Heb. 9:7; Lev. 16:1-5, Sin and Trespass Offerings (2)

Let us continue to consider the great mercy and grace of our God, mercy and grace evident in the forgiveness of sin.  I have shared with you my thought on the difference between the sin and trespass offerings in Leviticus.  One was for sins committed in ignorance or unintentionally; the other included intentional sins.

This brings me to Heb. 9:7: But into the second part the high priest went alone once a year, not without blood, which he offered for himself and for the people’s sins committed in ignorance.  The Holy Spirit is, of course, speaking of the annual Day of Atonement in this passage, when the high priest enter the “Holy of Holies.”  The Spirit goes on to say that Yom Kippur dealt with sins committed in ignorance.  That is interesting considering our discussion.  In fact, the priest only performed sin offerings on that day.  Perhaps you noted this in today’s passage in Leviticus.  For his own sins the priest offered a young bull for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering (Lev. 16:3).  For the sins of the people the priest offered two goats (one for sacrifice, one the scapegoat) for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering.  It seems quite consistent, then, that Hebrews says Yom Kippur was about sins of ignorance.  This was a national day of sorrow for sins.  There was no way you could read a list of the intentional sins committed. 

Further, if we consider the New Testament term “ignorance” we get a further insight into the “sins of ignorance” dealt with on Yom Kippur.  The word in Heb. 9:7 is a noun, and the noun form is used 4 other times in the NT.

·       Ac. 3:17: Peter, in his second gospel sermon, acknowledges that the people of Israel killed Jesus, “the Prince of life,” in ignorance.

·       Ac. 17:30: Paul, on Mars Hill, told the Greeks that God overlooked the times of ignorance, when they did not know the Creator, but He now He them to repent.

·       Eph. 4:18: Paul again speaks of the Gentiles, in times past, being alienated from the life of God because of their ignorance and blindness.

·       1 Pt. 1:14: Peter, addressing Jewish believers, urges them not to engage in the former lusts that controlled them in the time of ignorance.

These passages reveal something critical for the Church today, as we preach the good news to our sinful world.  God’s forgiveness was not just for specific sins of ignorance, as in the illustrations given in Lev. 4.  It also applies to the general ignorance of the people of Israel who were unaware of the “mystery of Christ,” that He would both suffer death and be glorified by God the Father.  Further, it applies to the ignorance of the nations who did not have the advantage of the Scriptures as the people of Israel had.  Those times of ignorance are past.  Now all people are being called to repentance and faith through the Gospel of Jesus Christ’s death, burial and resurrection!