Leviticus 4.

 

 

Rules Concerning the Sin Offering (Leviticus 4:1-21)

 

V. 2. “Say to the Israelites: 'When anyone sins unintentionally and does what is forbidden in any of the LORD's commands-’”

 

Following the burnt offering, grain offering, and peace offering, today's passage explains the rules for offering a sin offering.

The sin offering is a sacrifice offered for atonement whenever one recognizes sin in life. The Revised Version verse 2, “If anyone sins unintentionally

and commits one of the commandments of the Lord,” is interpreted by the New Translation as “If anyone commits a sin unintentionally

and breaks one of the things the Lord has commanded him not to do.” In other words, if one realizes that he has broken a commandment unintentionally,

rather than knowingly and intentionally breaking the commandment, he should not just ignore it, but immediately repent of his mistake and ask God for forgiveness.

Those who had to offer a sin offering were priests (4:3), the congregation (4:13), leaders (4:22), and commoners (4:27), and there were no exceptions.

 

 

 

1. The sin offering of the priest (3-12)

1) As a priest, it is important how you deal with your own mistakes.

2) The case of Eli the priest in the Book of Samuel, who had two sons who were priests.

3) The tragic end of Eli's priestly family.

4) Even holy priests can break God's commandments by mistake.

 

 

2. The method of the sin offering and the sprinkling of blood for atonement

1) In the case of the priest in verse 3, the entire congregation in verse 13, the chieftain in verse 22, and the common people in verse 27.

2) The priest must also lay his hands on the calf to transfer his sins.

3) After laying his hands, the priest slaughters the calf himself.

4) The sin offerings for the priests or the whole of Israel were different from those for the chieftains or the common people.

 

 

3. Disposal of the remainder of the offerings after the sprinkling of the blood of atonement

1) The sin offering is an act of repentance for sin and faith in the covenant of Christ.

2) All the blood was sprinkled and all the fat was burned on the altar of burnt offering.

3) The priest had to do all of this himself.

4) The sins of the priests were treated with great care because they could easily spread inside and outside the temple.

 

 

Conclusion: Sin offerings of the congregation, the leaders, and the common people

1) Anyone who realizes their sins even belatedly must offer a sin offering.

2) How can someone who does not know that they have sinned realize that it is sin?

3) We discover that the sacrifices differ according to the difference in status.

4) The leaders offered a goat, and the common people offered a female lamb or a female goat.

 

 

There are many cases where people live without even knowing that their actions are sinful. However, God makes us aware of our sins in various ways.

When the Holy Spirit makes us aware of our sins, it is as if God has reached out to us first to be with us. Therefore, when the Holy Spirit makes us aware of our sins,

we should not make excuses and pass them by as if it were nothing. It is wise to realize that God has given us the opportunity for repentance and forgiveness

and to immediately repent of our past mistakes during that time of grace. Leviticus 19:2 “Be holy because I, the LORD your God, am holy.” is the keyword of Leviticus.

Leviticus focuses on the way to approach the holy God and the way to stay before the holy God. Today, we do not need to slaughter a cow, a sheep, or a goat.

All we need to do is confess to the Lord Jesus Christ and ask for forgiveness.

I pray in the name of the Lord that you will hold on to the Word given and fully enjoy walking with the holy Lord.