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6/12 Reading Portions: Deuteronomy 17; Psalm 104; Isaiah 44; Revelation 14
Deuteronomy 17:1
“You shall not sacrifice to the LORD your God an ox or a sheep in which is a blemish, any defect whatever, for that is an abomination to the LORD your God.”
PERFECT
Deuteronomy’s 17th chapter is a reminder that there probably wasn’t a single commandment that Israel didn’t break. When a king in Judah or Israel had “gone and served other gods and worshiped them” (Deut 17:3), many were never brought out to the gates of the city and put “to death with stones” (Deut 17:4). The requirement for putting someone to death must be from “the evidence of two witnesses or of three” (Deut 17:6-7). Yet they couldn’t find two witnesses to agree when they sentenced Jesus to death (Mark 14:55); and could only succeed in breaking the law by bringing in two false witnesses (Matt 26:60). Moreover, two of Israel’s most prominent kings, David and Solomon, did “acquire many wives” for themselves (Deut 17:17). Such sinful behavior makes us wonder if some of the sacrifices, inspected under sinful, unobservant and disobedient eyes, were offered with blemishes. Even if every animal sacrifice was perfect and free from defect, we know that these continual, bloody sacrifices could only point to Christ’s perfect sacrifice:
For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. Hebrews 10:4
The sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ was so perfect, prominent, and powerful, that His atoning work upon the cross not only pardoned our sins, not only did it remove our penalty for our sins, but it also imputes Christ’s righteousness upon us and places His perfect, sinless life lived on our account. Therefore, when we “present [our] bodies as a living sacrifice” unto God, as Paul beseeches us in Romans 12:1, when our offering of a living sacrifice is made “by the mercies of God,” that is, by faith in Christ’s perfect sacrifice on Calvary’s tree, our sacrifice is perfect, “holy and acceptable to God, which is [our perfect] spiritual worship” because of Christ’s righteousness alone! Hallelujah! What a Savior!
The sacrifice of Jesus Christ
Is perfect in all ways;
Sufficiently He paid the price,
Perfecting all our praise.