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Leviticus Chapter 4
- Leviticus 4:1 And the LORD
spoke unto Moses, saying,
- 2 Speak unto the children
of Israel, saying, If a soul shall sin through ignorance against
any of the commandments of the LORD concerning things which
ought not to be done, and shall do against any of them:
- 3 If the priest that is
anointed do sin according to the sin of the people; then let him
bring for his sin, which he hath sinned, a young bullock without
blemish unto the LORD for a sin offering.
- 4 And he shall bring the
bullock unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation
before the LORD; and shall lay his hand upon the bullock's head,
and kill the bullock before the LORD.
- 5 And the priest that is
anointed shall take of the bullock's blood, and bring it to the
tabernacle of the congregation:
- 6 And the priest shall
dip his finger in the blood, and sprinkle of the blood seven
times before the LORD, before the veil of the sanctuary.
- 7 And the priest shall
put some of the blood upon the horns of the altar of sweet
incense before the LORD, which is in the tabernacle of the
congregation; and shall pour all the blood of the bullock at the
bottom of the altar of the burnt offering, which is at the door
of the tabernacle of the congregation.
- 8 And he shall take off
from it all the fat of the bullock for the sin offering; the fat
that covereth the inwards, and all the fat that is upon the
inwards,
- 9 And the two kidneys,
and the fat that is upon them, which is by the flanks, and the
caul above the liver, with the kidneys, it shall he take away,
- 10 As it was taken off
from the bullock of the sacrifice of peace offerings: and the
priest shall burn them upon the altar of the burnt offering.
- 11 And the skin of the
bullock, and all his flesh, with his head, and with his legs,
and his inwards, and his dung,
- 12 Even the whole bullock
shall he carry forth without the camp unto a clean place, where
the ashes are poured out, and burn him on the wood with fire:
where the ashes are poured out shall he be burnt.
We see from this particular chapter in
Leviticus that forgiveness of sin was provided for both individuals,
congregations, rulers and those in authority.
This particular offering and sacrifice was
for the sins committed in ignorance. This was not willful sinning
against God knowing beforehand that what one is doing is gross sin.
Just as soon as the sin came to their attention, they made it right
with God.
This book of Leviticus shows us what sin is
and how serious it is. It is easy to forget this. We live now in the
day of grace after the coming of Jesus Christ and that is the most
wonderful thing that has been given to God's creation. A way out of
sin, and the gift of eternal life is given to all who come to
Christ. Yet in all the wonderful news, we tend to forget how serious
sin is, how it destroys both body and soul, and how we need an
atonement for sin badly. It separates us from God, from eternal
life, and so many good things there are not enough words to describe
it.
I use to think about the souls of those
mentioned in the Old Testament who lived before the time of Jesus
Christ. I use to wonder about their eternal salvation and
ponder about whether or not they could be saved or if salvation was
offered to them as well as we.
Hebrews 10 is a good passage to explain how
the old sacrifices under the law was a picture of the perfect
salvation to come.
- Hebrews 10:1 For the law
having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image
of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they
offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto
perfect.
- 2 For then would
they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshipers
once purged should have had no more conscience of sins.
- 3 But in those
sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every
year.
- 4 For it is not
possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away
sins.
- 5 Wherefore when he
cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou
wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me:
- 6 In burnt offerings
and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure.
- 7 Then said I, Lo, I
come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy
will, O God.
- 8 Above when he
said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering
for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which
are offered by the law;
- 9 Then said he, Lo,
I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he
may establish the second.
- 10 By the which will
we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus
Christ once for all.
- 11 And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same
sacrifices, which can never take away sins:
- 12 But this man,
after he had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down on
the right hand of God;
- 13 From henceforth
expecting till his enemies be made his footstool.
- 14 For by one
offering he hath perfected forever them that are sanctified.
- 15 Whereof the Holy
Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he had said
before,
- 16 This is the
covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the
Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds
will I write them;
- 17 And their sins
and iniquities will I remember no more.
- 18 Now where
remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin.
- 19 Having therefore,
brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of
Jesus,
- 20 By a new and
living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil,
that is to say, his flesh;
- 21 And having a high
priest over the house of God;
- 22 Let us draw near
with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts
sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with
pure water.
- 23 Let us hold fast
the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is
faithful that promised;)
- 24 And let us
consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:
- 25 Not forsaking the
assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but
exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day
approaching.
- 26 For if we sin
willfully after that we have received the knowledge of the
truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,
- 27 But a certain
fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which
shall devour the adversaries.
