Thank you for the question, “Does the Bible support animal sacrifices?”
In our modern 21st century custom and practices, the idea of animal sacrifices may seem cruel and barbaric. Could God asked for some other form of offering or worship of himself? Yes, one can conjecture that God could have asked for plants, fruits, or a posture in thankful prayer or some pence other than animal sacrifice in asking for forgiveness of sins against God.
The overall answer is to the question is that the Bible does support animal sacrifices for the Jewish people. This was required as part of the Jewish worship of God and atonement of sins.
Here’s my thinking why God required the animal sacrifices for the Jewish people. This is for one’s consideration.
A. God required the sacrifice of animals to test the sincerity of one’s worship.
When a Jewish person brought an animal sacrifice to God, it was a costly sacrifice. That person could have killed the animal for one’s food or sold it for additional income. To sacrifice an animal in worship and thanksgiving to God is costly. Would any Jew bring a free will offering to God to thank him for his goodness to him and to his family? It was a test of the heart and spirit of the Jewish people.
B. God required the sacrifice of animals to test one’s obedience to the Law.
God states the requirement of animal sacrifice for the atonement of one’s sin. A person who truly desires to love and obey God would bring the required sacrifice for one’s sin. A person who doesn’t care about obeying the Laws of God would also ignore the requirements for animal sacrifices for one’s sin. It was a test of the heart and spirit of the Jewish people.
C. God required the sacrifice of animals to show the underlying helpless and need of someone or something that will give that person a clean heart and clean hands.
The person who brings the sacrifices begins to realize that his/her worship or obedience to the Law is inadequate. The worshiper needs something or someone who can transforms one’s heart so that the worship is pure and the actions are without sin. Who or what can cause him/her to stop sinning against God? The sins are covered by the animal sacrifice but what can remove it forever. The worshiper desire to draw nearer to God even into the Holy of Holies, if that was possible to be in the very Presence of God. He doesn’t want to worship from afar but in the Presence of God. The worshiper realizes his own inadequacy and divine intervention into his/her own life.
For the Jewish people, the Law required animal sacrifices for worship and for atonement for sin. One can read Leviticus. With the destruction of the Temple, animal sacrifices are no longer possible for the Jewish people. Thus the worship of God and repentance before God ought to be genuine and pure in order to be accepted by God.
For Christians, they believe that Jesus Christ is the ultimate sacrifice for the covered sins of God’s people. God has given the followers of Jesus Christ the Holy Spirit to enable and transform the believer’s heart, mind, and actions. Christians are not sinless but they are not sinners. Confession of sin restores one’s fellowship with God (I Jn. 1:9), but his relationship as a child of God never changes (Jn. 1:12–13).
I am thankful to God that I don’t have to bring an animal sacrifice or pay a ransom for my sins. Jesus Christ became the payment for my sins so that God can forgive me of my sins.
SUMMARY: The Old Testament sacrifices for sin is fulfilled in Jesus Christ as the atoning Lamb of God for the sins of the world even to those who believe in him (I John 2:2).
For more perspectives:
https://www.quora.com/Does-the-Bible-support-animal-sacrifices