Levítico 4
David Guzik · Citado em PreceptAustin
Levítico 4
Guzik - If a priest needed a sin offering made on his behalf, a bull had to be sacrificed on his behalf, with the priest identifying with the victim through the laying on of hands (Lev 4:4). The presence of a separate ritual of cleansing for the sin of the priest shows that they had a great accountability before the LORD and were, in a sense, judged according to a stricter measure (Ed: This brings to mind James warning in James 3:1-2!). GotQuestions - Question: "Why were the people guilty for a priest’s sin?" Answer: Leviticus 4:3 says, “If the anointed priest sins, bringing guilt on the people, he must bring to the LORD a young bull without defect as a sin offering for the sin he has committed.” If it was the priest that sinned, why were all of the people of Israel considered guilty? Two possibilities are typically presented to explain how the people are considered guilty for the sin of the priest. First, it is possible that the priest’s sin impacted the people because he is a leader as well as one of the people. In this case, the idea is that the sin of a leader influences everyone under him negatively. The second possibility is that the sin of the priest would lead other people into sin. This principle is certainly seen elsewhere in Scripture. Hosea 4:6, in particular, condemns ungodly leadership by the Jewish priests: “My people are destroyed from lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also reject you as my priests.” Second Chronicles 15:3 rues the fact that “for a long time Israel was without the true God, without a priest to teach and without the law.” The lack of godly spiritual leadership had led to an ungodly society. There is another consideration in determining why the Israelites were guilty when the priest sinned. In Leviticus 10:17 Moses asks Aaron the priest, “Why didn't you eat the sin offering in the sanctuary area? It is most holy; it was given to you to take away the guilt of the community by making atonement for them before the LORD?” The priest had to make atonement on behalf of the people. If the priest was sinful or unable to perform this duty, atonement could not be made, and the people would be in sin as a result. (Read Full Article) Life Application Note - The sin offering was for those who (1) committed a sin without realizing it or (2) committed a sin out of weakness or negligence as opposed to outright rebellion against God. Both individuals and groups could be guilty of unintentional sin. Different animals were sacrificed for the different kinds of sin. The death of Jesus Christ was the final sin offering in the Bible (Hebrews 9:25-28 tells why). Deffinbaugh - A number of years ago our family went to Six Flags with another family from the church. As we sat there watching the rides I turned to my friend and said, “Now here is a beautiful illustration of sin: the price is high and the ride is short.” That is just how it is with sin. To the LORD (101x in 92v) - Lev 1:2, 9, 13f, 17; 2:1ff, 8ff, 14, 16; 3:3, 5f, 9, 11, 14; 4:3, 31, 35; 5:6f, 15; 6:6, 15, 18, 20ff; 7:5, 11, 14, 20f, 25, 29f, 35, 38; 8:21, 28; 17:4ff, 9; 19:5, 21, 24; 21:6; 22:3, 15, 18, 21f, 24, 27, 29; 23:3, 6, 8, 12f, 16ff, 20, 25, 27, 34, 36ff, 41; 24:7; 25:2, 4; 27:2, 9, 11, 14, 16, 21ff, 26, 28, 30, 32; Note that the sin "offering was not a soothing aroma. It was for expiation, namely, to make amends. The offerer ritually charged the sacrificial animal with his sin (cf. Isa. 53:5; 1 Pet. 2:24). The animal had to be without defect (cf. 1 Pet. 2:22). The offerer executed God's judgment for sin on the sacrificial substitute by slaying it. In every sin offering an innocent substitute replaced the sinner (cf. 2 Cor. 5:21)." (Constable) Sin offering (chattat/chattath) for sin (chattat/chattath) - Notice the same Hebrew word is used for the name of the offering and what it is offered for (sin). Gordon Wenham discusses the fact "that other sacrifices also atoned for sin, notably the burnt offering (Lev 1), the peace offering (Lev 3), as well as the reparation offering (Lev 5:14– 6:7]). Simply to adopt the rendering “sin offering” for chattat/chattath obscures the precise function of this sacrifice. It most certainly has to do with sin, and deals with its consequences. But it was not the one and only atoning sacrifice, as commentators tend to suggest." (NICOT) NET Note - The primary purpose of the “sin offering” (חַטָּאת, chatta’t) was to “purge” (כִּפֶּר, kipper, “to make atonement,” see Lev 4:20, 26, 31, 35, and the notes on Lev 1:4 and esp. Lev 16:20, 33) the sanctuary or its furniture in order to cleanse it from any impurities and/or (re)consecrate it for holy purposes (see, e.g., Lev 8:15; 16:19). By making this atonement the impurities of the person or community were cleansed and the people became clean. To make atonement is the standard translation of the Hebrew term כִּפֶּר, (kipper); cf. however TEV “as a sacrifice to take away his sins” (CEV similar). The English word derives from a combination of “at” plus Middle English “one[ment],” referring primarily to reconciliation or reparation that is made in order to accomplish reconciliation. The primary meaning of the Hebrew verb, however, is “to wipe [something off (or on)]” (see esp. the goal of the sin offering, Lev 4, “to purge” the tabernacle from impurities), but in some cases it refers metaphorically to “wiping away” anything that might stand in the way of good relations by bringing a gift (see, e.g., Ge 32:20, “to appease; to pacify” as an illustration of this). The translation “make atonement” has been retained because, ultimately, the goal of either purging or appeasing was to maintain a proper relationship between the LORD (Who dwelt in the tabernacle) and Israelites in whose midst the tabernacle was pitched
Levítico 4
Guzik - The blood of this bull was applied to the veil in the tabernacle of meeting, to the altar of incense, and to the altar of sacrifice outside the tabernacle. Sin is an offense against the holiness of God, and so the veil guarding His holy presence must receive sacrificial blood.. Sin affects our prayer life, and so the altar of incense (Lev 4:7) representing the prayers of God’s people must receive sacrificial blood. Sin makes our atonement necessary, so the altar of the burnt offering (Lev 4:7) - the place of atonement - must receive sacrificial blood. ><>><>><> Spurgeon's - Faith's Checkbook - Leviticus 4:7 What Sanctifies Our Offerings? - THE altar of incense is the place where saints present their prayers and praises, and it is delightful to think of it as sprinkled with the blood of the great sacrifice. This it is which makes all our worship acceptable with Jehovah: He sees the blood of his own Son, and therefore accepts our homage. It is well for us to fix our eyes upon the blood of the one offering for sin. Sin mingles even with our holy things; and our best repentance, faith, prayer, and thanksgiving could not be received of God were it not for the merit of the atoning sacrifice. Many sneer at “the blood,” but to us it is the foundation of comfort and hope. That which is on the horns of the altar is meant to be prominently before our eyes when we draw near to God. The blood gives strength to prayer, and hence it is on the altar’s horns. It is “before the Lord,” and therefore it ought to be before us. It is on the altar before we bring the incense; it is there to sanctify our offerings and gifts. Come, let us pray with confidence, since the Victim is offered, the merit has been pleaded, the blood is within the veil, and the prayers of believers must be sweet unto the Lord. Leviticus 4:8 'He shall remove from it all the fat of the bull of the sin offering: the fat that covers the entrails, and all the fat which is on the entrails, Lev 4:19,26,31,35 3:3-5,9-11,14-16 7:3-5 16:25 Isa 53:10 John 12:27 Sin offering (02403)(chattat/chattath - word study) Guzik - The fatty portions of the animal were offered to God. In this, the best was once again dedicated to God after the blood covered the sin. Rooker on sin offering - Sin offerings of a male goat were required at each of the sacred festivals: New Moon (Num 28:15), each day of Passover (Num 28:22–24), Pentecost (Num 28:30), Rosh Hashanah (Num 29:5), the Day of Atonement (Num 29:11), and Tabernacles (Num 29:16, 19). (Ibid) Leviticus 4:9 and the two kidneys with the fat that is on them, which is on the loins, and the lobe of the liver, which he shall remove with the kidneys Leviticus 4:10 (just as it is removed from the ox of the sacrifice of peace offerings), and the priest is to offer them up in smoke on the altar of burnt offering. peace offerings: Lev 23:19 Ps 32:1 1Ti 2:5,6 Ps 32:1 A Psalm of David. A Maskil. How blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, Whose sin is covered! 