Well we are starting to see why you misunderstand the atonement. If I could truly be justified by the blood of bulls and Rams, then really, Jesus sacrifice was unnecessary. And why would he have to be divinity, when he was only accomplishing what animals had accomplished previously?
In Romans 4, Paul used the Old Testament to show salvation has always been by God’s grace and can only be received through faith.
"was it after he was circumcised, or before? It was not after, but before! 11 And he received circumcision as a sign, a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised."
So we see that the ritual of circumcision didn't actually do anything as far as salvation. None of the law did.
"Therefore it is of faith that it might be according to grace, so that the promise might be sure to all the seed, not only to those who are of the law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all."
Of this salvation the prophets have inquired and searched carefully, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you, searching what, or what manner of time, the
Spirit of Christ who was in them was indicating when He testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow. To them it was revealed that, not to themselves, but to us they were ministering the things which now have been reported to you through those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven—things which angels desire to look into. (
1 Peter 1:10–12
Christ-led, Spirit-given understanding of the gospel was the core of the prophetic message.
And from Jesus himself:
Then He said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?” And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself. (
Luke 24:25–27)
Then He said to them, “Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.” (
Luke 24:44–47)
Notice: He claimed the Prophets testified about Him. He also showed that He could be found in the Psalms.
But those things which God foretold by the mouth of all His prophets, that the Christ would suffer, He has thus fulfilled. Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that He may send Jesus Christ, who was preached to you before, whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began. (
Acts 3:18–24)
Not believing in animal sacrifice but belief in the promise of Christ has always been the way to justification before God.
Paul explained in Romans 4 that salvation has always been and will always be by God’s grace and received through faith alone.
Even Abel understood the nature of a bloody sacrifice and the death of a substitute, and because of his faith in God, he was regarded by God as righteous (
Hebrews 11:4).
Read Hebrews11 Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. 2 This is what the ancients were commended for.
Faith has always been the way. And specifically faith in God, not in a man.
