Deuteronomy 15:19-23

Deuteronomy 15:19-23

[19] All the firstling  males  that come  of thy herd  and of thy flock  thou shalt sanctify  unto the LORD  thy God:  thou shalt do no work  with the firstling  of thy bullock,  nor shear  the firstling  of thy sheep.  [20] Thou shalt eat  it before  the LORD  thy God  year  in the place  which the LORD  shall choose,  thou and thy household.  [21] And if there be any blemish  therein, as if it be lame,  or blind,  or have any ill  blemish,  thou shalt not sacrifice  it unto the LORD  thy God.  [22] Thou shalt eat  it within thy gates:  the unclean  and the clean  person shall eat it alike,  as the roebuck,  and as the hart.  [23] Only thou shalt not eat  the blood  thereof; thou shalt pour  it upon the ground  as water. 

What does Deuteronomy 15:19-23 Mean?

Contextual Meaning

Moses had finished what he had to say about provisions for the needy (the Levites, aliens, orphans, widows, the poor, and slaves; Deuteronomy 14:22 to Deuteronomy 15:18). Here his thoughts turned back to the subject of the first-born of animals that he mentioned previously when he addressed the sacrificial meals ( Deuteronomy 12:6; Deuteronomy 12:17; Deuteronomy 14:23).
The Israelites were not to use their first-born male animals for personal gain but were to offer them to God as sacrifices. The Law taught them to regard them as God"s possessions (cf. Exodus 13:2; Exodus 13:12). They could eat defective first-born animals at their homes rather than offering them at the tabernacle and eating them there. In all cases they were to set aside first-born oxen and sheep for God as sacrifices because God had blessed the herd or flock with fertility. The Israelites were to offer God as near a perfect specimen as possible. This taught them that God deserves the very best, which would have cost them the most. [1]
As Christians we too should acknowledge God"s goodness if He increases our possessions. Our sacrifices need not be the first-born animals of our herds or flocks, but they might be verbal thanksgiving ( Hebrews 13:15), our labor, our money, indeed our very lives ( Romans 12:1-2).