Hebrews 10:1-4

Sacrifices Under Moses' Law Were Insufficient

The blood of the law was not sufficient to cleanse men of sin. The law was just a shadow, or vague outline, of the good things that were to come under the new covenant. Since it was not the image, or true body, the law and its sacrifices could not continually cleanse man. The power was simply not available, under that system to cleanse man of sin. If the blood of the old covenant had been sufficient, there would have been no need to make a sacrifice every year to wash away the same sins. Once sin has been washed away, there is no need to cleanse man of that sin any longer. Yet, the sins of the people under the law of Moses were the cause of many sacrifices. Certain sins caused sacrifices to be made daily, weekly, monthly and at the three yearly festivals (Exodus 29:38-46; Numbers 28:9-15; Leviticus 23:1-44).

Beyond that, there was an annual day of atonement on which sacrifices were offered for the sins of the priests and the people. Even after the cleansing of that day, a scapegoat had to be sent into the wilderness bearing the iniquities of the land (Leviticus 16:11-15; Leviticus 16:20-22). Moses' law did not have a provision allowing for the complete cleansing of man from sin. In fact, its repeated sacrifices served only to remind man of his sinfulness. The benefits of any sacrifice seem to have lasted only till the next annual Day of Atonement. Hence, remembrance was made of sin, the same sin, every year and a new atonement made. Such is the case because the blood of bulls and goats cannot take away sin (Hebrews 10:1-4).