1Tim 2:5 For there is one God, [and] one mediator also between God and men, [the] man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave Himself as a ransom for all, the testimony [borne] at the proper time. Peace offerings (08002)(selem/shelem - word study) Burnt offering (05930)('olah - word study) Henry Law - THE SIN OFFERING - This is not all. No effort is untried to deepen peace. Hence we see more than the sin offering's death. Other rites follow. Let them be marked. The costliest parts are piled upon the burning altar. Lev. 4:10. The angry fire receives them, as its prey. It burns—it blazes, until all disappears. Thus wrathful fury seized the soul of Jesus. All torments dealt most fiercely with Him. He suffered, until eternal vengeance asked no more. Reader, if you are one with Christ, hell-pains are past for you. If you are not, they still remain. Alas! how shall you bear them! (The Gospel in Leviticus) Leviticus 4:11 'But the hide of the bull and all its flesh with its head and its legs and its entrails and its refuse, Lev 4:21 6:30 8:14-17 9:8-11 16:27 Ex 29:14 Nu 19:5 Ps 103:12 Heb 13:11-13 Guzik - The valuable hide and the meat of the bull were burnt outside the camp, along with the worthless portions of the bull. It could not be offered to God, but it was burned as if it were a worthless thing. All selfish motives had to be removed in the sin offering. If a priest brought the offering, the whole offering had to be destroyed. If a non-priest brought the offering, the priest could eat of it, but not the one bringing the sacrifice. You couldn’t bring a sin offering because you wanted meat or leather, but only because you wanted to get right with God. This emphasized the idea that there is no benefit to our sin. Paul expressed this attitude of heart in Philippians 3:7-8-note. Wiersbe on hide...flesh...outside the camp - Why? For one thing, it made a distinction between the sin offering and the burnt offering so that the worshipers wouldn’t be confused as they watched. But even more, it reminded the people that the sins of the high priest and the whole congregation would pollute the whole camp; and the sin offering was too holy to remain in an unholy camp. Finally, according to Hebrews 13:10–13-note, this was a picture of our Lord Jesus Christ who died “outside the city gate … outside the camp” as our sin offering (Heb 13:12-13NIV-note). (Be Holy) Merrill - The term "flesh" [Heb = basar - 01320] is quite common in Hebrew and is used 61x in Leviticus alone. It has a wide range of meanings such as skin, flesh, meat, body, humankind, and animals (R. Chisholm, NIDOTTE, 1:777). In Leviticus it can be used of both human (e.g., Lev. 13:2) and animal flesh (e.g., Lev. 4:11) but is also used in a more universal sense to refer to all humankind in Lev. 17:14 (3x). In Lev. 15:2 a "bodily discharge" is spoken of using the term for body. After Lev 15:3 it is clear that the discharges spoken of here were coming from the male sexual organs. The term is used as a euphemism for the male genital organ in Ge 17:11, 13, 14, 23, 24, 25 as well as in Ex 28:42. It is used again in Lev. 15:19 to refer to the woman's vagina but it is also used in Lev 15:7 to refer to any part of the man's body. Lev. 18:6 speaks of a close relative using two synonyms basar and seer (07607), could be literally translated "flesh of his flesh," and may reflect a use of Gen. 2:23 ("flesh of my flesh") although in Genesis the word seer is not used but a double use of the word basar. There Adam, speaking of the newly created woman that had been formed from his own rib, declares she is "bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh." The Hebrew people were not to seek a marriage partner from non-believing, non-Israelites (Dt. 7:3). Rather, they were to marry within the nation and, in some cases because of property considerations, even within the tribe (Nu 36:1-13). But this section defines who, even within the tribe, is too near a relative to be a permissible marriage partner. The NT also recognizes that near relatives are not permitted to marry or even to have sexual intercourse (see 1Cor. 5:1). (Ibid) Leviticus 4:12 that is, all the rest of the bull, he is to bring out to a clean place outside the camp where the ashes are poured out, and burn it on wood with fire; where the ashes are poured out it shall be burned. Lev 13:46 Nu 5:3 15:35 19:3 ashes: Lev 6:10,11 burn: Ex 29:14 Nu 19:5 Heb 13:11 Wenham on sin offering in OT and NT - For the NT writers it is the blood of Christ which cleanses from the defilement of sin. Peter defines Christians as those who are "chosen and destined by God the Father and sanctified by the Spirit for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood" (1Pet. 1:2-note). For John, fellowship with God and with other Christians is through the blood of Jesus his Son cleansing us from all sin (1John 1:7-note). The saints in heaven "have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb" (Rev 7:14-note). Thus the cleansing from sin that was secured under the old covenant through the purification offering is effected under the new covenant by the death of Christ. Whereas in the Levitical laws it was the place of worship that was purified, under the new dispensation it is the worshipper himself. (NICOT) TSK on outside the camp - This was intended, figuratively, to express the enormity of this sin, and the availableness of the atonement. The sacrifice, as having the sin of the priest transferred from himself to it, by his confession and imposition of hands, became unclean and abominable, and was carried, as it were, out of God's sight; and thus its own offensiveness was removed, with the sin of the person in whose behalf it was offered. Outside the camp - several of the following notes discuss this topic (this exact phrase 28x in 27v in NAS) - Ex 29:14; 33:7; Lev 4:12, 21-note; Lev 6:11-note.; Lev 8:17-note.; Lev 9:11; Lev 13:46-note.; Lev 16:27-note (good note by Richard Phillips).; Lev 17:3-note.; Lev 24:14, 23-note.; Nu 5:3-4; 12:14-15; 15:35-36; 19:3, 9; 31:13, 19; Dt 23:10, 12; Josh 6:23; Heb 13:11-note Heb 13:13-note. and "outside the gate" in Heb 13:12-note. Criswell - The remainder of the bull (excluding the fatty portions, which were burned on the altar of burnt offering, Lev 4:8-10, 19, 20) was taken outside the camp and burned (cf. Lev 4:21; 8:17; 9:11). The deeper significance of this is found in Heb. 13:10-13-note. The burning of the sin offering outside the camp typified the death of Christ outside the gates of Jerusalem (cf. Jn 19:17-20 - see note below). Holman Bible Dictionary on the location of Golgotha (Calvary) - Archeologists are uncertain where Calvary was located. John 19:20 and Hebrews 13:12-note say that Jesus was taken outside the city to be crucified. Mark 15:29 suggests that a road may have been nearby. Two sites are held today as Calvary. The older, more traditional Church of the Holy Sepulchre is a complex of religious shrines venerated as the place of Christ's cross and tomb. In the 4th century A.D., Queen Helena, mother of Constantine, had the site revealed to her in a vision. A pagan temple on the site was razed and a shrine built in its place. Several destructions and rebuildings have taken place over the centuries. Since 1842, a rocky hill outside the Damascus Gate has vied for veneration as Calvary. Discovered by Otto Thenius, the site gained fame when Charles Gordon wrote in 1885 that this was indeed Calvary. A garden tomb nearby, discovered in 1849, had drawn little attention until Gordon made his assertion. Executions during the first century were conducted outside the city walls. This might tend to make Gordon's Calvary the logical site. However, at the time of Jesus' crucifixion the outer wall of Jerusalem was much closer to the center of the city. This would make the traditional site more plausible. Clean (02889)(tahor) means pure, clean, purified, genuine, unalloyed (God's Word in Ps 12:6). "It is applied concretely to substances that are genuine or unadulterated as well as describing an unstained condition of a spiritual or ceremonial nature....Clean most frequently describes the purity maintained by avoiding contact with other human beings, abstaining from eating animals, and using things that are declared ceremonially clean. Conversely, cleansing results if ritual procedures symbolizing the removal of contamination are observed." (Vine) The first use of tahor is to describe the "clean" (ceremonially, ritually clean) animals Noah was to take on the Ark (Ge 7:2) and use for burnt offerings (Ge 8:20). Most of the 20 uses of tahor in Leviticus refer to clean versus unclean (especially offerings), speaking of "ceremonial" cleanness (eg, a "clean place" in Lev 4:12, clean animal Lev 20:25, etc). When persons were clean, they could eat clean meat, but an unclean person could not (Lev. 7:19). The 7 uses in Numbers all refer to a (ceremonially) "clean" person (eg, Nu 5:28, etc) and contact with a human corpse was especially defiling so that contact with it made a person unclean for seven days (Nu 19:11). Merrill - A place ceremonially clean (maqom)-The phrase maqom tahor is a combination of two Hebrew words, the former word is dealt with (above). It is sufficient here to understand that the sin offering was not to be placed on the altar nor was it to be burned just anywhere. Rather there was a designated physical location where it must be done. For sin offerings that were offered on behalf of the anointed priest or the entire nation (Lev. 4:3-21) the fat was removed and burned but the rest of the animal was taken outside the camp and burned at a ceremonially clean place. This place was where the ashes from the sacrifices were also taken (see below). The animal was not offered on the altar because it was being used to remove the defilement that had occurred because of the unintentional sin of the anointed priest (Lev. 4:2). Heb. 13:11-12 speaks specifically of the blood of the sin offering being carried into the Most Holy Place but with the bodies burned outside the camp. Since Hebrews speaks of the blood being carried into the Most Holy Place this could refer to the blood being sprinkled in front of the curtain and placed on the horns of the incense altar as would occur on behalf of the nation on the Day of Atonement (Lev. 16:27). The death of the animal would have occurred within the tabernacle courtyard whereas for Christ his death was outside Jerusalem's walls. This represented the removal of sin, as the removal of the bodies of sacrificial animals had done here in Leviticus. The idea of there being a designated physical location for specific events or placement of specific objects is common in Lev. God has the authority and desire to have his tabernacle represent that which is done according to a pattern. Nothing is haphazard or left to chance with this God who is concerned to teach his people holiness, respect, and obedience. (Ibid) Henry Law - THE SIN OFFERING - Again, this is not all. The curse is linked to sin. A perfect sin offering, then, must be abhorred, as an accursed thing. Abomination must pursue