Joseph Smith and Old Testament practices/Animal sacrifice

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Criticism

Critics claim that Joseph Smith favored "Old Testament practices" including "teaching animal sacrifice."

Source(s) of the criticism

• Jerald and Sandra Tanner, The Changing World of Mormonism (Moody Press, 1979), 488.( Index of claims )

Response

The Tanners cited two sources for this claim:

• History of the Church 4:211
• Doctrines of Salvation 3:94

They fail, however, to provide the context and background for this teaching. Joseph did not teach that animal sacrifice was something the Church should practice. Rather, he insisted that the Old Testament (Malachi 3:3 foretells the restoration of Levite temple service:

Thus we behold the keys of this Priesthood consisted in obtaining the voice of Jehovah that He talked with him [Noah] in a familiar and friendly manner, that He continued to him the keys, the covenants, the power and the glory, with which he blessed Adam at the beginning; and the offering of sacrifice, which also shall be continued at the last time; for all the ordinances and duties that ever have been required by [p.211] the Priesthood, under the directions and commandments of the Almighty in any of the dispensations, shall all be had in the last dispensation, therefore all things had under the authority of the Priesthood at any former period, shall be had again, bringing to pass the restoration spoken of by the mouth of all the Holy Prophets; then shall the sons of Levi offer an acceptable offering to the Lord. "And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord. (See Malachi 3:3).

It will be necessary here to make a few observations on the doctrine set forth in the above quotation, and it is generally supposed that sacrifice was entirely done away when the Great Sacrifice [i.e., the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus] was offered up, and that there will be no necessity for the ordinance of sacrifice in future: but those who assert this are certainly not acquainted with the duties, privileges and authority of the priesthood, or with the Prophets….

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 [p.212] powers of the Melchisedic 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. (History of the Church 4:211).

If the date for Joseph Smith's statement is checked it will be seen that his animal sacrifice comments were made on 5 October 1840. But the Lord clarified in the Nauvoo Temple revelation (D&C 124) dated 19 January 1841 that what would be restored would be "memorials" of sacrifices by the biblical sons of Levi. In the Book of Mormon the Lord stated after the Atonement had taken place that blood sacrifices were no longer acceptable. And so what was restored in the Prophet's era was a 'memorial.'

Joseph Fielding Smith's personal opinion was that animal sacrifice would only happen to fulfill its symbolic role:

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 3:94)

Conclusion

By failing to provide the context and biblical basis for this teaching, the critics strive to make the teaching appear un-Christian or bizarre.

Endnotes

None

Further reading

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