Without Defect

I was reading in Leviticus this morning. There is one chapter that talks all about sacrifices. One thing I noticed is that God kept emphasizing to Moses that the animals he brought as an offering had to be male and without defect. I've read this phrase before in the Old Testament, but I never really thought much of it. But today, it clicked for me. There's a reason the offerings had those requirements. God was giving the Israelites a sign.

Male and without defect. These animals had to be perfect in order to be brought before God to atone for sin. There wasn't anything wrong with them. It's a foreshadowing. Jesus was perfect. He was without defect. And he gave up his life for our sin. He is the ultimate sacrifice. The animals were just a symbol of what was to come. It blew my mind when I realized this. I don't why I didn't see it until now. It makes so much sense. Jesus being compared to a lamb going to the slaughter, the ultimate sacrifice, being without sin; it's so simple, yet so profound. I love it when I come across things like that. Who knew that one 4 word phrase would have so much of an impact? God never ceases to amaze me.