it. Turn now to the type. The remnant of the victim, vile and contemned, is borne outside the camp. Lev. 4:12. It is spurned, as hateful to the sight and touch. A pile of wood is raised. Again the fire is brought, and burning work does its part. Here is clear emblem of Christ made curse for us. The garden misery showed anger wrestling with His soul. But further anguish presses in the rear. He is led out beyond the gate. The city loathes Him, as earth's refuse. He hangs conspicuously a curse for sin. Here the last vengeance falls. Blessed are they, whose curse descends on the Savior's cross. Reader, in pity to your soul, flee to the Sin offering. Make Christ by faith your own. When fears affright—when Satan claims—when death draws near—when the great judgment throne is set—place Him—your shield—before God's wrath. They cannot fail, who thus make Him their All. (The Gospel in Leviticus) Leviticus 4:13 'Now if the whole congregation of Israel commits error and the matter escapes the notice of the assembly, and they commit any of the things which the LORD has commanded not to be done, and they become guilty; escapes the notice: Lev 4:1,2 5:2-5,17 Nu 15:24-29 Jos 7:11,24-26 1Ti 1:13 Heb 10:26-29 guilty: Lev 5:2-5,17 6:4 Ezra 10:19 Ho 5:15 1Co 11:27 SIN OFFERING: — THE CONGREGATION AND — UNINTENTIONAL SIN — (Lev 4:13-21) The whole congregation - The procedure was the same as the sin offering on behalf of a priest, except that the elders of the congregation (Lev 4:15) laid their hands on the head of the bull, representing the nation. Congregation (05712)('edah from yaad = to appoint, translated "meet" in Ex 25:22) means an assembly, congregation, multitude, swarm. The Lxx translates it with sunagoge (from sunágo - sun = together + ago = lead, thus to lead together or assemble) refers to the act of a group of people “going with one another,” thus congregating in one place. As an aside, Jewish Synagogues originated in the Babylonian captivity after the 586 b.c. destruction of the temple by Nebuchadnezzar and served as places of worship and instruction. Commits error (07686)(shagah) means to to go (lead) astray (Ezek 34:6), to err, to mislead (Dt 27:18, Pr 28:10), to be deceived (hold a mistaken belief (Pr 5:23; 20:1), to wander, to make a mistake. Shagah can mean to reel or to stagger; to incline or move in walking, first to one side and then to the other (Isa 28:7 of effect of alcohol). Frequently shagah describes a wandering or aimless flock, both figuratively and literally (Ezek. 34:6). TWOT notes that "The primary emphasis in the root shagah is on sin done inadvertently....The Scripture pinpoints at least three causes for such wandering. The first is wine and strong drink (Isa 28:7; Pr 20:1). The second is the seductive strange woman (Pr 5:20, 23) versus the love of one’s wife, which ought to “captivate” one (Pr 5:19). The third is the inability to reject evil instruction (Pr 19:27). Only Saul in the OT admits culpability at this point (1Sa 26:21). In Pr 5:19-20 shagah speaks figuratively of "intoxication" from genuine love (Pr 5:19 where shagah = "exhilarated" - enlivened, animated, giving "vigor" to) fleshly driven "love" (Pr 5:20). Here in Lev 4:13 shagah describes the sin of ignorance (unintentional). Swanson adds that in this context, shagah means to "be in rapture, i.e., be in an attitude or emotion of very great pleasure and fondness for an object, possibly as a figurative extension of staggering around in stunned or inebriated (Pr 5:19, 20+), note: NIV translates “be captivated”." Lxx translates shagah with a variety of verbs (see verses below), but most uses the verb planao which means literally made to wander and so to go (active sense) or be led (passive sense as of sheep in Mt 18:12-13) astray. Stray (Webster) - To wander, as from a direct course; to deviate or go out of the way. We say, to stray from the path or road. To wander from company, or from the proper limits; as, a sheep strays from the flock. To rove; to wander from the path of duty or rectitude; to err; to deviate. Shagah - 19v - commits error(1), committed a error(1), erred(2), exhilarated(2), go astray(1), goes astray(1), intoxicated(1), leads the astray(1), misleader(1), misleads(1), reel(3), stray(1), unwittingly(1), wander(3), wandered(1). Leviticus 4:13 'Now if the whole congregation of Israel commits error (Lxx = agnoeo = to be unaware about one’s wrongdoing, lapse/do wrong/sin unintentionally) and the matter escapes the notice of the assembly, and they commit any of the things which the LORD has commanded not to be done, and they become guilty; — Numbers 15:22 'But when you unwittingly fail (Lxx = diamartano = to be completely in error, miss the mark badly) and do not observe all these commandments, which the LORD has spoken to Moses, — Deuteronomy 27:18 'Cursed is he who misleads (Lxx = planao) a blind person on the road.' And all the people shall say, 'Amen.' — 1 Samuel 26:21 Then Saul said, "I have sinned. Return, my son David, for I will not harm you again because my life was precious in your sight this day. Behold, I have played the fool and have committed a serious error." (Lxx = agnoeo = to be unaware about one’s wrongdoing, lapse/do wrong/sin unintentionally) — Job 6:24 "Teach me, and I will be silent; And show me how I have erred. (Lxx = planao) — Job 12:16 "With Him are strength and sound wisdom, The misled and the misleader belong to Him. — Job 19:4 "Even if I have truly erred (Lxx = planao), My error lodges with me. — Psalm 119:10 With all my heart I have sought You; Do not let me wander (Lxx - apotheo/apotheomai = to push aside, thrust off from oneself, reject, refuse to listen) from Your commandments. — 21 You rebuke the arrogant, the cursed, Who wander (Lxx - ekklino = morally to deviate from a right path, to turn aside or away) from Your commandments. — 118 You have rejected all those who wander (Lxx - aphistemi - to go away, withdraw, desert) from Your statutes, For their deceitfulness is useless. — Proverbs 5:19 As a loving hind and a graceful doe, Let her breasts satisfy you at all times; Be exhilarated always with her love. — 20 For why should you, my son, be exhilarated with an adulteress And embrace the bosom of a foreigner? — 23 He will die for lack of instruction, And in the greatness of his folly he will go astray (Lxx = apollumi = to destroy oneself!). — Proverbs 19:27 Cease listening, my son, to discipline, And you will stray from the words of knowledge. — Proverbs 20:1 Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler, And whoever is intoxicated (Lxx = summignumi = to continually be mixed together or commingled - of a river, to be mingled with another river, of two armies = to join forces) by it is not wise. — Proverbs 28:10 He who leads the upright astray (Lxx = planao) in an evil way Will himself fall into his own pit, But the blameless will inherit good. — Isaiah 28:7 And these also reel (Lxx = planao = be led astray describing a fixed state - perfect tense) with wine and stagger from strong drink: The priest and the prophet reel (Lxx = planao = aorist passive) with strong drink, They are confused by wine, they stagger from strong drink; They reel (Lxx = planao = aorist passive) while having visions, They totter when rendering judgment. — Ezekiel 34:6 "My flock wandered (Lxx = diaspeiro = have been dispersed, scattered) through all the mountains and on every high hill; My flock was scattered over all the surface of the earth, and there was no one to search or seek for them."'" — Ezekiel 45:20 "Thus you shall do on the seventh day of the month for everyone who goes astray or is naive; so you shall make atonement for the house. Guilty (0816)(asam) is a verb which means to be liable for a wrongdoing, implying the one who is liable will suffer or be punished for their guilt (eg, Hos 10:2). Guilt before God is the result of sin and was used of individuals (Lev 5:2–5; Nu 5:6, 7); congregations (Lev 4:13); or nations (Ezek. 25:12; Hos 13:16) In Lev 5:6-7 not only was the person guilty but restitution was to be made plus 20%, which the goal being atonement and forgiveness. NET Note says that while asam means "are guilty," the verb is sometimes used metonymically with the meaning "to suffer the consequences of guilt," the effect being substituted for the cause. TWOT - The primary meaning of the word asam seems to center on guilt, but moves from the act which brings guilt to the condition of guilt to the act of punishment. In any particular passage it is often difficult to determine which thrust the word has....It may denote acts of sin, responsibility for sin, punishment, and even the aftermath of punishment. Perhaps, one may hold that the ʾašam connotes the totality of alienation from God, including its consequences. Septuagint (Lxx) translates asam in most of the uses in Lev 4 (Lev 5:17, 23, Nu 5:6-7, Jdg 21:22; Ps 34:21-22) with the verb plemmeleo which means to make a false note in music, metaphorically to do wrong, to offend, to err in something; to commit sin, to trespass. In Lev 5:4-5 (2Chr 19:10) Lxx = hamartano = to sin. Lxx in Lev 5:19 - plemmelesis = mistake in music and figuratively an offense against. Webster's definition of guilty - having knowingly committed a crime or offense, or having violated a law by an overt act or by neglect, and by that act or neglect, being liable to punishment; not innocent. Asam is translated in NAS as acknowledge their guilt(1), bear their guilt(1), became guilty(1), become guilty(3), becomes guilty(4), certainly guilty(1), condemned(2), desolate(1), did wrong(1), found guilty(1), go(1), guilty(9), held guilty(3), hold them guilty(1), incurred grievous guilt(1), suffer(1), unpunished*(1), wronged(1). Asam - 32v - Lev 4:13, 22, 27; 5:2-5, 17, 19; 6:4; Nu 5:6f; Jdg 21:22; 2Chr 19:10; Ps 5:10; 34:21f; Pr 30:10; Isa 24:6; Jer 2:3; 50:7; Ezek 6:6; 22:4; 25:12; Hos 4:15; 5:15; 10:2; 13:1, 16; Joel 1:18; Hab 1:11; Zech 11:5 Proverbs 30:10 Do not slander a slave to his master, Or he