Sacrifice in Old Testament Worship? | Atonement & Reconciliation

Have you ever wondered why God commanded His people in the Old Testament to put animals to death in a ritual sacrificial system? Why does the Bible place so much emphasis upon the role of sacrifice in the Old Testament? What, if any, is the influence of the Old Testament sacrificial system upon New Testament worship practices? Does the fact that Jesus’ death on the cross fulfilled the Old Testament sacrifices mean that the concept of sacrifice is now removed from our worship in the New Testament era? Is there something about the practice of Old Testament sacrifices that is inherent to a proper understanding of and participation in worship?