Leviticus 22:17 ¶ And the
LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 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 freewill
offerings, which they will offer unto the LORD for a burnt offering; 19 Ye shall offer at your own will a male
without blemish, of the beeves, of the sheep, or of the goats. 20 But whatsoever hath a blemish, that
shall ye not offer: for it shall not be acceptable for you. 21 And whosoever offereth a sacrifice of peace
offerings unto the LORD to accomplish his vow, or a freewill offering in
beeves or sheep, it shall be perfect to be accepted; there shall be no blemish
therein. 22 Blind, or broken, or maimed,
or having a wen, or scurvy, or scabbed, ye shall not offer these unto the LORD,
nor make an offering by fire of them upon the altar unto the LORD. 23 Either a bullock or a lamb that hath any
thing superfluous or lacking in his parts, that mayest thou offer for a
freewill offering; but for a vow it shall not be accepted. 24 Ye shall not offer unto the LORD that which
is bruised, or crushed, or broken, or cut; neither shall ye make any
offering thereof in your land. 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. 26
And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 27 When a bullock, or a sheep, or a goat, is
brought forth, then it shall be seven days under the dam; and from the eighth
day and thenceforth it shall be accepted for an offering made by fire unto the
LORD. 28 And whether it be cow or
ewe, ye shall not kill it and her young both in one day. 29 And when ye will offer a sacrifice of
thanksgiving unto the LORD, offer it at your own will. 30 On the same day it shall be eaten up; ye
shall leave none of it until the morrow: I am the LORD. 31 Therefore shall ye keep my commandments, and
do them: I am the LORD. 32
Neither shall ye profane my holy name; but I will be hallowed among the
children of Israel: I am the LORD which hallow you, 33 That brought you out of the land of Egypt, to
be your God: I am the LORD.
It is reinforced here that no one, not a Hebrew or a foreigner
among them, is to offer any animal as a sacrifice that has any defect. These
defects were a sign of the fall, a token of the corruption of sin and the judgment on the world because of it. This
goes to show us that man’s sin, his rebellion against God produced a response
of judgment upon all creation including beasts that were innocent. Your sin
carries with it consequences that affect the innocent, the guiltless, the
blameless. You and I bear that responsibility, that burden, and justice for our
wickedness is served only by trusting Christ and His righteousness and not our
own for salvation. The next time you see a Down Syndrome child or a calf born
deformed remember why that is and mourn for sin’s very existence longing for
that blessed day when Christ returns to make these crooked ways straight.
Although commentators usually don’t mention this or have
conflicting views as to why beasts cannot be sacrificed until they are 8 days
old and why a female animal and its mother are not to be sacrificed on the same
day I thought that in keeping with the overall context of Leviticus it would
seem that these could either show something about Canaanite religion or, as a
male human baby was to be circumcised on the 8th day, being
committed to God, so was this a parallel with an animal being committed to God
in that time frame.
I reviewed some scholarly papers on Ancient Near Eastern religion
and animal sacrifice and was unable to come up with much detail on the age at
which an animal could be sacrificed by the heathen although the information may
be out there if I did a more thorough search. The parallel between an animal being
committed to God by sacrifice and a human male baby being committed to God by
circumcision would seem obvious although including the proscription against
killing a mother and her offspring on the same day seems to muddy that water a
bit.
The
offering of oxen and sheep was to take place after eight days with a beast’s
mother. The eighth day is a significant time in Bible reckoning for
sanctification and offering, setting something or someone apart for God. The
Hebrew week was seven days, God’s number of completion after the seven days of
creation.
Note the following
verses;
Leviticus
9:1 And it came to pass on the eighth
day, that Moses called Aaron and his sons, and the elders of Israel…12:3 And in the eighth day the flesh of his
foreskin shall be circumcised…14:10 And
on the eighth day he shall take two he lambs without blemish, and one ewe lamb
of the first year without blemish, and three tenth deals of fine flour for a
meat offering, mingled with oil, and one log of oil…14:23 And he shall bring them on the eighth day for
his cleansing unto the priest, unto the door of the tabernacle of the
congregation, before the LORD…15:14 And
on the eighth day he shall take to him two turtledoves, or two young pigeons,
and come before the LORD unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation,
and give them unto the priest…15:29 And
on the eighth day she shall take unto her two turtles, or two young pigeons,
and bring them unto the priest, to the door of the tabernacle of the
congregation …23:36 Seven days ye shall
offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD: on the eighth day shall be an
holy convocation unto you; and ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the
LORD: it is a solemn assembly; and ye shall do no servile work therein…23:39 Also in the fifteenth day of the seventh
month, when ye have gathered in the fruit of the land, ye shall keep a feast
unto the LORD seven days: on the first day shall be a sabbath, and on the
eighth day shall be a sabbath.