- 28 He that despised
Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses:
- 29 Of how much sorer
punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath
trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of
the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and
hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?
- 30 For we know him
that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense,
saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people.
- 31 It is a fearful
thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
- 32 But call to
remembrance the former days, in which, after ye were
illuminated, ye endured a great fight of afflictions;
- 33 Partly, whilst ye
were made a gazingstock both by reproaches and afflictions; and
partly, whilst ye became companions of them that were so used.
- 34 For ye had
compassion of me in my bonds, and took joyfully the spoiling of
your goods, knowing in yourselves that ye have in heaven a
better and an enduring substance.
- 35 Cast not away
therefore your confidence, which hath great recompense of
reward.
- 36 For ye have need
of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might
receive the promise.
- 37 For yet, a little
while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry.
- 38 Now the just
shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall
have no pleasure in him.
- 39 But we are not of
them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to
the saving of the soul.
So we see the whole law pointing to the need
of individual salvation in order to obtain eternal life.
Old Testament people were saved by faith in
God also. Those who exercised faith in God for their salvation
showed that faith by being obedient to the law and presenting
sacrifices and offerings according to the law. They probably did not
understand all about the perfect sacrifice of Jesus Christ which was
to come but they exercised faith in God by doing what the law told
them to do and not willingly following disobedience by neglecting
what they knew to be the commandments of God.
To willfully neglect what was given to them
would be to deny the faith and not trust in God. When Israel turned
to idolatry many times as we read the Old Testament record of those
sins, it is likely that those people were lost.
They abandoned the truth and did not follow
after God. This would show a lack of faith. Both Old and New
Testament people were saved by faith and obedience to the the word
of God that was revealed to them.
- Leviticus 4:13 And if the whole
congregation of Israel sin through ignorance, and the thing be
hid from the eyes of the assembly, and they have done somewhat
against any of the commandments of the LORD concerning things
which should not be done, and are guilty;
- 14 When the sin, which
they have sinned against it, is known, then the congregation
shall offer a young bullock for the sin, and bring him before
the tabernacle of the congregation.
- 15 And the elders of the
congregation shall lay their hands upon the head of the bullock
before the LORD: and the bullock shall be killed before the
LORD.
Just as with the individual who sinned who
had to lay hands on the head of the bullock symbolic of transferring
his own sin to the animal, the elders of the congregation had to do
the same to represent the atonement for the sin of the whole
congregation. This too was a sacrifice for forgiveness of the sins
done in ignorance, not willful sin.
- Leviticus 4:16 And the priest
that is anointed shall bring of the bullock's blood to the
tabernacle of the congregation:
- 17 And the priest shall
dip his finger in some of the blood, and sprinkle it seven times
before the LORD, even before the veil.
- 18 And he shall put some
of the blood upon the horns of the altar which is before the
LORD, that is in the tabernacle of the congregation, and shall
pour out all the blood at the bottom of the altar of the burnt
offering, which is at the door of the tabernacle of the
congregation.
We see again and again that without the
shedding of blood there was not forgiveness of sin. Animal
sacrifices did not remove sin permanently but provided temporary
forgiveness until they sinned again. Then a sacrifice would have to
be done again.
This happened over and over until the time
of the final sacrifice of Jesus Christ once and for all.
- Leviticus 4:19 And he shall
take all his fat from him, and burn it upon the altar.
- 20 And he shall do with
the bullock as he did with the bullock for a sin offering, so
shall he do with this: and the priest shall make an atonement
for them, and it shall be forgiven them.
- 21 And he shall carry
forth the bullock without the camp, and burn him as he burned
the first bullock: it is a sin offering for the congregation.
- 22 When a ruler hath
sinned, and done somewhat through ignorance against any of the
commandments of the LORD his God concerning things which should
not be done, and is guilty;
- 23 Or if his sin, wherein
he hath sinned, come to his knowledge; he shall bring his
offering, a kid of the goats, a male without blemish:
We see that even rulers had to repent of sin
and do according to the law in that day.
This applies to us today in a different way.
As soon as our sin comes to our attention, we should repent and make
it right with God making sure its under the blood of Jesus Christ.
- 1 John 1:9 says, If we
confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us of sin
and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
This scripture was given to those who had
already come to Christ through faith and was cleansed of sin when
they first came to Christ. This provided a way for those who sinned
after coming to Christ and had need to be restored to fellowship
with Him that was broken because of sin.
