted any HUMAN sacrifices!

Yeshua was KILLED – nailed to the stake - for supposedly being a "criminal" and a threat to the Jews because he taught with authority and viewed himself as "equal to God." Nothing says they were killing him to atone for people's past sins, nor did anyone spread his blood on the horns of the altar.

(By the way, notice that this happened on PASSOVER, which reflected the very first Pass-Over in Exodus 12 where the blood of the lambs was substituted to save the people’s firstborn from being killed by the Angel of Death, who “passed over” any house that had the lamb’s blood smeared on their doorposts! AND, Yeshua died at 3 p.m. - exactly when the lambs were slain at that first Pass-Over! (See Mark 15:34.) ALL of ADONAI’s commanded Feasts have specific purposes….)

Anyway, the Jews wanted Yeshua out of the way, and the Romans ended up doing the dirty deed by simply killing him. (They did NOT “sacrifice” him! There was no ritual. They tortured him and nailed him to a cross/stake. He ALLOWED himself to be killed because he knew he HAD to die to redeem those who had accepted YHWH as their God. He “offered himself/martyred himself/sacrificed his own life to become OUR atonement, our redeemer and substitute.)

Now, here’s something very important to remember:

Yeshua only died ONCE to remove our PAST sins, whatever they might have been .... and then those who have accepted YHWH as their God and Yeshua as His Divine Messiah who “sacrificed his life,” were and are expected to turn and repent and sin no more ...

Note I said Yeshua’s death removed our PAST sins! He did NOT die to cleanse us from any present or future intentional sins! In order to remove any intentional sins we commit NOW, he would have to die again and again and again - and that ain't gonna happen!

His death was a one-time, take-it-or-leave-it deal. You are now required to “walk the straight and narrow path” as outlined in TORAH. (In other words, YHWH expects you to LIVE your faith, obeying the commands to keep the Seventh Day Sabbath and all the Feasts, and eating only “clean” foods… all the things that can still be done today.)

The bottom line is that one’s salvation always required that blood substitution or redemption of one nephesh (soul) for another. The possibility of that substitution of an animal at the Temple is gone; it has been replaced by your acceptance that the Messiah died for you, and redeemed you, so you can receive eternal life. THAT is why Yeshua allowed himself to be led like a lamb to the slaughter….

This whole thing was basically YHWH's way of saying. "Okay, children, from now on, you don't have to kill innocent animals to atone for your past sins anymore. I'm sending my Messiah to shed his Divine Blood for you - but after that, if you continue in your old sinful ways, you are HOSED! So, either stop the sinning and do your best to OBEY AND LIVE BY MY HOLY COMMANDS, or I will consider you "lukewarm" and "half-hearted" on Judgment Day - and trust Me - there won't be ANY "lukewarm" in Heaven with Me!"