Why did God reject sacrifices in the old testament if they were unclean or touched by hands of the unclean (such as lepers etc.)?

Answer:

Good question.

We sometimes forget what a Holy God we serve…He is perfect in all His ways and without sin or blemish. We cannot understand what all happens in the spiritual realm, but for whatever reason there was a certain way God wanted sacrifices handled and certain things made them unclean and unacceptable. Much the same way that Cain’s sacrifice was rejected while Abel’s was received by God. Cain had a chance to give another offering but instead became bitter.

God is God and His ways are above ours, so for whatever reason we should not question the very one who created all of Heaven and Earth, and also made us 🙂

The GOOD news is that when Jesus came He made the unclean clean. The Pharisees told Jesus not to touch the lepers or the unclean because of the Old Testament law. Jesus touched them anyway because He was able to make them clean and Holy and acceptable to God.

It is certainly good that we live in this age of Grace made possible by our Saviors shed blood and His paying all of our debt. We are Holy because He is Holy.

Good question,
Pastor Brad