Topical Bible: Dedication: Must be Without Blemish

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In the biblical context, the concept of dedication, particularly in relation to offerings and sacrifices, is deeply rooted in the requirement of being "without blemish." This principle underscores the holiness and perfection that God demands from His people, reflecting His own perfect nature.

Old Testament Foundations

The requirement for offerings to be without blemish is established early in the Old Testament, particularly in the Levitical laws. In Leviticus 1:3, the Lord commands, "If his offering is a burnt offering from the herd, he is to offer an unblemished male." This stipulation is repeated throughout the sacrificial laws, emphasizing the necessity for purity and perfection in what is offered to God. The unblemished nature of the sacrifice symbolizes the worshiper's desire to honor God with the best they have, acknowledging His supreme holiness.

The concept extends beyond animal sacrifices. In Leviticus 22:21, the Lord instructs, "When a man presents a peace offering to the LORD to fulfill a vow or as a freewill offering from the herd or flock, it must be without blemish to be acceptable; there must be no defect in it." This requirement for offerings to be without defect is a recurring theme, highlighting the importance of integrity and sincerity in worship.

Symbolism and Spiritual Significance

The demand for offerings to be without blemish serves as a powerful symbol of the spiritual purity and moral integrity expected of God's people. In Deuteronomy 17:1, the Israelites are warned, "You must not sacrifice to the LORD your God an ox or a sheep that has any defect or flaw, for that would be detestable to Him." This reflects the broader biblical principle that God desires not only external compliance but also internal righteousness.

The unblemished sacrifices foreshadow the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus Christ, who is described as "a lamb without blemish or spot" (1 Peter 1:19). Christ's perfect sacrifice fulfills the Old Testament requirements, offering redemption and reconciliation with God. His sinless life and atoning death exemplify the ultimate dedication to God's will.

New Testament Application

In the New Testament, the call for believers to present themselves as living sacrifices is rooted in the same principle of being without blemish. Romans 12:1 exhorts, "Therefore I urge you, brothers, on account of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God, which is your spiritual service of worship." This call to holiness and dedication is a continuation of the Old Testament standard, now applied to the lives of believers.

The Apostle Paul further emphasizes this in Ephesians 5:27, where he speaks of Christ's desire to present the church to Himself "in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but holy and blameless." The church, as the body of Christ, is called to reflect His purity and dedication.

Practical Implications for Believers

For contemporary believers, the principle of being without blemish in dedication to God involves a commitment to holiness and moral integrity. It calls for a life that seeks to honor God in every aspect, offering Him the best of one's time, talents, and resources. This dedication is not merely about external observance but involves a heart fully devoted to God, striving to live in a manner that is pleasing to Him.

In summary, the biblical mandate for dedication to be without blemish is a profound reminder of the holiness God requires. It points to the ultimate sacrifice of Christ and calls believers to live lives marked by purity and wholehearted devotion to God.

Nave's Topical Index

Leviticus 22:18-23
Speak to Aaron, and to his sons, and to all the children of Israel, and say to them, Whatever 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 to the LORD for a burnt offering;
Nave's Topical Index

Malachi 1:14
But cursed be the deceiver, which has in his flock a male, and vows, and sacrifices to the LORD a corrupt thing: for I am a great King, said the LORD of hosts, and my name is dreadful among the heathen.
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Library

The Dedication
... Jewish law, and as man's substitute Christ must conform to ... was the "lamb without
blemish and without spot." 1 ... The dedication of the first-born had its origin ...
//christianbookshelf.org/white/the desire of ages/chapter 5 the dedication.htm

Separation to God.
... for a sin-offering, and one ram without blemish for peace ... what rents must be mended,
And what must be builded ... offerings made by Solomon on the dedication of the ...
/.../taylor/separation and service/part i separation to god.htm

A More Particular Account of the Way by which this Salvation is to ...
... Let me therefore repeat it without offence, go to him just ... with such love, with such
cordial self-dedication and submission of soul must thou often ...
/.../the rise and progress of religion in the soul/chapter ix a more particular.htm

Scriptural Types.
... 16:2; Numb.17:4); and after the dedication of the ... He must come to God through the
priesthood of ... all the sacrificial victims should be without blemish, not only ...
/.../barrows/companion to the bible/chapter xxxvii scriptural types.htm

Covenanting Confers Obligation.
... because of the manner of their dedication, be redeemed ... regarding a vow which was
unlawful, must have been ... that it should be holy and without blemish." Since the ...
/.../the ordinance of covenanting/chapter v covenanting confers obligation.htm

Chronology of the Life of Christ.
... this would be the one which must be meant ... astronomical calculations, is constrained
to eliminate without any MSS ... 7:2 in September, the Feast of Dedication 10:22 ...
/.../history of the christian church volume i/section 16 chronology of the.htm

The Promises of the Law and the Gospel Reconciled.
... Thus Solomon in his prayer at the dedication says, "Lord ... If there is none, they must
perish from the presence ... to appear in the presence of God without spot and ...
/.../calvin/the institutes of the christian religion/chapter 17 the promises of.htm

Grace and Holiness.
... are two nouns to a verb the verb must be in ... It involves the whole-hearted and entire
dedication of the ... child, having done his best, is entirely without blame. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/thomas/the prayers of st paul/i grace and holiness.htm

Chaldaean Civilization
... the history of their wars or the dedication of their ... our own day have done, and which
must have saved ... the majority of papyri have disappeared without leaving a ...
/.../chapter iiichaldaean civilization.htm

Solomon's Temple Spiritualized
... must go by it; yea, there they must leave their ... Upon this altar Solomon, at the
dedication of the ... through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/solomons temple spiritualized.htm