Speak unto Aaron, and to his sons, and unto all the children of Israel, and say unto them, Whatever man of the house of Israel, or of the sojourners in Israel, that presenteth his offering for any of his vows, and for any of his voluntary offerings, which they present to Jehovah as a burnt-offering,
In Leviticus 22:18 the Lord speaks to Aaron, his sons, and every Israelite about a gift nobody had to bring — a vow or a freewill offering, brought as a burnt offering. It raises two questions: does God lower His standard for a gift He never demanded, and who may bring one?
The Circle of Worshippers
The verse names two kinds of people: those born in Israel and foreigners living among them. God welcomes both at the altar, and both may bring either kind of voluntary gift.
The Lord would also receive a freewill offering, or a sacrifice for a vow, from a foreigner living in Israel. It made no difference whether the person brought it as a burnt offering or as a peace offering.
That open door came with no lowered bar. God received the outsider on the same terms as the Israelite.
The animal had to be a male without blemish, because it stood for the Holy One of God. And a foreigner was allowed no more freedom here than an Israelite.
Voluntary Does Not Mean Careless
A person might reason like this. God's commanded gifts must be flawless. A freely chosen gift can be whatever the giver can spare. The chapter shuts that reasoning down.
The Lord now tells Moses to speak to Aaron, his sons, and all the people of Israel. Even a freewill burnt offering must have no blemish. Some might think the required offerings for sin and trespass must be without defect, but that a voluntary gift need not be. Yet the burnt offering was brought above all for God's glory, and God allowed no defect in it (vv. 18-20).
What a Blemish Would Say About God
Bringing a damaged animal was not a small oversight in procedure. It was a statement about the One receiving it.
Only what was perfect could suit the altar and answer to the heart of God. To offer Him a blemished thing proved that a person had no sense of what was fitting for Him, and no real heart for Him. To try to offer an imperfect sacrifice was the same as the dreadful blasphemy of saying that anything was good enough for Him.
Kelly puts it more sharply. He asks what such an offering said about the God of Israel:
It was a shocking sin, and in effect it denied that He is the living God. Was the God of Israel no better than the selfish people who claimed to worship Him?
The Offering Carries the Offerer
The worshipper's standing hangs on the state of what he brings. God accepts the animal, and with it the man.
First of all, it had to be perfect. One spot, one blemish on that bull, and God could not accept it. And if God did not accept the bull, He did not accept the man who brought it. The whole point of the offering was the man's acceptance. What does that point to? To the holy, spotless Person of the blessed Lord Jesus... passing through this world as the holy, sinless One and offering Himself without spot to God.
Vow and Freewill
The two words in this verse do not carry the same weight. Later in the chapter God accepts a slightly misshapen animal as a freewill offering, but not for a vow.
Once we remember who this sacrifice pictured, these rules of the law make sense. And once we remember that the law was given to an earthly people, we can see the grace behind the easing of a strict rule for anyone moved to come near with a freewill offering.
Snell draws a different lesson from the range of animals God allowed.
God allowed a male bull, or a female one, which was weaker, or a lamb, which was worth less. These teach us that the measure of our fellowship with God depends on how highly we value the perfection and worth of Him who loved us and gave Himself for us. Those who see less of the personal qualities and worth of the sacrifice still know that fellowship, only in a smaller degree. This is comforting.
The Claim on Worship Now
God gave this rule to people living under the law of Moses. Kelly presses the point harder on Christians.
But remember how much worse it is in a Christian, who claims to walk in the light as God is in the light... We ought not to be less careful in our relationship with God than a Jew was in his. The least either could do was to be honest before God and other people. If we are not, the less we say about grace the better. Nothing condemns careless living like the true grace of God.
Summary
- Invitation. God speaks to Israelites and to foreigners living among them. He will receive a vow or a freewill gift from either.
- Standard. The welcome never softens the demand. God gives the foreigner no more freedom than the Israelite.
- Freedom. God measures a freely chosen gift by His own glory. Even a burnt offering He never commanded must have no defect.
- Insult. A blemished victim says that anything is good enough for God, which denies who He is.
- Acceptance. The spotless animal won the worshipper's acceptance. It points to Christ, who offered Himself without spot to God.