will curse you and you will be found guilty (Heb = asam; Lxx = aphanizo = be destroyed.). Leviticus 4:14 when the sin which they have committed becomes known, then the assembly shall offer a bull of the herd for a sin offering and bring it before the tent of meeting. Assembly - While a few (Wenham) assembly from congregation, most commentators regard these as synonymous as both describe a large group or gathering of people. Furthermore, both are translated in the Lxx with the same word sunagoge. Sin offering (02403)(chattat/chattath - word study) Click notes on Lev 3:2 for more discussion of the Tent of Meeting Leviticus 4:15 'Then the elders of the congregation shall lay their hands on the head of the bull before the LORD, and the bull shall be slain before the LORD. elders: Ex 24:1,9 Nu 11:16,25 Deut 21:3-9 lay: Lev 4:4 1:4 16:21 Congregation ('edah) See Note on Lev 4:13 Today in the Word (Moody Bible) on lay their hands on the head of the bull - The hand is an important tool of human communication. Some researchers have estimated that as much as sixty percent of all communication is nonverbal! Consider a few examples related to hands. When a student raises her hand in class, the teacher knows she has a question or comment. When a friend places a hand on your shoulder, you know it is an expression of support or encouragement. When a legal witness puts his hand on the Bible, it indicates his commitment to tell “the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help me God.” Joining hands, as for a family prayer, demonstrates unity. When the elders of Israel (or any worshiper) laid their hands on the head of a sacrificial animal, their act signified an identification with the animal, an acceptance of responsibility for sin. This gesture was an essential part of the sin offering, the third Old Testament offering in this month’s study. The sin offering, a compulsory sacrifice, was made for unintentional sin. Also referred to as a purification offering, its purpose was to restore the worshiper to unhindered fellowship with God. On the annual Day of Atonement, a special sin offering was made for all unintentional sins of which people were not already aware, an occasion to wipe the spiritual slate clean (see Ex. 30:10). Acknowledgment and confession of sin was a key aspect of the sin offering (Lev. 5:5-6). It is thus fitting that in this sacrifice the animal was slain by the worshiper himself, rather than by a priest (Lev. 4:29). The overall procedure for the sin offering varied somewhat by person or occasion--today’s reading covers sacrifices for the entire community and for an ordinary Israelite as examples. TODAY ALONG THE WAY - Although Christians today don’t have to make sin offerings, we need to take sin just as seriously! Why? Because our holy God does. Leviticus 4:16 'Then the anointed priest is to bring some of the blood of the bull to the tent of meeting; Lev 4:5-12 Heb 9:12-14 Then - always take note of this expression of time which often marks sequence or succession, that which is next in order of time. Anointed priest - Lev 4:3, 5 16, 6:22. See Leviticus 4:3 Comment. On the word anointed see mashiach. Leviticus 4:17 and the priest shall dip his finger in the blood and sprinkle it seven times before the LORD, in front of the veil. Lev 4:6,7 Seven times - See note Lev 4:6 Veil (Lev 4:6, 17, 16:2, 12, 15, 21:23, 24:3) - see discussion of paroket Leviticus 4:18 'He shall put some of the blood on the horns of the altar which is before the LORD in the tent of meeting; and all the blood he shall pour out at the base of the altar of burnt offering which is at the doorway of the tent of meeting. TSK on blood - The reason for pouring out the blood, which is so constantly and strictly required by the law, was in opposition to an idolatrous custom of the ancient Zabii, who "were accustomed to eat of the blood of their sacrifices, because they imagined this to be the food of their gods, with whom they thought they had such communion, by eating their meat, that they revealed to them future things."--Maimonides Horns of the altar (See diagram of Sanctuary) (Ex 31:1-10) (Same as "altar of fragrant incense which is before the LORD" - Lev 4:7) - This altar stood in the Holy Place, directly in front of the Veil that separated the inner Holy of Holies. Its need for application of blood symbolized that sin contaminated not just God's holy people but God's holy sanctuary! Before the LORD (61x in 59v in Leviticus out of 259 total uses in OT) - Lev 1:3, 5, 11; 3:1, 7, 12; 4:4, 6f, 15, 17f, 24; 5:19; 6:7, 14, 25; 7:30; 8:26f, 29; 9:2, 4f, 21, 24; 10:1f, 15, 17, 19; 12:7; 14:11f, 16, 18, 23f, 27, 29, 31; 15:14f, 30; 16:7, 10, 12f, 18, 30; 19:22; 23:11, 20, 28, 40; 24:3f, 6, 8; Burnt offering (05930)('olah - word study) Click notes on Lev 3:2 for more discussion of the Tent of Meeting Leviticus 4:19 'He shall remove all its fat from it and offer it up in smoke on the altar. Lev 4:8-10,26,31,35 5:6 6:7 12:8 14:18 Nu 15:25 Ps 22:14 Heb 1:3 Heb 9:14 Leviticus 4:20 'He shall also do with the bull just as he did with the bull of the sin offering; thus he shall do with it. So the priest shall make atonement for them, and they will be forgiven. atonement: Lev 4:26 1:4 5:6 6:7 12:8 14:18 Ex 32:30 Nu 15:25 Da 9:24 Ro 5:11 Ga 3:13 Heb 1:3 2:17 9:14 10:10-12 1Jn 1:7 2:2 Rev 1:5 FORGIVENESS He shall also do with the bull just as he did - The sin offerings for both the high priest and the congregation had three components (7x sprinkling of the blood, blood on the horns of the incense altar, taking remains of bull outside the camp) which speak to the severity of the sin against God. Sin offering (02403)(chattat/chattath - word study) Make atonement (03722)(kapar) means to make atonement, to make reconciliation (to reconcile), to purge, to make propitiation (to propitiate), to pacify, to cancel. There are two main ideas regarding the meaning of kapar - (1) Kapar means to cover over sin (2) A number of resources however favor the idea that kapar means to wipe away. Richards notes that "It is often said that the idea expressed (in kapar) is one found in a possibly related Arabic root that means “to cover or conceal.” Atonement would then denote a covering that conceals a person’s sin and makes it possible for him to approach God. Although this relationship is possible, the language link is not at all certain. What is certain is the role that atonement played in the religion of Israel—a role given to atonement by God to carry a vital message about our faith." The Septuagint-Lxx translates every use of kapar in Leviticus with the verb exilaskomai which means to propitiate, to make atonement, to appease. Thayer says that exilaskomai is used "When one endeavors to attain the goodwill of another, the word can be rendered," meaning to appease. We find such a sense in Ge 32:20 where Jacob seeks to appease his brother Esau (whom he had cheated out of the blessing of the first-born). Will be forgiven - Don't miss the central word in forgiven - GIVE! Beloved, forgiveness is not earned or merited but given by God as a manifestation of His great grace and mercy through Christ. Forgiveness in Leviticus (10x in 10v) - Lev 4:20, 26, 31, 35, 5:10, 13, 16, 18, 6:7, 19:22 As
Levítico 4
Guzik - The procedure was similar to, yet distinct from the offering for a priest or the nation at large. The sacrificial victim was a male goat, and the blood was only applied to the altar of burnt offering, and the fat was burnt on the altar - as in the peace offering. According to Leviticus 6:24-30, the rest of the animal was available for the priest. Wenham - "The purification [sin] offering dealt with the pollution caused by sin. If sin polluted the land, it defiled particularly the house where God dwelt. The seriousness of pollution depended on the seriousness of the sin, which in turn related to the status of the sinner. If a private citizen sinned, his action polluted the sanctuary only to a limited extent. Therefore the blood of the purification offering was only smeared on the horns of the altar of burnt sacrifice. If, however, the whole nation sinned or the holiest member of the nation, the high priest, sinned, this was more serious. The blood had to be taken inside the tabernacle and sprinkled on the veil and the altar of incense. Finally over the period of a year the sins of the nation could accumulate to such an extent that they polluted even the holy of holies, where God dwelt. If he was to continue to dwell among his people, this too had to be cleansed in the annual day of atonement ceremony (see Lev. 16:1ff)." (NICOT)
Levítico 4
