Journal Through the Bible: Week 17 Friday

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Leviticus 4:1-5:13


Does God make any promises?

• No promises named, but the promise of acceptance after the repentance that offering a sacrifice for a sin offering or a trespass offering was meant to motivate is certainly implied.

Are there any references to Jesus?

• When the priest laid his hand on the bull of the sin offering this was a picture of our sins being placed on Jesus.
• Just as the sin offering was poured out outside the camp, so was Jesus poured out outside the camp.
• Jesus is the only one who was never guilty of sinning in ignorance. In fact, since He never sinned at all He was not guilty of doing so on purpose or accidentally. He never trespassed against God!

Are there any references to future events?

• Forgiveness arises from the ashes of the sin offering sacrifice. Some say that the New Earth will arise from the ashes of this old, sinful one. The psalms seem to point to this when they say that the Messiah comes the second time as the conquering King under whose feet are placed all other kingdoms of the world.

Does God issue any commands? 

• God commanded a young unblemished bull to be offered by the priests as a sin offering for sins done purposely and ignorantly. The blood was to be sprinkled 7 times (the number of completion) before the veil of the sanctuary and some to be placed upon the horns of the altar of incense, and poor the rest at the bottom of the altar for burnt offerings. The fat and the kidneys were to be burnt according to the instructions given for peace offerings. The whole animal was then to be taken outside the camp. This was the way priests were to offer sin offerings for themselves and for the nation.
• God commanded that a ruler's sin offering for a sin done ignorantly be a male unblemished goat kid.
• God commanded that a common person's sin offering for sinning ignorantly be a female unblemished goat kid.
• If anyone offered a lamb as a sin offering it was to be a female without blemish.
• God commanded that if anyone had pertinent testimony to a matter that he would be guilty of sin if he did not testify to what he heard or to what he knew. This, and other forms of swearing were considered trespasses. Being unfit or defiled (unclean) was also considered a trespass. 
• God commanded a female goat or lamb, or two turtledoves or pigeons to be offered as a trespass offering. Those who were truly poor could offer fine flour as a sin offering. One of the fowl was to be a sin offering and the other was to be a burnt offering.