Malachi 1:6-14, Polluted Sacrifices

God did not accept sacrifices that were imperfect:

Animals blind or disabled or mutilated or having a discharge or an itch or scabs you shall not offer to the LORD or give them to the LORD as a food offering on the altar. (Leviticus 22:22)

The sacrificed animal had to be “sinless” in order to bear the offeror’s sin (it couldn’t die for its own sin). Israel was offering blemished sacrifices.

⁶ “A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If then I am a father, where is my honor? And if I am a master, where is my fear? says Yahweh of hosts to you, O priests, who despise my name. But you say, ‘How have we despised your name?’ ⁷ By offering polluted food upon my altar. But you say, ‘How have we polluted you?’ By saying that the Yahweh’s table may be despised. ⁸ When you offer blind animals in sacrifice, is that not evil? And when you offer those that are lame or sick, is that not evil? Present that to your governor; will he accept you or show you favor? says Yahweh of hosts. ⁹ And now entreat the favor of God, that he may be gracious to us. With such a gift from your hand, will he show favor to any of you? says Yahweh of hosts.

¹⁰ Oh that there were one among you who would shut the doors, that you might not kindle fire on my altar in vain! I have no pleasure in you, says Yahweh of hosts, and I will not accept an offering from your hand. ¹¹ For from the rising of the sun to its setting my name will be great among the nations, and in every place incense will be offered to my name, and a pure offering. For my name will be great among the nations, says Yahweh of hosts. ¹² But you profane it when you say that the Yahweh’s table is polluted, and its fruit, that is, its food may be despised. ¹³ But you say, ‘What a weariness this is,’ and you snort at it, says Yahweh of hosts. You bring what has been taken by violence or is lame or sick, and this you bring as your offering! Shall I accept that from your hand? says Yahweh. ¹⁴ Cursed be the cheat who has a male in his flock, and vows it, and yet sacrifices to Yahweh what is blemished. For I am a great King, says Yahweh of hosts, and my name will be feared among the nations.

Though Yahweh addresses His charge against the priests, the people of Israel are guilty also. They knew better than to bring diseased or crippled animals for sacrifice. He curses the individual who vows to bring the best of his flock then brings one blemished. But certainly, the priests should not have accepted such sacrifices. This was tantamount to despising Yahweh’s name, disrespecting Him. Yahweh describes such behavior as evil. It is as if they had defiled God.

God would prefer that someone would boldly shut down the temple to prevent further defiling of Him. He would not accept such offerings. His name would be great among all nations, a promise inherent in God’s words to Abraham (“in you all nations of the earth will be blessed,” Genesis 12:1-3), a promise certainly beginning to be fulfilled today, but yet here is His chosen people profaning His table.

The animal sacrifices brought by Israel were symbols of the sacrifice of Jesus, “the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot” (1 Peter 1:19). And they are to be symbols of the sacrifices Christ followers bring. We sacrifice ourselves:

…present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. (Romans 12:1)

And we make sacrifices of praise:

Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name. (Hebrews 13:15)

Do we say, ‘What a weariness this is,’ and snort at it?