Guzik - This was the same procedure for a ruler of the people, except that a female goat or a lamb could be offered instead of a male goat. Wenham - A layman is not expected to provide such a valuable offering to atone for his sin as one of the rulers or priests. He may bring a she-goat (Lev 4:27ff.) or ewe-lamb (Lev 4:32ff.). If he is poor, he may bring instead a turtledove or pigeon (Lev 5:7ff.) or even some fine flour (Lev 5:11ff.). Here we have a sliding scale of offerings similar to that for burnt offerings in Lev. 1. Since both the burnt offering and the purification offering were obligatory in certain situations, not optional like the peace offering, the law provided for the poor by allowing them to present a cheaper offering if they could not afford a lamb or goat. The ritual when a layman brought a lamb or goat was very similar to that for the ruler. (Ibid) Leviticus 4:28 if his sin which he has committed is made known to him, then he shall bring for his offering a goat, a female without defect, for his sin which he has committed. goat: Lev 4:23,32 5:6 Ge 3:15 Isa 7:14 Jer 31:22 Ro 8:3 Gal 4:4,5 female: Lev 4:23 Gal 3:28 Female without defect (tamim; Lxx = amomos) - Remember that animals without defect were the best the offerer had to offer. What's the point? Sin is always costly, whether it is unintentional or not. For his sin - A clear foreshadowing of the substitutionary atonement effected by the crucifixion of the perfect Lamb of God (2Cor 5:21). Leviticus 4:29 'He shall lay his hand on the head of the sin offering and slay the sin offering at the place of the burnt offering. Lev 4:4,15,24,33 Heb 10:4-14 Lay his hand - Lev 1:4; 3:2, 8, 13; 4:4, 24, 29, 33; Job 9:33; Mk 7:32 - The animal dies in his place, as his substitute! See Leviticus 4:29 Commentary for more detailed notes including discussion by C H Spurgeon. Click here for another discussion by Spurgeon. He shall slay (shachat) means that the offerer has to kill his own animal. What a picture of sin! It kills! It destroys! Why do we not believe this inviolable, immutable truth? The Lxx translates shachat with sphazo which means to kill and is used several times in Revelation to describe the crucifixion wounds of the Lamb of God, who was slain for the sins of the world (Rev 5:6, 9, 12-note), Peter writing that "He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed." (1Pe 2:24-note) Those wounds on the Redeemer will be visible throughout eternity! Sin offering (02403)(chattat/chattath - word study) is the same word used for sin. Place of the burnt offering ('olah - word study) - Where is this? At the doorway of the tent of meeting (Lev 1:3), symbolizing there is only one way provided for atonement for sin (cp the Lamb of God's statement in Jn 14:6). Lay his hand (8x in Leviticus) - Lev 1:4; 3:2, 8, 13; 4:4, 24, 29, 33. A clear picture of substitution - the animal victim's life in place of the offerer's life. Mention of this practice in Lev 24:14 is more difficult to explain - ESV Study Bible says "The laying on of hands prior to the stoning has been commonly explained in such a way that the congregation, having overheard the curse and become defiled, devolves the guilt onto the culprit, and his death makes atonement for the guilt. Alternatively, it may be taken as a gesture simply to indicate who it is that had cursed the name of the LORD." This phrase lay hand on head is frequent in Leviticus - Lev 1:4 Lev 3:2 Lev 3:8 Lev 3:13 Lev 4:4 Lev 4:15 Lev 4:24 Lev 4:29 Lev 4:33 Lev 16:21 (Day of atonement) Lev 24:14. Cp Ex 29:10, 15, 19, Nu 8:12 Spurgeon's Sermon Laying the Hand on the Sacrifice (Excerpt) My text says that the guilty person, who brought the sin offering, laid his hand upon its head; and this act gives a pictorial and symbolical answer to your questions, and tells you how you can come into connection with Christ, and how his great sacrifice can become available for you. You have to do to Christ, spiritually, what these Hebrews did literally....I shall speak of only two things which we may learn from my text. The first is, the intent of this symbol; and the second is, the simplicity of the symbol,—this laying of the hand of the offerer upon the head of the victim presented by him to God as a sin offering. First, then, let me try to explain THE INTENT OF THE SYMBOL. What did it mean? For these things, of which I shall speak in explaining this symbol, are necessary in order that Christ should become yours. Follow me very carefully and prayerfully, dear friend, if you do indeed desire to be saved, for it may be that the Lord will lead you into everlasting life even while I am speaking. I pray that he may do so. The first meaning of this laying of the hand upon the head of the sacrifice is this; it was a confession of sin. The offering was a sin offering; but for sin, it would not have been needed. The man who came, and laid his hand on the head of the sin offering, acknowledged, by that act and deed, that he was a sinner. If there had been anyone who was not a sinner, he would have had no right to be there. A sin offering, for a person who had no connection with sin, would have been a superfluity; why should he bring a sin offering to the Lord? So, dear friends, if you have no sin, you are not fit subjects for Christ’s saving power and grace. If you are not guilty, you do not need forgiveness. If you have never transgressed the law of God, you need not come before him with a sin offering. Only remember that, if you do think so, you are under one of the most sorrowful delusions that ever entered the brain of a madman. You are deceiving yourself, depend upon it. If you say that you have no sin, the truth is not in you. But he who brought a sin offering before the Lord said, in effect, "This is what I need, for I am a sinner. I need to have my sin taken away, for I am guilty in the sight of God. So I put my hand upon this lamb, or goat, or bullock, which is about to die, thereby confessing that I need a sacrifice in order that the sin, which I confess that I have committed, may be put away." Are you reluctant to confess that you are a sinner? If so, I pray very earnestly that you may speedily get rid of that reluctance. God does not ask you to confess your sins to any man. It would be a shame for you to do so, for you would pollute that man, whoever he might be, if you poured into his ear the sad tale of your filthiness and sin. God does not ask you to do any man the serious wrong of whispering into his ear the foul story of your transgressions. It is not to your fellow-creature, but to your God, that you are to confess your sin. Go straight to him, and say, as the prodigal said to his father, "I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight." What makes you so slow to do that? Do you imagine that he does not know about your sin, and think that you can hide anything from him? That is impossible, for “all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do." Is it your pride that keeps you from confessing your sin? How can you hope that God will forgive you if you will not acknowledge that you have sinned against him? Think how you act towards your own children. How ready you are again to clasp them to your bosom when they have offended against you! Yet you watch to see in them signs of relenting and repenting. (Click to read Spurgeon's entire message on Leviticus 4:29 Laying the Hand on the Sacrifice) See also Leviticus 1:4 Commentary for more detailed notes including discussion by C H Spurgeon) Spurgeon's Notes Laying the Hands on the Sacrifice Here we have an emblem of the way in which a sacrifice becomes available for the offerer. The same ceremony is commanded in Lev 4:4, 15, 24, 33, and in other places: it is therefore important and instructive. The question with many souls is how to obtain an interest in Christ so as to be saved by him. Never could a weightier question be asked. It is certain that this is absolutely needful; but alas, it has been fearfully neglected by many. In vain did Christ die if he is not believed in. It ought to be attended to at once. The text gives us a pictorial answer to the question,—How can Christ's sacrifice become available for me? Let us learn,— I. THE INTENT OF THE SYMBOL. 1. It was a confession of sin: else no need of a sin offering. To this was added a confession of the desert of punishment, or why should the victim be slain? There was also an abandonment of all other methods of removing sin. The hands were empty, and laid alone upon the sin offering. Do this at the cross; for there alone is sin put away. 2. It was a consent to the plan of substitution. Some raise questions as to the justice and certainty of this method of salvation; but he who is to be saved does not so, for he sees that God himself is the best judge of its rightness, and if he is content we may assuredly be so. Substitution exceedingly honors the law, and vindicates justice. There is no other plan which meets the case, or even fairly looks at it. Man’s sense of guilt is not met by other proposals. But this brings rest to the most tender conscience. What if we trace the globe around, And search from Britain to Japan, There shall be no religion found So just to God, so safe to man. 3. It was an acceptance of the victim. Jesus is the most natural substitute, for he is the second Adam, the second head of the race; the true ideal man. He is the only person able to offer satisfaction, having a perfect humanity united with his Godhead. He alone is acceptable to God; he may well be acceptable to us. 4. It was a believing transference of sin. By laying on of hands sin was typically laid on the victim. It was laid there so as to be no longer on the offerer. 5. It was a dependence—leaning on the victim. Is there not a most sure stay in Jesus for the leaning heart? Consider the nature of the suffering and death by which the atonement was made, and you will rest in it. Consider the dignity and worth of the sacrifice by whom the death was endured. The glory of Christ’s person enhances the value of his atonement. Heb. 10:5–10. Remember that none of the saints now in heaven have had any other atoning sacrifice. “Jesus only” has been the motto of all justified ones. “He offered one sacrifice for sins for ever”: Heb. 10:12. Those of us who are saved are resting there alone; why should not you, and every anxious one? II THE SIMPLICITY OF THE SYMBOL. 1. There were no antecedent rites. The victim was there, and hands were laid on it: nothing more. We add neither preface nor appendix to Christ: he is Alpha and Omega. 2. The offerer came in all his sin. Just as I am. It was to have his sin removed that the offerer brought the sacrifice: not because he had himself removed it. 3. There was nothing in his hand of merit, or price. 4. There was nothing on his hand. No gold ring to indicate wealth; no signet of power; no jewel of rank. The offerer came as a man, and not as learned, rich, or honourable. 5. He performed no cunning legerdemain with his hand. By leaning upon it he took the victim to be his representative; but he placed no reliance upon ceremonial performances. 