SIN OFFERING

SPECIAL TOPIC: SIN OFFERING

Introduction
1. This is the first offering in which atonement was the dominant element.
2. This sacrifice re-establishes the covenant between man and God. It restores fellowship.
3. This offering involves:
  1. Sins of ignorance
  2. Sins of inadvertence
  3. Sins of passion
  4. Sins of omission
  5. It did not atone for sins committed intentionally in haughty rebellion against God. There was no sacrifice for intentional, high handed, premeditated sin (cf. Num. 15:27-31).
Meaning
1. This offering expiated the guilt and punishment for sins.
2. This involved grace on God's part and faith on man's part.
3. No sacrifice achieves anything by mere ritual offering. It was the offerer's faith behind the act.
4. Yet, sacrifice was more than the mere expression of the offerer. It did something for him. It re-established the relationship with God.
5. Ritual was a God-given means of restitution, not a substitute for personal faith.
6. God hates any religious action without accompanying faith, Isa. 1:10-20; Amos 5:21-24; Mic. 6:6-8.
Ritual
1. For the High Priest, Lev. 4:3-12
  1. High priest ‒ anointed priest
    (1) Sin, in leading people wrongly
    (2) Sin, in a personal nature
    (3) The high priest, being the spiritual representative of the community; if he sins, all sinned in him. This was the Jewish understanding of corporality (cf. Joshua 7; Romans 5:12ff).
  2. Procedures
    (1) The High Priest brought a young bullock without blemish to altar
    (2) He laid hands on its head
    (3) The High Priest slaughtered animal
    (4) The High Priest sprinkled the blood before the veil 7 times
    (a) this cleansed the Tabernacle
    (b) symbolically opened the way to God
    (c) blood placed on horns of incense altar
    (d) remaining blood poured out at base of altar of burnt offering
    (5) He placed all the fat on the altar to be burned
    (6) All the rest of the animal will be taken outside the camp to a clean place, Lev. 4:12, where the ashes are poured out from altar. There, the remainder of the animal is burned.
2. For the Nation, Lev. 4:13-21
  1. They sinned when commands of the law were not met, Lev. 4:13-21
  2. Procedures
    (1) The Elders brought a young bullock without blemish to altar
    (2) The Elders laid hands on head
    (3) The Elders slaughtered the animal
    (4) The High Priest sprinkled the blood before veil 7 times
    (a) this cleansed Tabernacle
    (b) symbolically opened the way to God
    (c) blood placed on horns of incense altar
    (d) rest poured out at base of altar of sacrifice
    (5) All of it offered on the altar
    (6) All the rest of the animal was taken outside the camp to a clean place, Lev. 4:12, where the ashes were poured out from the altar. There the remainder of the animal was burned.
3. For leader, Lev. 4:22-26
  1. Leader (ruler), Lev. 4:22-26
    (1) Leader of tribe
    (2) Responsible person in community
    (3) Elder
  2. Procedures
    (1) The leader brought a male goat (old, shaggy goat) to altar.
    (2) The leader laid hands on its head.
    (3) The leader slaughtered the animal.
    (4) A High Priest placed blood on horns of altar of burnt offering-the rest of blood poured out at base of altar of sacrifice.
    (5) All fat is burned on the altar.
    (6) Priests ate the rest of the flesh.
4. For individual, Lev. 4:27-35
  1. For individual ‒ when he learned he had sinned he was to make this offering
  2. Procedures
    (1) The individual brought a female goat or female lamb.
    (2) The individual laid hands on its head.
    (3) The individual slaughtered the animal.
    (4) A priest placed blood on horns of altar of sacrifice—rest poured out at base of altar.
    (5) All fat placed on altar and burned.
    (6) Priests ate the rest of the flesh.
5. Special cases involving the sin offering, Lev. 5:1-13 (These seem to involve intentional sin against a covenant partner)
  1. If a witness doesn't come forward and testify (failure to give information), Lev. 5:1
  2. Touching unclean animal, Lev. 5:2
  3. Touching unclean human, Lev. 5:3
  4. Speaking thoughtlessly with an oath, Lev. 5:4
  5. Offering for the above sins:
    (1) Female goat or sheep
    (2) Two turtledoves or two pigeons
    (3) 1/10 ephah of fine flour
6. Sin offering ritual, Lev. 6:24-30
  1. Priest could eat what was left.
  2. If blood got on clothes, clothes must be washed.
  3. If blood got on earthen vessel, vessel was broken.
  4. If blood got on brass vessel, vessel was washed.
  5. If burnt offering's blood was brought into Holy Place, then the flesh must be burnt and not eaten by priest.
7. Significance of the sin offering
  1. There is no offering for premeditated sin—only for inadvertent sin or sins of ignorance, Lev. 5:15, 18.
  2. What does forgiveness involve:
    (1) Man's part is faith
    (2) God's part is mercy
Ancient sacrifices were offered to
1. appease an angry deity
2. feed a deity
3. communicate with a deity
4. praise a deity
5. foster a sense of forgiveness or reconciliation