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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadPaul Kretzmann Commentary - Leviticus 22:17 - 22:33
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Some Qualifications of Sacrifices
v. 17. And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
v. 18. Speak unto Aaron and to his sons and unto all the children of Israel, and say unto them, whatsoever he be of the house of Israel or of the strangers in Israel that will offer his oblation for all his vows and for all his free-will offerings, two forms of peace-offerings, Lev_7:16, which they will offer unto the Lord for a burnt offering,
v. 19. ye shall offer at your own will, for the purpose of gaining the good pleasure of the Lord: a male without blemish, of the beeves, of the sheep, or of the goats. The point that the animal offered had to be physically perfect stands out with special emphasIsaiah
v. 20. But whatsoever hath a blemish, that shall ye not offer; for it shall not be acceptable for you.
v. 21. And whosoever offereth a sacrifice of peace-offerings unto the Lord to accomplish his vow, in payment of some promise made to the Lord, or a free-will offering in beeves or sheep, any animal from the flocks, it shall be perfect to be accepted; there shall be no blemish therein.
v. 22. Blind or broken, that is, ruptured, or maimed, with some deep incision or wound, or having a wen, a festering sore, or scurvy, an eruption like leprosy, or scabbed, with a putrid skin disease, ye shall not offer these unto the Lord, nor make an offering by fire of them upon the altar unto the Lord.
v. 23. Either a bullock or a lamb that hath anything superfluous or lacking in his parts, members too many or too few, or members and organs of an abnormal shape in either direction, so long as they were not diseased, that mayest thou offer for a free-will offering, for in this case an exception was permitted; but for a vow it shall not be accepted.
v. 24. Ye shall not offer unto the Lord that which is bruised, or crushed, or broken, or cut, for by these four ways was sterility produced in male animals; neither shall ye make any offering thereof in your land; the Israelites were not to make such mutilations a practice, for a perfect animal included its fitness for breeding.
v. 25. Neither from a stranger's hand shall ye offer the bread of your God of any of these, because their corruption is in them, and blemishes be in them; they shall not be accepted for you. We Christians should also keep in mind that it is not whatever remains after we have had our fill which we ought to give to the Lord, but that He expects perfect gifts at our hands.
v. 26. And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
v. 27. When a bullock or a sheep or a go at is brought forth, then it shall be seven days under the dam, to get its nourishment from its mother; and from the eighth day and thenceforth it shall be accepted for an offering made by fire unto the Lord. "The reason for this was that the young animal had not attained to a mature and self-sustained life during the first week of its existence. " (Keil. ) Animals became admissible for sacrifices at the same age as that when a male child was received into the covenant relationship with God by the sacrament of circumcision.
v. 28. And whether it be cow or ewe, a female from the flock, ye shall not kill it and her young both in one day. Cf Exo_23:19; Deu_22:6-7.
v. 29. And when ye will offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving unto the Lord, offer it at your own will; it was essential that the gift be voluntary.
v. 30. On the same day it shall be eaten up; ye shall leave none of it until the morrow. I am the Lord. Cf Lev_7:15; Lev_19:5-6.
v. 31. Therefore shall ye keep My commandments and do them. I am the Lord.
v. 32. Neither shall ye profane My holy name in any of the ways discussed in this Chapter;but I will be hallowed among the children of Israel, given that obedience, honor, and reverence which pertains to Him as the one true God. I am the Lord which hallow you,
v. 33. that brought you out of the land of Egypt to be your God: I am the Lord. Just as the Lord at that time stressed the necessity of cheerful willingness on the part of the worshipers, so the truly good works of the Christians flow from the love of their hearts based upon their faith in their Savior.