Today’s reading: Lev 4:1–6:30, John 7:14–44, Song 5:13–16
Today’s theme: Dealing with sin
Today’s theme is clearly sin and the ways that sin was once dealt with by offerings. Many sins are unintentional but still need atonement. Intentional sins obviously need atonement so we must confess our sins to God and ask Him to open our eyes to our faults. We must ask for forgiveness of hidden faults in Jesus name, knowing that Jesus bore the very real guilt for all our sins on the cross.
The modern world wants to do away with the idea of sin but the fact is sin is man’s greatest problem and the only solution is found in Jesus Christ. He is the Messiah and Son of The Living God, the one and only God-Man who as God the Son became incarnate as a man. He lived among us, taught us, died for us, rose from the dead and will one day return in power and glory.
Leviticus 4:1–6:30
The offering for unintentional sin
“Speak to the people of Israel, saying, If anyone sins unintentionally in any of the LORD’s commandments about things not to be done, and does any one of them, Leviticus 4:2 (ESV)
This entire section is all about the purification for sin. This is not for intentional defiant sin (transgression) but for the inadvertent type of sin where we “miss the mark”.
In our frailty and ignorance we often fall short but God does not ignore our sins, they are still an offence and need to be cleansed. No other section of the Bible speaks about this type of sin more than this chapter.
The emphasis applied to all levels of society and scenarios show the pervasiveness of sin and God’s determination to deal with it.
Jesus fulfils all the sin offerings for all people by his death on the cross. When we sin we now have an advocate with the father 1 John 2:1.
Realisation of sin
when the sin which they have committed becomes known, the assembly shall offer a bull from the herd for a sin offering and bring it in front of the tent of meeting. Leviticus 4:14 (ESV)
Man is so bound in sin that we often sin without realising we have until later. We should pray for our nation that a realisation of our sin comes and with it repentance.
Jesus, our High Priest
Thus shall he do with the bull. As he did with the bull of the sin offering, so shall he do with this. And the priest shall make atonement for them, and they shall be forgiven. Leviticus 4:20 (ESV)
Jesus is our High Priest and makes atonement for us with His own blood.
Confess your sin
when he realizes his guilt in any of these and confesses the sin he has committed, Leviticus 5:5 (ESV)
We must avoid generalising sin, some specific sins are used here to illustrate the individual nature of each offence and our responsibility, as much as is possible, to confess our actual sin to the Lord. When we confess our sins to the Lord as our High Priest He forgives and cleanses us 1 John 1:9.
Guilty before God
It is a guilt offering; he has indeed incurred guilt before the LORD.” Leviticus 5:19 (ESV)
When we sin we are not guilty before Satan even though he is our accuser. We are guilty before God because our sins are an offence to God. Guilt and conviction from the Holy Spirit are healthy when felt in light of God’s grace and mercy for actual sin. Jesus bore our guilt on the cross.
Most of the above post is a copy of the original notes from the same date in 2014.
Additional resources
Desiring God on The Power & Effects of Sin