Numbers
6:10 And on the eighth day he shall
bring two turtles, or two young pigeons, to the priest, to the door of the
tabernacle of the congregation…7:54 On
the eighth day offered Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur, prince of the children of
Manasseh…29:35 On the eighth day ye
shall have a solemn assembly: ye shall do no servile work therein:
1Kings
8:66 On the eighth day he sent the
people away: and they blessed the king, and went unto their tents joyful and
glad of heart for all the goodness that the LORD had done for David his
servant, and for Israel his people.
2Chronicles
7:9 And in the eighth day they made a
solemn assembly: for they kept the dedication of the altar seven days, and the
feast seven days…29:17 Now they began on
the first day of the first month to sanctify, and on the eighth day of the
month came they to the porch of the LORD: so they sanctified the house of the
LORD in eight days; and in the sixteenth day of the first month they made an
end.
Nehemiah
8:18 Also day by day, from the first day
unto the last day, he read in the book of the law of God. And they kept the
feast seven days; and on the eighth day was a solemn assembly, according unto
the manner.
Ezekiel
43:27 And when these days are expired,
it shall be, that upon the eighth day, and so forward, the priests shall make
your burnt offerings upon the altar, and your peace offerings; and I will
accept you, saith the Lord GOD.
Luke
1:59 And it came to pass, that on the
eighth day they came to circumcise the child; and they called him Zacharias,
after the name of his father.
Acts
7:8 And he gave him the covenant of
circumcision: and so Abraham begat Isaac, and circumcised him the eighth day;
and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat the twelve patriarchs.
Philippians
3:5 Circumcised the eighth day, of the
stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as
touching the law, a Pharisee;
In any event, God reinforces that the Hebrews are to take what He
says and these rules seriously. Verse 29 demands that they offer the sacrifice
of thanksgiving of their own free will. We have this sentiment of the voluntary
nature of an offering expressed in the New Testament as well in the context of
raising money to assist struggling churches.
Paul
wrote;
2Corinthians 9:1 ¶ For as
touching the ministering to the saints, it is superfluous for me to write to
you: 2 For I know the forwardness of
your mind, for which I boast of you to them of Macedonia, that Achaia was ready
a year ago; and your zeal hath provoked very many. 3 Yet have I sent the brethren, lest our
boasting of you should be in vain in this behalf; that, as I said, ye may be
ready: 4 Lest haply if they of Macedonia
come with me, and find you unprepared, we (that we say not, ye) should be
ashamed in this same confident boasting. 5
Therefore I thought it necessary to exhort the brethren, that they would
go before unto you, and make up beforehand
your bounty, whereof ye had notice before, that the same might be
ready, as a matter of bounty,
and not as of covetousness.
6 ¶ But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and
he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. 7 Every man according as he
purposeth in his heart, so let him
give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.
8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always
having all sufficiency in all things,
may abound to every good work: 9 (As it
is written, He hath dispersed abroad; he hath given to the poor: his
righteousness remaineth for ever. 10 Now
he that ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for your food, and multiply your seed
sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness;) 11 Being enriched in every thing to all
bountifulness, which causeth through us thanksgiving to God. 12 For the administration of this service not
only supplieth the want of the saints, but is abundant also by many
thanksgivings unto God; 13 Whiles by the
experiment of this ministration they glorify God for your professed subjection
unto the gospel of Christ, and for your
liberal distribution unto them, and unto all men; 14 And by their
prayer for you, which
long after you for the exceeding grace of God in you. 15 Thanks be
unto God for his unspeakable gift.
For verse 32 we should ask how is God’s name hallowed by His
people? God’s name is hallowed among God’s people by their obedience in
acknowledging His authority over them.
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