Eating Blood (Leviticus 17)

Why did God require all sacrifices be made at the tent of meeting? Was it partly to discourage pagan offerings? Why did God forbid eating blood? Is it a toxic health risk? Does it still apply? Let’s consider Leviticus 17.

Where were the Israelites required to make any sacrifices?

And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto Aaron, and unto his sons, and unto all the children of Israel, and say unto them; This is the thing which the Lord hath commanded, saying, What man soever there be of the house of Israel, that killeth an ox, or lamb, or goat, in the camp, or that killeth it out of the camp, And bringeth it not unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, to offer an offering unto the Lord before the tabernacle of the Lord; blood shall be imputed unto that man; he hath shed blood; and that man shall be cut off from among his people: To the end that the children of Israel may bring their sacrifices, which they offer in the open field, even that they may bring them unto the Lord, unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, unto the priest, and offer them for peace offerings unto the Lord. (Leviticus 17:1-5 KJV)

Were some sacrificing to demons? What would happen to those who did not sacrifice at the tent of meeting?

And the priest shall splash the blood on the altar of Yahweh at the doorway of the tent of meeting and offer up the fat in smoke as a soothing aroma to Yahweh. And they shall no longer sacrifice their sacrifices to the goat demons with which they play the harlot. This shall be a perpetual statute to them throughout their generations. Then you shall say to them, ‘Any man from the house of Israel, or from the sojourners who sojourn among them, who offers a burnt offering or sacrifice, and does not bring it to the doorway of the tent of meeting to offer it to Yahweh, that man also shall be cut off from his people. (Leviticus 17:6-9 LSB)

Could they or any foreigners in residence eat blood?

‘And anyone from the house of Israel, or from the strangers who reside among them, who eats any blood, I will set My face against that person who eats the blood, and will cut him off from among his people. For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you on the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood by reason of the life that makes atonement.’ Therefore I said to the sons of Israel, ‘No person among you may eat blood, nor may any stranger who resides among you eat blood.’ So when anyone from the sons of Israel, or from the strangers who reside among them, while hunting catches an animal or a bird which may be eaten, he shall pour out its blood and cover it with dirt. (Leviticus 17:10-13 NASB)

What was the reason that they could not eat blood? What were those who ate anything found dead required to do?

because the life of every creature is its blood. That is why I have said to the Israelites, “You must not eat the blood of any creature, because the life of every creature is its blood; anyone who eats it must be cut off. Anyone, whether native-born or foreigner, who eats anything found dead or torn by wild animals must wash their clothes and bathe with water, and they will be ceremonially unclean till evening; then they will be clean. But if they do not wash their clothes and bathe themselves, they will be held responsible.’” (Leviticus 17:14-16 NIV)

Was this an ancient prohibition long before the covenant at Sinai?

But you shall not eat flesh with its life, that is, its blood. (Genesis 9:4 NKJV)

Is not eating blood, like blood sausage and blood pudding, still required of Christians? Did the apostles write to gentiles about this?

For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay no greater burden on you than these few requirements: You must abstain from eating food offered to idols, from consuming blood or the meat of strangled animals, and from sexual immorality. If you do this, you will do well. Farewell. (Acts 15:28-29 NLT)

Why did God require all sacrifices be made at the tent of meeting? Was it partly to discourage pagan offerings? Why did God forbid eating blood? Is it a toxic health risk? Does it still apply? You decide!