6. Nothing was done to his hand. His ground of trust was the sacrifice, not his hands. He desired his hand to be clean, but upon that fact he did not rest for pardon. Come then, dear hearer, whether saint or sinner, and lean hard upon Jesus. He taketh away the sin of the would. Trust him with your sin, and it is for ever put away. Put forth now your hand, and adopt the expiation of the redeeming Lord as your expiation. ANECDOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS A poor blind woman in Liverpool, after her conversion, committed many hymns to memory. She was an occasional attendant upon the old Earl of Derby, the grandfather of the present Earl. She repeated one of her hymns to him. The old Earl liked it, and encouraged her to repeat more. But one day, when repeating the hymn of Charles Wesley, All ye that pass by, she came to the words:— The Lord in the day of his anger did lay Your sins on the Lamb, and he bore them away. He said, "Stop, Mrs. Brass, don't you think it should be— The Lord in the day of his mercy did lay?" She did not think his criticism valid; but it proved that she was not repeating her verses to inattentive ears, and other indications showed that the blind woman was made a blessing to the dying nobleman.—Paxton Hood's Life of Isaac Watts. When Christmas Evans was about to die, several ministers were standing round his bed. He said to them, "Preach Christ to the people, brethren. Look at me: in myself I am nothing but ruin. But look at me in Christ; I am heaven and salvation." It is not the quantity of thy faith that shall save thee. A drop of water is as true water as the whole ocean. So a little faith is as true faith as the greatest. A child eight days old is as really a man as one of sixty years; a spark of fire is as true fire as a great flame; a sickly man is as truly living as a healthy man. So it is not the measure of thy faith that saves thee—it is the blood that it grips to that saves thee. As the weak hand of a child, that leads the spoon to the mouth, will feed it as well as the strong arm of a man; for it is not the hand that feeds thee—albeit, it puts the meat into thy mouth, but it is the meat carried into thy stomach that feeds thee. So if thou canst grip Christ ever so weakly, he will not let thee perish....The weakest hands can take a gift as well as the strongest. Now, Christ is this gift, and weak faith may grip him as well as strong faith, and Christ is as truly thine when thou hast weak faith, as when thou hast come to those triumphant joys through the strength of faith.—Welsh. The Puritans speak of faith as a recumbency, a leaning. It needs no power to lean; it is a cessation from our own strength, and allowing our weakness to depend upon another’s power. Let no man say, “I cannot lean;” it is not a question of what you can do, but a confession of what you cannot do, and a leaving of the whole matter with Jesus. No woman could say, “I cannot swoon:” it is not a matter of power. Die into the life of Christ; let him be all in all while you are nothing at all. (Spurgeon's Sermon Notes) TODAY IN THE WORD - In the fifteenth century, the Aztec people practiced human sacrifice on an unprecedented scale. They believed that human sacrifices were necessary to fuel the sun, and that without such sacrifices the forces of darkness would overpower their sun god, Huitzilopochtli. The Aztecs mostly sacrificed prisoners of war, which led to continuous conflicts with neighboring peoples. Thousands of enemy prisoners might be killed in a single day! Outside of God’s truth, the idea of sacrifice inevitably goes terribly wrong. But inside the Mosaic Law, animal sacrifices showed an awareness of sin and a truly repentant heart before the one true God. Today’s reading (Lev 4:29) describes the sin offering, a mandatory offering for unintentional sin, which is sometimes understood as sins of weakness, carelessness, or omission. Four examples are given at the start of chapter 5, including thoughtless oaths. Once a person became aware of such a sin, he demonstrated his penitent heart by bringing a sin offering. To offer it was to confess sin and seek forgiveness or purification, thus restoring fellowship with God. The priests sprinkled the blood of the sacrifice seven times because seven was the number of perfection or completeness. Putting the blood on the horns of the altar also pointed to atonement or cleansing from sin-God’s perfect forgiveness. The different animals in the passage go along with social roles or wealth. For example, a male goat was expected from a leader, but only flour from a very poor person. Sin offerings for priests and the community were handled more seriously, and had to be burned outside the camp, while sin offerings for leaders and other private persons could be eaten by the priests as usual. TODAY ALONG THE WAY - Given our devotional’s topic, today might be a good day for an extended time of personal confession. Begin with the words of David: “O Lord, be gracious to me; Heal my soul, for I have sinned against Thee” (Ps 41:4). Leviticus 4:30 'The priest shall take some of its blood with his finger and put it on the horns of the altar of burnt offering; and all the rest of its blood he shall pour out at the base of the altar. Horns: Lev 4:25,34 Isa 42:21 Ro 8:3,4 10:4 Heb 2:10 Blood with his finger - Ex 29:12, Lev 4:6, 17, 25, 30, 34, 8:15, 9:9, 16:14, 19, Nu 19:4 Altar of burnt offering ('olah - word study) - The brazen (or bronze) altar (See schematic of Brazen Altar). (See note on the Brazen Altar and Court of the Tabernacle) Leviticus 4:31 'Then he shall remove all its fat, just as the fat was removed from the sacrifice of peace offerings; and the priest shall offer it up in smoke on the altar for a soothing aroma to the LORD. Thus the priest shall make atonement for him, and he will be forgiven. fat: Lev 4:8-10,19,26,35 3:3-5,9-11,14-16 soothing: Lev 1:9,13,17 3:3,5 8:21 Ex 29:18 Ezr 6:10 Job 42:8 Ps 40:6,7 Ps 51:16,17 69:30,31 Isa 42:21 53:10 Mt 3:17 Eph 5:2 Heb 1:3 Heb 9:12,14,15 10:12,14 1Pe 2:4,5 1Jn 1:7 4:9,10 Rev 5:9 the priest: Lev 4:26,35) Then - marker of sequence or succession. He shall remove all its fat - This is the offerer. Peace offerings (08002)(selem/shelem - word study) Soothing Aroma= The "odor of rest" (See discussion of significance of this name) Soothing aroma - This phrase is found 42x in NAS - Gen 8:21; Ex 29:18, 25, 41; Lev 1:9, 13, 17; 2:2, 9, 12; 3:5, 16; 4:31; 6:15, 21; 8:21, 28; 17:6; 23:13, 18; Num 15:3, 7, 10, 13f, 24; 18:17; 28:2, 6, 8, 13, 24, 27; 29:2, 6, 8, 13, 36; Ezek 6:13; 16:19; 20:28, 41[/FONT> Soothing (05207)(nihoah from nuach = to rest) means a quieting, soothing, tranquilizing. In 20 of the 43 uses of nichoach, this noun (usually with the sense of an adjective) is used with the phrase "burnt offering." Almost all uses describe the odor of a sacrifice as pleasing or acceptable to God. Sadly, we see this word used to describe Israel's offering to idols (Ezek 6:13-note, Ezek 15:19, Ezek 20:28), which is in stark contrast with Jehovah's assessment of His rebellious people in Ezek 20:14 where they are described as a soothing aroma! - “As a soothing aroma I shall accept you, when I bring you out from the peoples (Gentiles) and gather you from the lands where you are scattered (A prophecy that is unfulfilled, but which will be when Messiah returns and all Israel is saved - Ro 11:26-27-note); and I shall prove Myself holy among you in the sight of the nations." Aroma (07381)(reah - word study from ruach = breath, wind) means scent or odor. He will be forgiven - See Leviticus 4:20 Comment Forgiven (05545)(salach or see another study) means to pardon and is translated in the Lxx with the verb aphiemi which means to send off or away, to let go and then to cancel or forgives debts or sin. Forgiveness in Leviticus (10x in 10v) - Lev 4:20, 26, 31, 35, 5:10, 13, 16, 18, 6:7, 19:22[/FONT> Leviticus 4:32 'But if he brings a lamb as his offering for a sin offering, he shall bring it, a female without defect. lamb: Lev 4:28 3:6,7 5:6 Ex 12:3,5 Isa 53:7 Lu 1:35 Jn 1:29,36 Heb 7:26 1Pe 1:18-20 2:22,24 3:18 Rev 5:6,8,9 without defect: Lev 4:28 Eph 5:27 Heb 9:14 1Pe 2:22 3:18 Sin offering (02403)(chattat/chattath - word study) Without defect (08549)(tamim) from the verb tamam = to be complete, entire or whole (literal sense in Lev 3:9, Ezek 15:5), refers to a action which is completed) has both physical (without defect) and spiritual (blameless, devout, upright) significance. Tamim has the fundamental idea of completeness or wholeness. Tamim deals primarily with a state of moral or ceremonial purity (e.g., animal sacrifices - 51x tamim refers to unblemished animals - Passover lamb in Ex 12:5 picturing of course Christ sinless perfection - 1Cor 5:7, "knew no sin" = 2Cor 5:21- note). Leviticus 4:33 'He shall lay his hand on the head of the sin offering and slay it for a sin offering in the place where they slay the burnt offering. Lev 4:4,29-31 Lay his hand - Lev 1:4; 3:2, 8, 13; 4:4, 24, 29, 33; Job 9:33; Mk 7:32 - See Leviticus 4:29 Commentary for more detailed notes including discussion by C H Spurgeon. Click here for another discussion by Spurgeon. Sin offering (02403)(chattat/chattath - word study) Burnt offering (05930)('olah - word study) Leviticus 4:34 'The priest is to take some of the blood of the sin offering with his finger and put it on the horns of the altar of burnt offering, and all the rest of its blood he shall pour out at the base of the altar. horns of the altar: Lev 4:25,30 Isa 42:21 Jn 17:19 Ro 8:1,3 10:4 2Co 5:21 Heb 2:10 Heb 10:29 1Pe 1:18-20 2:24 3:18 Sin offering (02403)(chattat/chattath - word study) Burnt offering (05930)('olah - word study) Henry Morris on blood of the sin-offering - The various sin offerings were offered for sins committed unintentionally, once those sins were made known (Lev 4:2,27,28). The shed blood was first sprinkled around the altar, then the bulk of the animal burned "without the camp" (Lev 4:21). The latter act was later said to typify the offering of Christ outside the camp (Heb 13:10-13). Leviticus 4:35 'Then he shall remove all its fat, just as the fat of the lamb is removed from the sacrifice of the peace