Leviticus 4

Leviticus 4

The sin offering

This offering was to be made when we did something wrong unintentionally (vs 2). For intentional sins there was no offering, except for some minor offenses. These unintentional sins could be making a statement without knowing that it was incorrect, or taking something which belongs to someone else by mistake etc. Or it could be an offence against a ceremonial law unintentionally, like forgetting that it was the Sabbath. Once we are aware of the error we were to offer this as a sin offering recognizing that we have erred.

If the offender is the priest that sin comes on all Israel (vs 3). In the case of a priest a bull was to be offered as the sin offering.

The laying of the hand on the head in this case probably is a transference of one’s sin but more likely his self along with his sin.

Whereas in the burnt offering or peace offering the blood was either sprinkled on the altar (1:5, 3:2) in this case the blood was sprinkled in the Holy Place before the veil of the sanctuary (vs 5f). He will put some of the blood on the altar of incense in the Holy Place. The rest of the blood would be poured on the altar outside.

Only the High Priest could go into the Holy of Holies and so the priest sprinkles the blood just outside that.

All the fat was offered to the Lord on the altar (vs 8-10). The rest of the bull was burnt outside the camp (vs 11-12) and was not given to the priest. Nothing is preserved. This separation of the fat and the rest of the animal probably signifies the two natures of man Paul speaks of in Romans 7:13-25 especially vs 25. That which desires to serve God with good is burnt on the altar. The evil is burnt outside the camp as a getting rid of the sinful nature.

Jesus’ death outside the city of Jerusalem was a fulfilment of this aspect of the sin offering. Jesus became sin taking our sinful nature and being crucified outside the city a sign that we are set free from our sinful nature.

In case of the nation sinning, the elders lay hands as representatives of the people (vs 15). If one of the rulers have sinned unintentionally in the duties of his office he is to offer a male goat and not a bull (vs 22f). But if the sin is done by an ordinary person the offering was a female goat (vs 28) or sheep (vs 32).

The sin offering of the ruler and the common man is not burnt outside the camp, but taken by the priest - Chapter 6:26. By the priest taking the sin offering he takes the sin as the representative of the people, and this is the priestly role that Jesus performs.

This is important in understanding Jesus’ offering on Calvary as for the kingdom of God rather than me individually. My salvation is as a member of the kingdom of God. Because of the distortion of the understanding of the kingdom in some churches this aspect is not popular now among Protestants.

Also the blood is not taken to the Holy place, but only the horns of the sacrificial altar was anointed with the blood and the rest poured out at the base of the altar.

So there is a distinction between the offering for the priest and for the nation and the rest of the offerings for individuals.