Sin will separate us from God's fellowship
any time. As soon as the Holy Spirit reveals it to us, we must
repent and do the first works so Satan cannot continue to bring in
us roots of bitterness that would destroy our walk and ruin our joy
of salvation, our testimony before others and our influence in the
message of the gospel.
We have to make it right when we have sinned
in order to be fruitful.
- Leviticus 4:24 And he shall lay
his hand upon the head of the goat, and kill it in the place
where they kill the burnt offering before the LORD: it is a sin
offering.
- 25 And the priest shall
take of the blood of the sin offering with his finger, and put
it upon the horns of the altar of burnt offering, and shall pour
out his blood at the bottom of the altar of burnt offering.
- 26 And he shall burn all
his fat upon the altar, as the fat of the sacrifice of peace
offerings: and the priest shall make an atonement for him as
concerning his sin, and it shall be forgiven him.
- 27 And if any one of the
common people sin through ignorance, while he doeth somewhat
against any of the commandments of the LORD concerning things
which ought not to be done, and be guilty;
- 28 Or if his sin, which
he hath sinned, come to his knowledge: then he shall bring his
offering, a kid of the goats, a female without blemish, for his
sin which he hath sinned.
- 29 And he shall lay his
hand upon the head of the sin offering, and slay the sin
offering in the place of the burnt offering.
- 30 And the priest shall
take of the blood thereof with his finger, and put it upon the
horns of the altar of burnt offering, and shall pour out all the
blood thereof at the bottom of the altar.
- 31 And he shall take away
all the fat thereof, as the fat is taken away from off the
sacrifice of peace offerings; and the priest shall burn it upon
the altar for a sweet savor unto the LORD; and the priest shall
make an atonement for him, and it shall be forgiven him.
- 32 And if he bring a lamb
for a sin offering, he shall bring it a female without blemish.
- 33 And he shall lay his
hand upon the head of the sin offering, and slay it for a sin
offering in the place where they kill the burnt offering.
- 34 And the priest shall
take of the blood of the sin offering with his finger, and put
it upon the horns of the altar of burnt offering, and shall pour
out all the blood thereof at the bottom of the altar:
- 35 And he shall take away
all the fat thereof, as the fat of the lamb is taken away from
the sacrifice of the peace offerings; and the priest shall burn
them upon the altar, according to the offerings made by fire
unto the LORD: and the priest shall make an atonement for his
sin that he hath committed, and it shall be forgiven him.
So we see a way of being forgiven was
provided for those in the Old Testament who lived and died before
the coming of the savior. Jesus' death on the cross counted for them
too even though they may not have known exactly all we know today.
They believed God. To believe in God is to
believe and obey His words. Every time they brought an offering to a
priest for sacrifice, they were exercising their faith.
Cain brought an offering to God that was not
accepted. Perhaps he did not bring an offering for the right
reasons. His heart was not right as we saw from what he did later
when his offering was rejected. Perhaps it was because he did not
have faith, it wasn't a blood sacrifice or he did not bring it with
a full heart toward God.
There is a passage in the book of Jude
quoted below that may indicate that Cain was giving an offering
hoping to be rewarded and was greedy. Our motive should be for
spiritual blessings rather than material. God does bless in material
things but when we serve God it should be with a motive to seek the
spiritual. That way even if we were poor in this life, we
really would be rich toward God.
A hint to the reason is found in Hebrews 11.
- Hebrews 11:4 By faith Abel
offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which
he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his
gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh.
Also in the book of Jude:
- Jude 1:10 But these speak
evil of those things which they know not: but what they know
naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt
themselves.
- 11 Woe unto them! for
they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the
error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Korah.
And again in 1st John
- 1John 3:11 For this is the
message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love
one another.
- 12 Not as Cain, who
was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew
he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother's
righteous.
We see that Cain had an evil heart of
unbelief even though he believed in God's existence. Perhaps he was
seeking God for reward instead of for salvation or forgiveness of
sin.
We must seek God for the right reasons and
that is to be delivered from sin and made right with Him. We seek
God so that God can make us righteous and cover us with the
righteousness of Jesus Christ. We seek God because we love Him and
desire His presence not so He can make us rich and increased with
possessions in this life.
We need His plan of salvation that He
provided through he death of His Son, Jesus Christ. Through Christ,
hate can become love. Evil becomes good and sin is cleansed by His
blood. We need God so bad in today's world but so many think we can
come another way other than through faith in Jesus Christ. Yet there
is no other way given to any of us to be saved. DC
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