“For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves on the altar; it is the blood that makes atonement for one’s life.” (Leviticus 17:11)
Life is in the Blood
Some things in life are inseparable. You can’t make soup without liquid, build a log cabin without trees, or make a bonfire without flames. The same goes for atonement. Sacrifices are where life meets death—they are two sides of the same coin. Without an animal dying, there would be no blood. This is also true in our physical world—we cannot live unless something else dies. Eating means something else—either an animal or a plant—dies to give us its energy and life. Life and death are inextricably linked.
We live in an age saturated with violent imagery (films, games, news), and as a result, words like blood and atonement are often associated with bloodshed, suffering, and wrath. However, the Bible presents blood from a different perspective. In ancient Israel, blood was a symbol of purification, cleansing, and healing. Most importantly, it represented life and life’s power to overcome death.
Leviticus 17:11 is the foundation for understanding the significance of blood in the Bible. Scientifically, we know that blood sustains life, which is why people donate blood—to give life. This is why Jesus tells his followers, “Whoever drinks my blood has eternal life” (John 6:54).
Blood, the Spiritual Ancient Antiseptic
Sacrificial blood acted like a purifier, much like how antiseptic cleans wounds and the surgeon’s operating room and tools. This is why the altar, all that in it, and the people of Israel had to be “purified” with blood, for instance:
“Moses took half of the blood and put it in bowls, and the other half he sprinkled on the altar….Moses then took the blood, sprinkled it on the people and said, ‘This is the blood of the covenant that the Lord has made with you in accordance with all these words.
(Exodus 24:6-8)
“You shall purify the altar when you make atonement for it, and you shall anoint it to consecrate it.” (Exodus 29:36)
“He shall take some of the bull’s blood and some of the goat’s blood and put it on all the horns of the altar. He shall sprinkle some of the blood on it with his finger seven times to cleanse it and consecrate it.” (Leviticus 16:18-19)
Thus, sacrifices were not about appeasing an angry, bloodthirsty God demanding a kill, but about sanctifying space for His Holy presence.
Atonements Were Never Abused or Tortured
Ancient Israel never sacrificed to God in order to relax His wrath or satisfy His appetite for blood—as taught by later Western theologians such as Augustine, Calvin, Luther, and Anselm. Sacrifices were not about Israel killing animals in the hopes that God’s wrath, upon seeing these dead corpses, would relax and He would choose not to punish Israel as well (Penal Substitutionary Atonement). They were also not about satisfying the honor of a capricious God (Satisfaction Atonement) as if His feelings were hurt and He seeks revenge. These were the pagans’ motivations, not Israel’s.
In the Torah, the sacrifice of an animal was to be done quickly, painlessly and efficiently, ensuring the process was not cruel or abusive. For instance, Leviticus 1 and other sacrificial laws highlight the need for the animal to be slaughtered with care, emphasizing that it be done with reverence and in a manner that aligns with God’s holiness. While there was an element of seriousness in the sacrifice, it was not meant to be wrathful, torturous, or to inflict unnecessary suffering on the animal, like the way Calvinist preachers suggest God had tortured and abused Christ.
Dr. Tim Mackie, the founder and chief theologian of “The Bible Project,” speaks of it as well:
Many of us have inherited a story about animal sacrifice, and it goes something like this:
“The gods are angry with me and are going to kill me. But maybe if I kill this animal and make sure the gods get their pound of flesh, they’ll be appeased and happy. Maybe they won’t kill me or send a plague on my family. Sure, it’s barbaric, but so are the gods…”Much of popular Christian belief has simply imported a pagan storyline into Leviticus and the stories about Jesus’ death on the cross. The result is a tragic irony. What the Bible is portraying as an expression of God’s love gets twisted into something dark. Our version goes like this:
“God is holy and perfect. You are not. Therefore, God is angry at you, and hates you even, so he has to kill you. But because he’s merciful, he’ll let you bring this animal to him and will have the animal killed instead of you. Thankfully, Jesus came to be the one who gets killed by God instead of me. Jesus rescues us from God, so now we can go forever to the happy place after we die and not the bad place.”
Is this story recognizable to you? If so, you’re not alone. The main problem with this story, to be a bit snarky, is the Bible. More specifically, the problem is that this story has enough biblical language in it that it can pass for what the Bible actually says about animal sacrifice and Jesus’ death. However, when you step back and allow Leviticus and the New Testament to speak for themselves, you can recognize this story as an imposter.
(Animal Sacrifice? Really?”, bibleproject.com)
ASHAM and HATA’AT
For Israel, the sacrificial system included a profound act of giving thanks, communion, worship, cleansing, and covenant renewal. It was a chance for Israel to realign herself back with God’s will and commandments (repentance), expressing devotion and thanksgiving. The sacrificial system, as outlined in the Old Testament, was multifaceted and symbolic, deeply embedded in the spiritual life of Israel. There were many kinds of sacrifices in the Torah, but only two directly dealt with the forgiveness of sins: ASHAM (Guilt-offering) and HATA’AT (“Sin-offering” or “Purification-offering”).