offerings, and the priest shall offer them up in smoke on the altar, on the offerings by fire to the LORD. Thus the priest shall make atonement for him in regard to his sin which he has committed, and he will be forgiven. he: Lev 4:31)(Lev 1:1-6:19 priest shall make: Lev 4:20,26,30,31 1:4 5:6,10,13 6:7 9:7 12:8 14:18,53 16:1-34 Nu 15:25 Ro 3:24-26 4:25 5:6-11,15-21 8:1,3,4 10:4 2Co 5:21 Eph 1:6,7 5:2 Col 1:14 Heb 1:3 4:14 7:26 9:14 1Pe 1:18,19 1Pe 2:22,24 3:18 1Jn 1:7 2:2 4:9,10 Rev 1:5,6 Peace offering (08002)(selem/shelem - word study) He will be forgiven- See Leviticus 4:20 Comment Forgiven (05545)(salach or see another study) means to pardon and is translated in the Lxx with the verb aphiemi which means to send off or away, to let go and then to cancel or forgives debts or sin. Forgiveness in Leviticus (10x in 10v) - Lev 4:20, 26, 31, 35, 5:10, 13, 16, 18, 6:7, 19:22[/FONT> Wenham - The Christian Application of Leviticus 4-5 - As with the other sacrifices in Leviticus, the coming of Christ has made the purification offering obsolete. Christ's death has purified us from the pollutions of sin in a complete and absolute way that need never be repeated. Yet this does not mean that we have nothing to learn about sin, its effects and its remedies, from Lev. 4. The NT writers show otherwise. Their exegesis by no means exhausts the relevance of Lev. 4 for today's Church. Lev. 4 makes explicit that sin defiles the sanctuary: it makes it impossible for God to dwell among his people. Though Israel was still the chosen people, when it sinned it no longer enjoyed the benefits of God's presence (cf. Ex. 32; Lev. 10; Nu 14, etc.). In a similar way the Christian is warned not to "grieve the Spirit" (Eph. 4:30-note) by sin. God's presence is now mediated by the Holy Spirit indwelling the believer (Eph. 2:22-note); that is why Christ's death has to purify our "conscience" or "heart." There is the continued threat in the NT that sin can drive the Spirit from the believer just as under the law God could be driven from the tabernacle. The Christian is told to walk in the Spirit and be filled with the Spirit (Gal. 5:25-note; Eph. 5:18-note). Leviticus 4 also shows that the sin of Israel's leaders was considered more serious than that of ordinary people. The high priest and congregation had to offer more valuable animals than the ordinary man. So too the NT insists that God's judgment on Church members is proportionate to their responsibility. "Everyone to whom much is given, of him will much be required" (Luke 12:48). "We who teach will be judged with greater strictness" (Jas. 3:1). These OT laws also show that unintentional sin is just as much sin in God's sight as deliberate wrongdoing. Rash promises, unfulfilled duties are just as liable to God separating himself from us now as under the Old Covenant. They also show what should be done when our conscience convicts us. "When a man feels guilty in any of these matters he must confess how he has sinned and then bring a purification offering" (Lev 5:5-6-note). So too in the NT, confession of sin is a prerequisite of cleansing. "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just, and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (1John 1:9-note). For a Christian the animal offering is no longer necessary, since Christ's death has brought purification, but confession is, if fellowship with God is to be reestablished. (Ibid) Leviticus 4-5 REPAIRING SIN’S DAMAGE TO YOUR LIFE Rob Morgan There was a story in the newspaper this week about the woman who started the terrible wildfires that ravaged parts of Colorado a couple of years ago. Her name is Terry Lynn Barton, and you might remember the story. She was an employee for the U.S. Forest Service who was suffering from a very painful broken marriage. Her estranged husband wrote her a letter; and in her anger and hurt, she burned it in a campfire. But sparks from that fire spread out of control so quickly that before it was all over, nearly 140,000 acres were destroyed, along with 132 homes and the forced evacuation of thousands. Terry Lynn Barton was arrested for arson, sent to prison, and fined over $42 million. This week she gave her first interview, and in it she begged forgiveness from those who had lost homes. “I can’t give them back what they lost,” she said. “I know how it feels because I lost, too. All I can say is I’m sorry. I know it’s a healing process for them as it is for me. I just hope and pray they can forgive me. To live without forgiveness is a miserable thing.”[1] Well, she got that right. To live without forgiveness is a miserable thing. When we do things that are harmful to God, to ourselves, and to other people, we feel badly about it. Sin creates guilt, guilt creates shame, and shame damages the way we view ourselves. It’s a miserable thing to live in that endless spin cycle of sin, guilt, shame, and lowered self-esteem. That’s the way most people live. • That’s why there are so many counselors in the world today. • That’s why there are so many self-help books. • That’s why there are so many therapy groups. • That’s why there is so much substance abuse. • That’s why the entertainment industry is such a dominate part of our world today. But what we really need is forgiveness—an inner feeling of cleanness and wholeness—and that’s what Jesus Christ came to provide. If you want to know how He forgives sin, you can turn to any book of the New Testament, or you can turn to any book of the Old Testament. It’s the message of the whole Bible—and it’s even the message of the most avoided book in the Old Testament, which is Leviticus. In our current series of messages, we have turned to this underestimated book, and I want to share with you what we have discovered so far. The book of Leviticus opens by presenting the five different sacrifices or offerings that God prescribed for the Tabernacle altar. Each of them point to Jesus Christ. There is no question or doubt about that. The book of Hebrews confirms it. Furthermore, each of the five great sacrifices of Israel gives us a different aspect of our Lord’s sacrifice. Leviticus 1 describes the Burnt Offering. Lev 1:3 says: If his offering is a burnt sacrifice of the herd, let him offer a male without blemish; he shall offer it of his own free will at the door of the tabernacle of meeting before the Lord... The key words are in verse 9: And the priest shall burn all on the altar. The distinguishing factor of the Burnt Offering is that it was totally consumed on the altar. This represents the totality of our Lord’s sacrifice. Leviticus 2 tells us about the Grain Offering. Leviticus 2:1 begins: When anyone offers a grain offering to the Lord, his offering shall be of fine flour. This was no shedding of blood with this sacrifice. It was a grain offering, a vegetarian offering as it were. It represented, not the death of Christ, but His sinless life. It represented the nature and character of His life that was sacrificed for us. He was the Bread of Life made from fine flour. It represented His perfect humanity. Last week we looked at Leviticus 3, which tells us about the Peace Offering. Lev 3:1 says: When his offering is a sacrifice of a peace offering, if he offers it of the herd, whether male or female, he shall offer it without blemish before the Lord…. In observing the Peace Offering, the worshipper had the animal slain, its blood was sprinkled on the altar, the fat was burned, and the rest was used for food. It was a festive meal. The sprinkled blood represented the peace we now have with God through the blood of our Lord, and the festival meal represents the peace we have with His family, His body. The key word here is tranquility. The total sacrifice of our Lord’s perfect humanity brings divine tranquility into our hearts and minds. We have peace with God, peace with others, and peace with ourselves. As Ephesians 2 puts it: “He Himself is our Peace.” Now this morning I want to deal with the last couple of sacrifices. Leviticus 4 gives us the fourth sacrifice and Leviticus 5 gives us the fifth one, and they are very similar. That’s why I’m combining them into one message. The Sin Offering Leviticus 4 is about the sin offering. Let’s read a few verses from this chapter together. Lev 4:1ff: Now the Lord spoke to Moses saying, “Speak to the children of Israel, saying, ‘If a person sins unintentionally against any of the commandments of the Lord in anything which ought not to be done, and does any of them…” Then Lev 4:3 continues the thought: If the appointed priest sins, bringing guilt on the people, then let him offer to the Lord for his sin which he has sinned a young bull without blemish as a sin offering… Lev 4:13ff: If the whole congregation of Israel sins unintentionally, and the thing is hidden from the eyes of the assembly, and they have done something against any of the commandments of the Lord in anything which should not be done, and are guilty; when the sin which they have committed becomes known, then the assembly shall offer a young bull for the sin, and bring it before the tabernacle of meeting. And the elders of the congregation shall lay their hands on the head of the bull before the Lord. Then the bull shall be killed before the Lord. Lev 4:22ff: When a ruler has sinned, and done something unintentional against any of the commandments of the Lord his God in anything which should not be done, or is guilty, or if his sin which he has committed comes to his knowledge, he shall bring as his offering a kid of the goats, a male without blemish. And he shall lay his hand on the head of the goat, and kill it at the place where they kill the burnt offering before the Lord. It is a sin offering. Lev 4:27ff: If anyone of the common people sins unintentionally by doing something against any of the commands of the Lord in anything which ought not to be done, and is guilty, or if his sin which he has committed comes to his knowledge, then he shall bring as his offering a kid