The operative word of Numbers 28 – 29 is “unblemished” which occurs fifteen times. This frequency makes the point unforgettably that any acceptable sacrifice must be, in a word, “unblemished”. No sacrifice was acceptable by God if it was flawed. The last book of the Old Testament finds the priests attempting to get away with inferior sacrifices. In response to the charge that they despised God’s name they exclaimed, “How have we despised Your name?” “By presenting defiled food on My altar” God answers (Mal. 1: 6 – 7). God further indicted them for presenting blind, lame and sick animals for sacrifice (Mal. 1: 8). Such substandard sacrifices revealed the priests considered the Lord’s table contemptible (Mal. 1: 7, 12). So appalling were the conditions that God uttered one of the most astonishing statements in the Old Testament, “I wish one of you would shut the [temple] doors, so you would no longer kindle a useless [fire on] My altar! I am not pleased with you,” says the LORD of Hosts, “and I will accept no offering from your hands” (Mal. 1: 10).
The Old Testament ends with God calling for the priests to close the doors to the Temple, in part because of sickly sacrifices, but the New Testament begins with God opening the way into the Holy of Holies by our High Priest, Jesus Christ, Who became the perfect sacrifice for us consecrating us all priests (Matt. 27: 51; Heb. 4: 12 – 5: 10; 9: 11 – 26; 10: 19 – 25). For you know that you were redeemed from your empty way of life inherited from the fathers, not with perishable things, like silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without defect or blemish (1 Pet. 1: 18 – 19).
Our Lord was unblemished physically. Before He was even born He was described as the holy One (Lk. 1: 35). He developed in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and with people (Lk. 2: 52). He grew up and became strong (Lk. 1: 40). His masculine stamina was demonstrated on the Cross where after hours of grueling pain He carries on conversations, offers prayers, scans Scripture and surrenders His spirit when He determines to do so (Matt. 27: 46; Lk. 23: 34, 42 – 43, 46; Jhn. 19: 28, 30). His bones were not even broken at the Cross (Jhn. 19: 36; Ex. 12: 46; Num. 9: 12; Ps. 34: 20). Jesus was unblemished physically.
Jesus was unblemished morally. To some of the most circumspect religious people of His time, Jesus asked, “Who among you can convict Me of sin?” (Jhn. 8: 46). Pilate, a veteran observer of men, declared, “I find no grounds for charging Him” (Jhn. 19: 4). The Bible affirms that though He has been tested in every way as we are, yet [He is] without sin (Heb. 4: 15). Jesus kept the entirety of the Law He Himself had given (Matt. 5: 18). He was unblemished morally.
Our Savior was unblemished spiritually. Throughout eternity Jesus had enjoyed perfect concord with His Father. Only at the Cross did a separation occur. When our sin was placed on the Lord, God Whose eyes are too pure to look on evil, and…cannot tolerate wrongdoing (Hab. 1: 13) turned away prompting Jesus’ anguished cry, Eli, Eli, lemá sabachtháni?” that is, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” (Matt. 27: 46). Neither before nor since the Cross was there an interruption to the fellowship between the Divine Father and the Divine Son. The Lord was unblemished spiritually.
As an unblemished sacrifice He was able to provide one sacrifice forever atoning for sin. Hallelujah, what a Savior!