I was reading Leviticus the other day.

It's describing sacrificing bulls.

It says to bring an UNBLEMISHED bull.

I start thinking: God wouldn't have said to bring an unblemished bull unless otherwise someone would have brought a blemished bull to offer to God.

I start thinking: Isn't bringing an unblemished bull to offer to God just plain common sense?

Apparently, God has to TELL people to do things that should be just common sense to them.

If you didn't know whether God cared about bull blemishes or not, why would you naturally assume to bring the unblemished one?

I'd never think of offering a bull, blemished or beautiful, unless God told me to do so.

And since now I don't have to bring bulls without blemish, I don't worry about bull blemishes.

Yes, God does indeed have to tell people to do things that should be just common sense.

Why would a person offer a blemished bull to God?

So they could keep an unblemished bull for themselves.

Unless, they only had one bull and it was blemished or all their bulls were blemished...

I was reading Leviticus the other day.

It's describing sacrificing bulls.

It says to bring an UNBLEMISHED bull.

I start thinking: God wouldn't have said to bring an unblemished bull unless otherwise someone would have brought a blemished bull to offer to God.

I start thinking: Isn't bringing an unblemished bull to offer to God just plain common sense?

Apparently, God has to TELL people to do things that should be just common sense to them.Human behavior is complex. A devout person would bring an unblemished bull. However, there are men and women who don't believe in God, but practice the religion of their community in order to gain favor with the people. In this case, it is conceivable that such a man would look over his flock, pick a diseased animal he is going to put down anyway, and sacrifice that. Such men do not fear God but they fear men.

Human nature would bring an unblemished bull, thinking in their hearts that it was good enough.
The bull represented Christ, the spotless sinless lamb. No one else could do what Jesus Christ did for us. It was very important that the Israelites understood that it had to be a perfect sacrifice.

Today, people bring money, good deeds and whatever else before God and think they have done enough. They miss the perfect sacrifice in which no man can come to the Father but by Him. John 14:6.

People are still bringing blemished sacrifices to God today. When we utilize all of our resources for ourselves first - our time, money, material goods, or anything we consider "ours" - and bring God the leftovers, that's bringing blemished sacrifices.

Those people justified themselves by saying, "I NEED this perfect bull or ram so that I can breed it with my females. I don't want to breed the sick and crippled males with my cows and ewes." The perfect animals meant money. When they were required to give their best FIRST, that showed a complete trust in God for Him to take care of them with the leftovers.

We justify ourselves today by saying, "Let me pay my bills first and new car note and pay for Susie's prom dress and Tommy's braces and make a down payment on the fishing boat and if there is anything left over, I see what I can do for God." We do the same thing with our time and other resources. And God isn't pleased nor glorified.

Watch this video.

The God Pie (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=upmyrinWq64)

Try to picture this:

You invite someone over for dinner. When they walk in, you scrape the table scraps off the plates into your dog's bowl. Your dog is waiting right there. Then, you tell your guest, "Be careful- Buddy will fight you for that.".

I was reading Leviticus the other day.

It's describing sacrificing bulls.

It says to bring an UNBLEMISHED bull.

I start thinking: God wouldn't have said to bring an unblemished bull unless otherwise someone would have brought a blemished bull to offer to God.

I start thinking: Isn't bringing an unblemished bull to offer to God just plain common sense?

Apparently, God has to TELL people to do things that should be just common sense to them.

Apparently even when God tells us do do things that are just common sense, we humans are wired to disobey.

Mal 1:7 Ye offer polluted bread upon mine altar; and ye say, Wherein have we polluted thee? In that ye say, The table of the LORD is contemptible.
8 And if ye offer the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? and if ye offer the lame and sick, is it not evil? offer it now unto thy governor; will he be pleased with thee, or accept thy person? saith the LORD of hosts.

Shalom