Sin or Purification Offering (HATA’AT)
The Hebrew word HATA’AT comes from two possible roots: HET (sin) or HITE (purify, cleanse). Because of this, the term is translated as both “Sin Offering” and “Purification Offering.” Most Hebrew scholars and Jewish commentators favor the latter, as the context and purpose of the offering emphasize purification rather than appeasing divine wrath.
Even when sin was involved, the HATA’AT offering functioned as a purifier—cleansing the altar, sanctuary, and instruments, much like a disinfectant. Blood, representing life, was used to purify the defilement caused by sin, ensuring that God’s presence could dwell among Israel. The ritual was about restoration, not punishment. This is evident in purification rituals like those for a cleansed leper (Leviticus 14:2–8, 49–53), where sacrificial blood symbolically removed impurity.
The true significance of the HATA’AT is not in the death of the animal but in the power of its blood to purify. This directly connects to Jesus’ sacrifice—His blood cleanses and sanctifies from our sin, just as the HATA’AT did for Israel (See also, Revelation 7:14, Hebrews 10:10).
Guilt Offering (ASHAM)
The ASHAM offering, meaning “guilt,” was a form of compensation for sin, focusing on restoration rather than punishment. Unlike communal sacrifices, this was an individual offering, often requiring reparations to the offended party. The Law emphasizes its financial aspect—requiring an animal of specific monetary value as restitution.
The concept of ASHAM reflects the idea that sin carries a debt that must be repaid, similar to a fine for breaking a law. Sin was seen as a breach of trust between a person and God, requiring amends. However, it never involved abuse, wrath, or violence—only restitution and reconciliation.
Just as the one bringing the sacrifice presented their offering to God, so did humanity symbolically presented its sacrificial Lamb to Him.
Conclusion
Both the HATA’AT and ASHAM offerings were about purification, restoration, and restoration, not divine abuse and cosmic wrath. Sacrifices were never about punishing and abusing animals in place of sinners but about cleansing impurity and restoring the relationship between God and His people. In the same way, Jesus’ sacrifice was not about satisfying God’s anger but about offering His life to cleanse, restore, and bring humanity back into fellowship with God.
Thus, the idea that Jesus’ death was to satisfy God’s wrath is a misunderstanding of biblical atonement. Blood, not death, atones for sin. Death was simply the means of obtaining blood, the symbol of life. That is why the Bible often uses ‘death’ and ‘blood’ interchangeably when speaking of Christ’s atonement.
Death → Blood → Life
If you were dying, someone could save your life by giving you their blood through a transfusion. Symbolically, this is exactly what Christ did for us—pouring out His life so we could live.
Thus, “Christ died for us” is equivalent to saying “Christ’s blood was shed for us.” Both mean Christ gave us life.
This brings us to the climax of the gospel—not Christ’s suffering, but His life-giving blood. New Testament authors repeatedly emphasize that the Gospel is not about God punishing/abusing/torturing Christ but about the blood (life) of Christ that redeems, purifies, and justifies us:
“…we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins…” (Ephesians 1:7)
“…to make the people holy through his own blood…” (Hebrews 13:12)
“…him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood…” (Revelation 1:5)
“…we have now been justified by his blood…” (Romans 5:9)
“…have been brought near by the blood of Christ…” (Ephesians 2:13)
“…making peace through his blood, shed on the cross…” (Colossians 1:20)
“…the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin…” (1 John 1:7)
Because life is in the blood, it holds the power of purification, sanctification, and atonement. Blood, being life, is why Jesus said, “Unless you drink my blood, you have no life in you” (John 6:53). We receive eternal life because His life was in His divine blood, not because He was punished, tortured, and abused. The gospel is not about torture and death but about life and resurrection. It’s about Jesus conquering death for humankind’s sake, not about Jesus dying because God was angry.
Conclusion: Jesus Died to Give Us His Life; His Blood
Under the Law of Moses, offerings included animals, birds, and grains, but blood sacrifices were central because blood represents life. That is why the New Testament states, “Without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness” (Hebrews 9:22). Life, represented by blood, belongs to God, and its shedding in sacrifice symbolized a transfer of life. Life, not death, was the means of purification.
To the Israelites, blood was a purifier, much like antiseptic or bleach today. Just as people instinctively sanitize their hands after exposure to germs, ancient Israelites understood sacrificial blood as a cleansing agent. It removed the stains of sin and ensured that God’s presence could dwell among His people.
Jesus’ death was not about satisfying divine wrath but about offering His life to give us life. His blood, representing life, sanctifies, cleanses, and redeems both us and our sacred space with God. This is why He died—not to be punished by Divine wrath, abused and tortured by God, but to give us His life. To conquer our greatest enemy – death:
“Death has been swallowed up in victory. Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting? The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
(1 Corinthians 15:54-57)
Jesus didn’t come to be abused and tortured for you—He came to give His life for you. The gospel is life-giving; Jesus removed humanity’s punishment of death and replaced it with eternal life.
I understand you may have questions, objections, or verses you’d like to challenge me with. That’s why I address them all in my book, The “Gospel” of Divine Abuse: Redeeming the Gospel from Gruesome Popular Preaching of an Abusive and Violent God.
