Was the Sabbath a day of animal sacrifice in ancient Israel?
No, the Sabbath was not a day of animal sacrifice in ancient Israel. There is no record that they ever killed an animal on the Saturday or Sabbath day. The Sabbath was a day of rest, not a day of worship or ritual sacrifice. They were not even to pick up sticks, let alone bring an animal to be sacrificed.
Les explains that the Sabbath, Saturday, was not a day of sacrifice; never in Israel's history did they sacrifice animals on the Sabbath. He challenges the common idea that the Sabbath was a day of worship, sacrificing, and ritual, stating there is no record they ever killed an animal on Saturday. Instead, the Sabbath was a day of rest, not a day of worship, which is why they were not even to pick up sticks, let alone carry an animal up to be sacrificed. He notes this means the Passover could not have been a Saturday Passover, and he encourages people to dig into the Old Testament to verify that the Jews never offered animal sacrifice on the Sabbath.