Only A Perfect Sacrifice Will Do

eDevotion

Encouragement for your daily walk with God

You’d be hard pressed to find a stricter rule from God than those regarding the sacrificial animals. Each and everyone one of them had to be perfect. Perfect! No defect of any kind. In fact, the Lord called the Israelites out when they tried to offer blind, lame, and sick animals for sacrifice. Just listen to His words as recorded by Malachi:

“And when you offer the blind as a sacrifice, is it not evil? And when you offer the lame and sick, is it not evil? Offer it then to your governor! Would he be pleased with you? Would he accept you favorably? says the Lord of hosts” [Malachi 1:8].

Why perfection? Because the system of spilling blood to cover sin was a foreshadow of God’s ultimate plan of redemption: His Son Jesus, as the Savior of the world.

The early animal sacrifices had to be perfect and the final sacrifice had to be perfect too. Jesus was the unblemished Lamb, perfect in every way [see Hebrews 4:15]. That’s why John the Baptizer could say of Him, “Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” John 1:29].  

God accepted, or fully approved, the sacrifice of His Son. And because of it, we can lay claim to His sacrificial offering by putting our complete confidence in His finished work at Calvary. That’s what it means to, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved” [Acts 16:31].

Our salvation depends upon Jesus’ perfection because, as God made clear to the Israelites, only a perfect sacrifice will do. Oh, how I love Jesus — the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!

The Lord said to Moses, “Speak to Aaron and his sons and to all the Israelites and say to them: ‘If any of you—either an Israelite or an alien living in Israel—presents a gift for a burnt offering to the Lord, either to fulfill a vow or as a freewill offering, you must present a male without defect from the cattle, sheep or goats in order that it may be accepted on your behalf. Do not bring anything with a defect, because it will not be accepted on your behalf. When anyone brings from the herd or flock a fellowship offering to the Lord to fulfill a special vow or as a freewill offering, it must be without defect or blemish to be acceptable. Leviticus 22:17-21