“But if it has a defect, is lame or blind, or has some other kind of fault, you are not to sacrifice it to Adonai your God; rather, eat it on your own property; the unclean and the clean alike may eat it, like the gazelle or the deer. Just don’t eat its blood, but pour it out on the ground like water.”-Deuteronomy 15:21-23
There’s one peculiar characteristic ALL human beings have had in common since the dawn of mankind.
In this respect, we aren’t any different from the Bible characters of ancient times.
What characteristic do you think I’m referring to?
I’m talking about the human tendency to always incessantly and sneakily be on the lookout for a darn good loophole to get out of doing what we know we should do.
Or to put it in simple terms, we’re always trying to find a safe way to break the rules minus reaping any negative consequences.
We’ll say to ourselves, “I know God commands us to obey that particular command BUT…(insert BS excuse here).
Or we’ll echo what Satan told Eve in the garden when he said, “Did God reeeeallllly say you should…blah blah blah?”
We’ll make a huge and ridiculous effort to establish a case of how our situation is “different” and so full of twists and turns and unique conditions that there’s no way in hell we’ll be able to obey some clear instruction from God.
We engage in this futile reasoning in the hopes that we’ll qualify to receive a free pass that will allow us to get away with not obeying a certain instruction on a technicality that doesn’t even exist.
Well, I’ve got news for you.
The Lord ain’t fooled and there’s no way you’re gonna be able to pull the wool over His eyes.
That’s why in the Scriptures everytime God ordains a new law or expounds on some existing command, it is usually accompanied with a reminder of the underlying principle attached to the new instruction being given.
Deuteronomy 15:22 is a good case in point.
The Lord is here reminding Israel that the instructions concerning the firstlings and the secular slaughter for food do NOT in any way do away with the other parts of the law just because he didn’t repeat them.
Are you catching this man?
Let me say that again.
An establishment of a new law or the expounding on a given instruction does NOT negate what came before.
Got it?
In verse 22, the Lord is reminding Israel that blemished animals that could have been used for sacrifice (had they not had any blemishes) can still be slaughtered and eaten for food.
In addition, it is okay for BOTH the ritually unclean and the clean to eat those blemished animals that have been disqualified for sacrifice.
However, the condition that the blood of the animal must be poured out does not change (regardless of whether the animal is suitable for sacrifice or not).
REMEMBER THIS when you’re studying Yeshua’s words in the New Testament.
When Yeshua repeatedly says, “You have heard that it was said…But I say to you…”, it does NOT mean he was doing away with what came before.
Heck he even told us…
…“Do not think I have come to abolish the Law and the Prophets, I have come to fulfill them. Not one jot and not one stroke will pass from the Law until heaven and earth pass away”…
…right in the middle of his famous Sermon on the Mount.
If you’ve ever attended a typical Christian church, maybe you’ve heard it said that “if Jesus didn’t specifically repeat an instruction from the Old Testament, then you don’t have obey it”.
I’m here to tell you that’s boooooool sheeeeeeeet of gargantuan proportions.
That’s just wishful thinking based on our fleshly desires and our wanting to find a way to get out of having to obey some command of God.
The truth is…
…NO SUCH PRINCIPLE EXISTS ANYWHERE IN SCRIPTURE AT ALL.
I’m done.
NEXT TIME WE BEGIN DEUTERONOMY CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Brother, you are so right, i come to the conclusion that anything said in the New (Renewed Testament is not true if there are no witness in Old Testament or in Gospel, a lot of John is falling under it. We have to use our Yahweh given brain to think logically as well. like in Matthew were they change 1 word and change the whole truth, about Moses the Pharisees and Sadducees sit in the sit of Moses follow what they teaching or follow what He is teaching. Can be only He Moses for Yashuah called the liar and snakes how could we believe these liars? We must be totally Idiots or so in their doctrine emersed. Shalom
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