Year 7, Day 111: Leviticus 22

Theological Commentary: Click Here

I think it is time to tackle this issue of the sacrifice without blemish.  When I read through the Law, I often find these passages troublesome.  I think I find them troublesome on several levels.  First, I believe in a God who has made all things clean and who does not judge on external appearances.  Second, I tend to really care about animals and I feel for the ones who aren’t acceptable.  Third, I tend to have an affinity for the members of a group who are outcast or overlooked and therefore I empathize with those animals who are blemished.  When I read through these passages, I can’t help but ask if those animals with a blemish are really all that worse than the perfect and pristine animal.

Naturally, I am missing the point.  These passages aren’t about demonstrating the selectiveness of God.  These passages are not about showing how much God prefers perfect people over real human beings.  These passages are certainly not about God judging us by our external appearances.  All of those conclusions miss the point.

Remember that the point of the Law is to point us to Christ.  In the Law, God is laying the foundation for what He is going to do in Christ.  In some places, the Law exposes our sin and points us to our personal need for Christ.  But other passages, such as this one in particular, literally point us to Christ through the idea of the unblemished sacrifice.

In short, here is what God is saying.  The only real sacrifice that God will accept on our behalf is the perfect unblemished one.  In other words, the only person who can be a perfect sacrifice for our sinfulness is a perfect being who is absolutely sinless and completely without blemish.  The only sacrifice that is acceptable is Christ.

These passages aren’t about the poor animals who aren’t perfect.  These passages are pointing us to Christ as the ultimate fulfillment of the Law.  He is the greatest sacrifice that could be offered on our behalf.  He is the only sacrifice that we need.  After all, who could be better than Him?

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