Let us now look at the sin and trespass offerings in a little more detail.
·
The Sin Offering (4:1-5:13; 6:24-30).
o
There were 4 categories of sinners: priest, the
community, a community leader, and an ordinary individual.
§
The priest offered a young bull and much of the
blood was sprinkled in the tabernacle/temple area before the rest was poured
out. The priest laid hands on the
offering. None of the offering was eaten
(6:30).
§
When the community sinned a young bull was
offered with the elders laying hands on the offering, confessing the sins of
the people. Note: corporate sin is as
real as individual sin. Read the confessions
in Nehemiah 1:5-7 and Daniel 9:4-6 and note the letters to the seven churches
(Rev. 2-3) that address the local body as a whole.
§
If a leader sinned he offered a male goat. None of the blood was sprinkled but some was placed
on the horns of the altar of sacrifice and the rest poured out. Certain parts were burned and others were
eaten by the priest.
§
If an individual sinned he offered a female goat
or lamb or 2 doves or pigeons along with a small amount of flour. Blood was poured out, as with that of the
leader’s offering; and the priest also ate part of this offering.
o
Here are a few additional notes:
§
These were offerings for atonement
(4:20,26,31,35; 5:6,10,13). As Joseph
Seiss points out, after we are saved we still sin. It is still the blood of Christ that cleanses
(1 Jn 1:9).
§
The sinners position determines the value of the
offering (Jas. 4:17; 3:1).
§
That which was taken outside the camp speaks of
Christ who was crucified on the altar of the cross outside the city (Heb.
13:10-14).
·
The Trespass Offering (5:14-6:7; 7:1-10).
o
The trespass/guilt offering was in many ways
like the sin offering. However, it
involved sins that required restitution, either to the Lord or men. Restitution was generally 1/5th in
addition to the value of the item. And
in the trespass offering, only a ram was used (1 Pet. 1:19).
o
The purpose was to make atonement (5:16,18;
6:7). The procedure was not specified;
apparently it was like the sin offering.
These offerings speak of Christ as well. As we noted, we continue to sin after we have
found atonement at the cross, through faith in Christ. Those sins are also covered by His
once-for-all sacrifice. My little
children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with
the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.
And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only
but also for the whole world. God is
holy and accounts for sin. Man is sinful
and in need of atonement. God is
merciful; we have an Advocate!
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