This verse underscores that offerings to God must be free from blemish, reflecting His perfect holiness in every act of worship.
Moses taught Israel around 1445 BC in the wilderness near Mount Sinai that offerings presented to the LORD needed to be without defect. He specifically forbade the presentation of injured animals by saying, Those that are blind or fractured or maimed or have a running sore or eczema or scabs, you shall not offer to the LORD, nor make of them an offering by fire on the altar to the LORD (v.22). This was part of the detailed instructions on how the covenant people were to honor God, reflecting His holiness and perfection in their worship. The requirement for an unblemished sacrifice foreshadowed the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus, who was the spotless Lamb of God (1 Peter 1:19).
Such infirm animals were considered defiled and inadequate for proper service to God because they did not represent the purity required of the worshiper’s offering. Later scriptures demonstrate how some in Israel attempted to skirt these instructions by offering disfigured or blemished animals, to their own spiritual detriment. In the days of the prophet Malachi, priests who offered impure animals were censured because they “did not meet the sacrificial requirements,” violating God’s law and dishonoring His name. By insisting on fit and wholesome sacrifices, God reminded His people that true worship is not about convenience, but reverence and heartfelt devotion.
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Leviticus 22:22 meaning
Moses taught Israel around 1445 BC in the wilderness near Mount Sinai that offerings presented to the LORD needed to be without defect. He specifically forbade the presentation of injured animals by saying, Those that are blind or fractured or maimed or have a running sore or eczema or scabs, you shall not offer to the LORD, nor make of them an offering by fire on the altar to the LORD (v.22). This was part of the detailed instructions on how the covenant people were to honor God, reflecting His holiness and perfection in their worship. The requirement for an unblemished sacrifice foreshadowed the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus, who was the spotless Lamb of God (1 Peter 1:19).
Such infirm animals were considered defiled and inadequate for proper service to God because they did not represent the purity required of the worshiper’s offering. Later scriptures demonstrate how some in Israel attempted to skirt these instructions by offering disfigured or blemished animals, to their own spiritual detriment. In the days of the prophet Malachi, priests who offered impure animals were censured because they “did not meet the sacrificial requirements,” violating God’s law and dishonoring His name. By insisting on fit and wholesome sacrifices, God reminded His people that true worship is not about convenience, but reverence and heartfelt devotion.