of the goats, a female without blemish, for his sin which he has committed. And he shall lay his hand on the head of the sin offering, and kill the sin offering at the place of the burnt offering. The key phrase here is: “If anyone sins.” There is an interesting word that keeps occurring and that word is unintentional. We’re sinners by nature and by choice. This sacrifice was especially for those who sinned by nature, that is, they just sinned because it is in our nature to sin. It wasn’t that we deliberately sinned out of sheer willful rebellion. In that case, when we come to repentance we have to throw ourselves on the infinite mercy of God. But this sacrifice was for the sins we commit just because we are fallible, sinful human beings. As you saw it was divided into categories. If the priest sins… if the congregation sins… if the ruler sins… if anyone from the common people sin…. What were they to do? They were to bring an animal to the Tabernacle altar and place their hand on the head of that animal. The animal was then to be slain and its blood shed. What was the significance of placing their hand on the head of the animal? It conveyed the idea of transference. God created a method of dealing with sin that allows the guilt of the sinful person to be transferred onto the head of an innocent victim. Isaiah 53:4-6 says: Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, every one, to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. What do you do with guilt? Every one of us feels badly over things we’ve done in the past. If we could live our lives over again, we’d do things differently. But we can’t. There’s no “R” on the gearshift of life. We can’t go back; we can’t go in reverse. We can only go forward. So what do we do with the debris of yesterday’s sins? We have to do some pushing. Some people push their guilt on others and blame others for their problems and failures. Some people push their guilt downward, beneath the surface of their heart where it festers and poisons. But the only effective thing to do is to push yours sins over onto the flayed shoulders of the Lord Jesus Christ. Transfer them to Him. How? By confession. By trusting His finished work on Calvary. By trusting in the power of His blood. This sin offering was pointing toward Christ’s work on the Cross. Hebrews 10:11-17 says: And every priest stands ministering daily and offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God, from that time waiting till His enemies are made His footstool. For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified. But the Holy Spirit also witnesses to us; for after He had said before, “This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws into their hearts, and in their minds I will write them,” then He adds, “Their sins and lawless deeds I will remember no more.” And there we have the key to this offering. Because Jesus bore our sins and all our guilt was transferred to Him by grace, God has developed a holy amnesia about our sins. Now in the most literal sense, this does not mean that God intellectually forgets our sins, because God is omniscient. But He forgets them in a judicial sense because Christ Himself on the cross bore the penalty for our sins. And that’s the key word: Penalty. The Burnt offering tells us of the totality of Christ’s sacrifice, and the Grain Offering tells of the humanity that was offered. And if the Peace Offering tells of the tranquility that it brings, the Sin Offering tells us of the penalty Christ bore for you and me. Our guilt was transferred to Him. The Trespass Offering That leads to the final offering that was laid on the Tabernacle altar in Leviticus – the Trespass Offering, which is described for us in Leviticus 5 and 6. This offering is very similar to the Sin Offering except that it seems to stress not just the sin, but the damage sin has done to ourselves and to others. For example, look at Lev 5:16: …and he (the sinner who is offering this sacrifice) shall make restitution for the harm he has done. The key thought here is that Christ is the remedy for sin. He has a way of healing. He has a way of restoring. One of the best illustrations I’ve ever read on this subject comes from the story of a missionary named Ruby Scott in her autobiography, Jungle Harvest. She was a missionary and Bible translator among an isolated tribe in the jungles of southern Mexico. She worked in a village called Chivalito. She worked very hard and gradually a church was established. Among the converts was a man named Rosendo, who was the former village drunk but who had come to Christ and was now a hard-working, faithful family man who actively loved and served the Lord. He was the president or leader of the congregation. His testimony was inspiration to the village and he was active in sharing his faith with others. The growth of the church was a threat to the local witch doctor, a man named Lencho. He was reported to be the most powerful witch doctor in the area, and he openly vowed to destroy the growing Christian testimony in the village of Chivalito. The church knew that a great satanic attack was coming, so they memorized verses that emphasized the power and authority of Jesus Christ. Meanwhile the witchdoctor was planning an elaborate trap for Rosendo. The whole story is too complicated and lengthy to fully relate, but the long-and-short of the story is this: Rosendo, who had previously been enslaved by alcohol, was lured into a tangled, carefully-planned web in which he found himself in a wild drinking spree with Mexicans whom he considered to be his superiors and supervisors. Hour after hour, he refused to drink, and some time later the whole village was startled to see him stagger into town drunk. With him was the witchdoctor, pleased with the success of his plan and making fun of poor Rosendo. The Christians became the laughing stock of the village. On Sunday, the church gathered in a somber mood. Every one of them had been ridiculed and laughed at; and, and Rosendo, who had brought reproach on the entire congregation was not present. The church tried singing a few hymns, but suddenly to everyone’s surprise, Rosendo appeared from the jungle path and stepped into the building. All eyes were on him, and as the congregational hymn ended, he motioned that he wanted to speak. He stood up, his eyes focused on the ground, and in a clear, concise way told exactly what had happened. He gave the full story, but he did not minimize what he had done or try to excuse himself. When he finished, he quoted 1 John 1:9: If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. He told the silenced crowd that he had sinned and brought ridicule on the entire church and on the name of the Lord Himself. He said that he had earnestly confessed his sin to the Lord and sought forgiveness. And he ended by saying, “I have not only brought shame to our Lord, but to you, too. All of you have been ridiculed and taunted because of what I did. I’m sorry. I don’t know if you want to forgive me or not.” Then he sat down and put his face in his hands. There was silence for a few moments, and then a man named Felix stood up and asked a question that seemed out of place. He said, “Remember a few weeks ago when it rained three days without letting up?” But Felix continued: “That rain left a huge mud puddle in our front yard. Several times Elpidio (his little boy) dashed out the door to play in the muddy water. ‘Elpidio,’ I called him, ‘get away from that mud.’ But after several attempts, he finally made his way to the puddle. Suddenly I heard an awful SPLAT and a cry. Elpidio was face down in the mud. “Now friends,” Felix continued, “What do you think I said? Do you think I just stood there rubbing my hands together and said, ‘Well, I told you. Now it’s your problem!’ No, of course not. Elpidio is my little son and I love him. I hurried to him, picked him up, wiped the mud from his face, and held him until he quit crying. “Friends, our brother Rosendo has fallen on his face in the mud! We have a Heavenly Father who loves him, has helped him up, and wiped the mud off him. He will hold him close and love him until the pain and embarrassment goes away. All of us have felt the splat of Rosendo’s fall. We have been laughed at—and it hurt. But our Lord suffered a much deeper hurt for the things we have done than we will ever suffer because of what Rosendo did. Rosendo has confessed his sin, and the Lord has forgiven him. Now he is asking us to forgive him, too.” Felix paused for a long minute and looked around as if thinking about what to do. Then, in a quiet voice, he said, “Let’s take a vote. All who want to forgive Rosendo and pray for him, put up your hand.” A moment later, Felix stepped over and touched Rosendo’s shoulder and whispered to him. Looking up, Rosendo saw that the whole room had become a sea of hands. Another member stood up quietly and began singing “How Great Thou Art” and the whole congregation sang. And when I think that God His Son not sparing, Sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in, That on the cross my burden gladly bearing, He bled and died to take away my sin. The net result: The church in the village of Chivalito grew to capacity, the Gospel spread, the Scriptures were translated, and many souls came into the kingdom. Jesus is our Burnt Offering: He offered Himself in totality. He is our Grain Offering: He offered His perfect humanity. He is our Peace Offering: He offered Himself for our tranquility. He is our Sin Offering: He offered to bear our penalty. He is our Trespass Offering: He offered Himself as sin’s remedy. It’s a miserable thing to live without forgiveness. But, oh! The liberating joy of being able to sing: …that on the cross, our burden gladly bearing, He bled and died to take away our sin. ________________ 1”Hayman Fire Starter Praying for Forgiveness,” posted 3:45 PM MDT on July 5, 2004 on www.thedenverchannel.com. Copywrite 2004 by the Associated Press.