UNACCEPTABLE SACRIFICES

Leviticus 22:17-33 / Keywords 22:31

"Keep my commands and follow them. I am the LORD.

 

1. In these verses, for the fourth time in Leviticus, God reveals his deep motivation that he brought them out of Egypt to be his holy nation (31-33). He emphasizes this after giving them regulations about unacceptable sacrifices. Why?

 

2. The perfect animal sacrifice foreshadowed God’s salvation plan to send the Holy Son of God to be the Lamb of God for the perfect sacrifice and atonement of our sins. When people labored to choose a perfect sacrifice, which was costly for their sins, they could realize the heart of God, who intended to give us his very best, his one and only Son that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life (Jn 3:16).

 

3. Holy God commanded them (and us) to sacrifice our very best out of thanksgiving for his infinite mercy and grace to bring us near to him and keep us with him forever in the kingdom of God! We give our lives and we sacrifice everything in this world, knowing that he will present us unblemished with great joy in his glory (Jude 1:24). When we give something unblemished (not the best we could offer), we are no better than Cain. We show our lack of esteem for Holy God and his grace to send his Son Jesus to die on the cross for us.

 

Prayer Father, thank you for giving your one and only Son to save me from my sins. Fill me with your Spirit to offer my life to you for your salvation work.

One Word Give our best offering to God