Ella 
Read the Bible Verse of the Day – Deuteronomy 17:1 To Strengthen Your Spiritual Journey.
Deuteronomy 17:1 is a powerful verse about offering sacrifices to God. It reminds us that God deserves our very best. This instruction was given to the Israelites under the Old Covenant, but it still teaches us important truths about worship, obedience, and holiness today.
The Context of Deuteronomy 17:1 KJV
The Book of Deuteronomy
The book of Deuteronomy is the fifth book of the Bible. It is part of the Torah, also called the Law of Moses. The word “Deuteronomy” means “second law” or “repetition of the law.” It contains the speeches Moses gave to the Israelites before they entered the Promised Land.
In these speeches, Moses reminded the people of God’s commandments. He also urged them to stay faithful to God and live in holiness.
Deuteronomy includes laws about worship, leadership, justice, family life, and more. These laws were meant to help Israel live as a holy people.
Chapter 17 Summary
Deuteronomy 17 covers several important topics:
- Proper sacrifices to God (verse 1)
- Punishment for idolatry (verses 2–7)
- Legal decisions by priests and judges (verses 8–13)
- Instructions about future kings of Israel (verses 14–20)
Verse 1 sets the tone for the chapter. It focuses on the purity of sacrifices offered to the Lord. It warns against giving God anything less than perfect.
Deuteronomy 17:1 (KJV)
Here is the verse in the King James Version:
“Thou shalt not sacrifice unto the Lord thy God any bullock, or sheep, wherein is blemish, or any evilfavouredness: for that is an abomination unto the Lord thy God.” — Deuteronomy 17:1, KJV
This verse may seem simple, but it carries deep meaning. Let’s explore the details.
Deuteronomy 17:1 Meaning
“Thou shalt not sacrifice unto the Lord thy God”
This command is directed to every Israelite. Sacrifices were a central part of worship under the Old Covenant. They were offered as:
- Burnt offerings
- Peace offerings
- Sin offerings
- Guilt offerings
These sacrifices were not just religious rituals. They were acts of worship. They represented love, repentance, thanksgiving, and obedience.
When people brought an offering to God, it was a personal act of devotion. It showed they trusted in Him and wanted to please Him.
God was not pleased with any kind of sacrifice. He had specific standards for what was acceptable.
“Any bullock, or sheep, wherein is blemish”
This part speaks about the animals used for sacrifice—bulls and sheep. These were common animals in Israelite life. They were used for food, work, and worship.
But notice the requirement: they had to be without blemish.
A blemish is a physical defect. It could include:
- A broken leg
- Blindness
- Skin disease
- Deformity
- Anything that made the animal imperfect
God made it clear that He would not accept animals with flaws.
This is repeated throughout the Law:
Leviticus 22:20 says, “But whatsoever hath a blemish, that shall ye not offer: for it shall not be acceptable for you.”
Malachi 1:8 rebukes people who offered blind or lame animals.
Why did God demand perfect animals?
Because sacrifices represented Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God. Jesus was perfect, sinless, and holy. He was the ultimate sacrifice. That is why God required offerings without blemish.
“Or any evilfavouredness”
“Evilfavouredness” is an old English term. It means anything that is deformed, disfigured, or unacceptable in appearance.
This reinforces the point: God did not want sick, weak, or unwanted animals. He deserved the best—not the leftovers.
“For that is an abomination unto the Lord thy God”
An abomination is something detestable. It is something that God hates. To offer a blemished animal was not a small mistake—it was offensive to God.
Why? Because it showed:
- Disrespect toward God
- A lack of faith
- A heart that was unwilling to give God the best
God saw the condition of the sacrifice as a reflection of the person’s heart.
Deuteronomy 17:1 Application in Life
Though we no longer offer animal sacrifices, this verse still has many lessons for Christians today.
1. Give God Your Best
God deserves our best. Not our leftovers. Not our castoffs. Not what costs us nothing.
This applies to:
Our time – Do we spend our best moments with God, or only when we are tired?
Our talents – Do we use our gifts to serve God, or only for ourselves?
Our money – Do we give generously, or only when it’s easy?
Our worship – Do we give God sincere praise, or go through the motions?
God is worthy of the best we have. He gave us His best—His Son, Jesus. In return, we should offer our lives as living sacrifices (Romans 12:1).
2. Worship Must Be Pure
This verse reminds us that not all worship pleases God. Some worship is unacceptable.
Jesus said in John 4:24:
“God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.”
True worship comes from a heart that is clean, sincere, and humble. It is not about how we feel, but about honoring God in the right way.
3. Examine Your Heart
When the Israelites chose animals for sacrifice, they had to inspect them carefully. The same is true for us.
Before we serve, sing, preach, give, or lead—our hearts must be right. God cares more about the condition of our hearts than the outward appearance of our offerings.
Psalm 139:23-24 says:
“Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts…”
Let’s ask God to show us anything in our lives that does not please Him.
4. Do Not Offer God What You Do Not Want
In the Old Testament, some people gave God the animals they didn’t want. The blind lamb. The sick bull. The ones they couldn’t sell.
But God is not honored by worthless gifts.
In Malachi 1:13-14, God rebukes the priests who accepted these flawed offerings:
“Ye brought that which was torn, and the lame, and the sick; thus ye brought an offering: should I accept this of your hand?”
Giving God what we don’t want shows disrespect. We must give Him what matters to us—because He matters most.
5. Jesus Is the Perfect Sacrifice
Every animal sacrifice pointed to Jesus. He is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29).
Hebrews 9:14 says:
“How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God…”
Jesus was without spot or blemish. He lived a sinless life. He obeyed God perfectly. His sacrifice is acceptable forever.
We do not need to bring animals to God. We come through Jesus Christ. He is the way, the truth, and the life.
More Lessons from Deuteronomy 17:1
God Is Holy
This verse shows that God is holy. He cannot accept what is unclean. His standards are high—not because He is harsh, but because He is perfect.
Isaiah 6:3 says, “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts.”
When we approach God, we must remember His holiness.
Obedience Matters
God gave specific instructions for worship. The Israelites were not free to decide what they would offer. They had to obey God’s Word.
The same is true today. True worship is not about what we like. It’s about what God commands. His Word is our guide.
God Sees the Heart Behind the Gift
God sees more than the offering. He sees the heart of the worshipper. A costly gift means nothing if the heart is full of pride or sin.
Isaiah 1:11 says:
“To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me? saith the Lord… I delight not in the blood of bullocks…”
God wants clean hearts, not just clean animals.
Conclusion
Deuteronomy 17:1 teaches us a timeless truth: God deserves our best.
In the Old Testament, that meant offering animals without blemish. In the New Testament, it means offering our lives, our worship, and our hearts to God in purity and truth.
We do not bring sheep and bulls to an altar today. But we still bring offerings—our time, service, money, talents, and praise.
Let us never give God what we do not value. Let us never bring Him what costs us nothing.
Instead, let us give Him our best. Because He gave us His best—Jesus Christ, the perfect Lamb.
When we offer ourselves in holiness and love, God is pleased. And in return, He blesses us beyond measure.
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