The Firstborn and the Unblemished Christ Text: Deuteronomy 15:19-23
Introduction: God's Claim on the First Things
We live in a world that believes it has the right to the last word. Our culture is built on the sandy foundation of human autonomy, the idea that we are our own, that we get to define ourselves, and that we answer to no one. But the Scriptures begin with a different premise entirely. God is the Creator, and therefore the Owner. And because He is the Owner, He has the right to the first word, the last word, and every word in between. This includes the right to claim the first of all things for Himself.
The principle of the firstborn is woven throughout the entire fabric of Scripture. It is a constant, tangible reminder to Israel, and to us, that everything we have is a gift from God. Our time, our wealth, our children, our livestock, our very lives, all belong to Him. By requiring the firstborn, God is not being greedy. He is teaching us the grammar of grace. He gives us everything, and in return, He asks for the first portion back, not because He needs it, but because we need to give it. We need to be reminded of where it all came from. Giving God the firstfruits is an act of faith that declares He will also provide the second, the third, and all the rest.
This passage in Deuteronomy is not some dusty, irrelevant ceremonial law. It is a picture, a type, a foreshadowing of the gospel. It is a sermon in sheep and oxen. It teaches us about consecration, about joyful worship, about the problem of imperfection, and ultimately, it points us directly to the true Firstborn, the unblemished Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. To neglect these laws is to neglect the picture book God gave His people to teach them about His Son. We must learn to see Christ in all the Scriptures, and that includes these instructions about cattle.
The Text
"You shall set apart as holy to Yahweh your God all the firstborn males that are born of your herd and of your flock; you shall not work with the firstborn of your herd nor shear the firstborn of your flock. You and your household shall eat it every year before Yahweh your God in the place which Yahweh chooses. But if it has any defect, such as lameness or blindness, or any serious defect, you shall not sacrifice it to Yahweh your God. You shall eat it within your gates; the unclean and the clean alike may eat it, as a gazelle or a deer. Only you shall not eat its blood; you are to pour it out on the ground like water."
(Deuteronomy 15:19-23 LSB)
Consecration of the Firstborn (v. 19)
We begin with the central command:
"You shall set apart as holy to Yahweh your God all the firstborn males that are born of your herd and of your flock; you shall not work with the firstborn of your herd nor shear the firstborn of your flock." (Deuteronomy 15:19)
To "set apart as holy" means to consecrate. It means this animal is no longer common. It is removed from ordinary use and designated for a sacred purpose. It belongs to God. This principle was established back in the Exodus. When God struck down the firstborn of Egypt, He "passed over" and spared the firstborn of Israel. In doing so, He purchased them. He owned them (Exodus 13:2). The firstborn son was to be redeemed, but the firstborn of clean animals belonged entirely to God. They were His property.
This had immediate, practical consequences. "You shall not work with the firstborn of your herd." That young ox, strong and full of potential, could not be yoked to a plow. Its strength did not belong to the farmer; it belonged to God. "Nor shear the firstborn of your flock." The wool from that ram could not be used to make clothing. Its warmth and covering belonged to God. This was a constant, visible reminder that God's claim comes first. Before you calculate your profits, before you plan your workload, you must first acknowledge the Lord's portion. It is a practical lesson in seeking first the kingdom of God.
This fights against the utilitarian mindset that plagues modern Christianity. We are always asking, "What's the use of it? How does this benefit me?" God says some things are simply for Him. Their purpose is to be holy, to be set apart for His glory. This is the foundation of true worship. It is not about what we get out of it; it is about what He is worthy of.
A Joyful, Communal Feast (v. 20)
The destination of this consecrated animal was not a somber, begrudging duty. It was a feast.
"You and your household shall eat it every year before Yahweh your God in the place which Yahweh chooses." (Deuteronomy 15:20)
This is crucial. The animal given to God becomes the centerpiece of a meal shared with God. The Israelite family was to travel to the central sanctuary, "the place which Yahweh chooses," which would eventually be Jerusalem. There, the animal would be sacrificed. The blood and fat belonged to God on the altar, but the meat was given back to the family to be eaten in a joyous feast "before Yahweh."
This is a picture of fellowship. Giving to God is not losing something; it is the entryway into communion with Him. Our worship is not meant to be a funeral. It is a feast. When we bring our tithes and offerings, when we give God the "firstborn" of our time and energy, the result should be joy in His presence. God loves a cheerful giver because cheerful giving leads to cheerful fellowship. This command transforms an economic requirement into a family holiday, a pilgrimage of praise.
