Leviticus 1:5-9 – Answering Maharishi Dayananda Saraswati

Does animal sacrifices prove that Bible is not the word of God?

Those sentences which are colored in orange are from Maharishi Dayananda Saraswati book Satyarth Prakash (The Light of Truth) and those which are colored in black are Jerry Thomas’s response.

"And he shall kill the bullock before the Lord: and the priests, Aaron's sons, shall bring the blood, and sprinkle the blood round about upon the altar that is by the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. And he shall flay the burnt offering, and cut it into pieces. And the sons of Aaron the priest shall put fire upon the altar, and lay the wood in order upon the fire! And the priests, Aaron's sons, shall lay the parts, he head and the fat, in order upon the wood that is on the fire which is upon the altar: But his inwards and his legs shall he wash in water: and the priest shall burn on the altar, to be a burnt sacrifice, and offering made by fire, of a sweet savor unto the Lord." (1:5 – 9.)

C. ~ A little consideration will show that the place, where a bullock is killed by His votaries before the Lord (who sanctions that act) his blood is sprinkled on all sides of the altar and the flesh of the animals offered as a burnt offering on the altar when the Lord smells a sweet savor, is not better than a slaughter-house. These things serve to show that the Bible can never be the Word of God nor can its God be any better than a savage trickster.

Answer: As for the objections against killing of animals, I already answered in Leviticus 1:1, 2.

As for the spiritual meaning of the sacrifices, I already answered those in the Exodus 24:5, 6, 8, and 12.

However, one wonders why many modern Vedic gurus would employ semantic gimmicks to avoid the obvious reference of animal scarifies of Vedas? Is it because that they cannot give a proper reason as to why the sacrifices in the Vedas ceased to exist almost abruptly. If so, we urge them to see the true sacrifice of LORD Jesus Christ which rendered all other sacrifices as irrelevant. At the feet of the cross, the Vedic Maharishis can find the real meaning of sacrifice and why all the other sacrifices are irrelevant now.

Let us read some of the Vedic references to the animal sacrifices which as per this Vedic Maharishi would be a savage practice.

Rig Veda 1:162:1-13

1. SLIGHT us not Varuṇa, Aryaman, or Mitra, Ṛbhukṣan, Indra, Āyu, or the Maruts,When we declare amid the congregation the virtues of the strong Steed, God-descended.

2. What time they bear before the Courser, covered with trappings and with wealth, the grasped oblation, the dappled goat goeth straightforward, bleating, to the place dear to Indra and to Pūṣan.

3. Dear to all Gods, this goat, the share of Pūṣan, is first led forward with the vigorous Courser, while Tvaṣṭar sends him forward with the Charger, acceptable for sacrifice, to glory.

4. When thrice the men lead round the Steed, in order, who goeth to the Gods as meet oblation, the goat precedeth him, the share of Pūṣan, and to the Gods the sacrifice announceth.

5. Invoker, ministering priest, atoner, fire-kindler Soma-presser, sage, reciter,With this well ordered sacrifice, well finished, do ye fill full the channels of the rivers.

6 The hewers of the post and those who carry it, and those who carve the knob to deck the Horse's stake; those who prepare the cooking-vessels for the Steed,—may the approving help of these promote our work.

7 Forth, for the regions of the Gods, the Charger with his smooth back is come my prayer attends him. In him rejoice the singers and the sages. A good friend have we won for the Gods’ banquet.

8 May the fleet Courser's halter and his heel-ropes, the head-stall and the girths and cords about him. And the grass put within his mouth to bait him,—among the Gods, too, let all these be with thee.

9 What part of the Steed's flesh the fly hath eaten, or is left sticking to the post or hatchet, or to the slayer's hands and nails adhereth,—among the Gods, too, may all this be with thee.

10 Food undigested steaming from his belly, and any odour of raw flesh remaining,This let the immolators set in order and dress the sacrifice with perfect cooking.
11 What from thy body which with fire is roasted, when thou art set upon the spit, distilleth, let not that lie on earth or grass neglected, but to the longing Gods let all be offered.

12 They who observing that the Horse is ready call out and say, the smell is good; remove it; And, craving meat, await the distribution,—may their approving help promote labour.

13 The trial-fork of the flesh-cooking caldron, the vessels out of which the broth is sprinkled, the warming-pots, the covers of the dishes, hooks, carving-boards,—all these attend the Charger.

Is this not clear enough that the Vedic people not only sacrificed but also ate the sacrificial animal?