Notice also the corporate and household nature of this worship. "You and your household." The faith of the Old Testament was not an individualistic, private affair. It was covenantal. The head of the household led his family in worship. This is a principle we have largely lost. We think of faith as a personal choice, detached from family. But God deals with us in covenant households. Fathers are to lead their families to the place of worship, to feast together in the presence of the Lord.
The Problem of the Blemish (v. 21)
But then a practical problem arises. What if the firstborn is not perfect?
"But if it has any defect, such as lameness or blindness, or any serious defect, you shall not sacrifice it to Yahweh your God." (Deuteronomy 15:21)
God demands the best. A sacrifice is not a way to get rid of your garbage. It is an offering of something valuable. To bring a lame or blind animal to God was a profound insult. It implied that God was not worthy of a healthy one. The prophet Malachi would later rebuke Israel for this very sin: offering blind, lame, and sick animals. He asks them, "Present it to your governor; will he accept you?" (Malachi 1:8). If your earthly ruler would be insulted by such a gift, how much more the King of Heaven?
This standard of perfection was a constant object lesson. It taught Israel that God is holy, and that access to Him requires perfection. But it also highlighted a massive problem: where could such perfection be found? Every animal, like every human, is subject to the curse. They are born into a fallen world. Defects happen. This law, by its very strictness, was designed to create a longing for a truly perfect sacrifice. It was meant to make them look for an unblemished offering that could truly take away sin.
Grace for the Unclean (v. 22-23)
So what happens to the defective animal? God makes a gracious provision.
"You shall eat it within your gates; the unclean and the clean alike may eat it, as a gazelle or a deer. Only you shall not eat its blood; you are to pour it out on the ground like water." (Deuteronomy 15:22-23)
The blemished firstborn, while unfit for sacrifice, is not wasted. It is to be treated as common food. It can be eaten "within your gates," meaning at home, not at the central sanctuary. It is treated like a gazelle or a deer, animals that were clean for food but not for sacrifice. This is an act of grace. God's claim on the firstborn does not lead to a pointless waste if the animal is imperfect. He provides it back to the family for their sustenance.
And notice who can eat it: "the unclean and the clean alike." For a sacrificial meal at the sanctuary, a person had to be ceremonially clean. But for this meal at home, even someone who was temporarily unclean could partake. This shows a distinction between the sacred space of worship and ordinary life. But more than that, it is another pointer to the gospel. The perfect sacrifice of Christ makes a way for the unclean to be fed.
The final prohibition is standard for all meat: "Only you shall not eat its blood." The blood represents the life, and the life belongs to God (Leviticus 17:11). It was to be poured out on the ground, returning it to the Creator. This was a constant reminder that life and death are in God's hands, and that atonement is made by the shedding of blood, blood that they were not to treat lightly.
Christ, Our Unblemished Firstborn
As with all ceremonial law, this passage throws a long shadow that finds its substance in Jesus Christ. Every detail here is a brushstroke in the portrait of our Savior.
First, Jesus is the true Firstborn. He is the "firstborn of all creation" (Colossians 1:15) and the "firstborn from the dead" (Colossians 1:18). He is the one to whom the place of ultimate honor and inheritance belongs. God the Father consecrated Him, set Him apart as holy, for the work of our salvation.
Second, Jesus is the perfect, unblemished sacrifice. The law concerning defects finds its ultimate fulfillment in Him. Peter tells us we were redeemed not with perishable things, but "with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ" (1 Peter 1:19). He was the only sacrifice that was truly fit to be offered to a holy God. He had no lameness in His walk, no blindness in His sight, no defect in His heart. He was perfect.
Third, through His sacrifice, we are invited into a joyful feast. The Lord's Supper is the fulfillment of that meal eaten before the Lord. We come into God's presence and have communion with Him, feeding on the benefits of the true Firstborn who was given for us. This is not a funeral; it is a feast of victory.
And finally, His sacrifice provides for the unclean. The blemished animal could be eaten by the unclean at home, but this was just a picture. The perfect sacrifice of Christ actually cleanses the unclean. Because He was perfect, we who are full of defects, lame in our obedience and blind in our understanding, can be brought near. He takes our blemish upon Himself, and gives us His perfection. He is the one who makes it possible for the unclean to be declared clean, to be welcomed into the household, and to feast forever in the presence of God.