Leviticus 4: The sin offering brings forgiveness
Begin in prayer
Before we read Leviticus 4, where God gives the sin offering for priests, the whole assembly, rulers and common people, let us bow before the Lord. Ask Him to search our hearts and show us Jesus, who suffered outside the gate for sinners.
The heart is deceitful above all things, and it is exceedingly corrupt. Who can know it?
Jeremiah 17:9
Father in heaven, please open our eyes as we read Your Word. Show us that even sins done without knowing bring real guilt, and lead us to trust Jesus, whose blood takes sin away. Make us more like Jesus. And please bless our family as we worship You together. In Jesus' name, Amen.
See where we're going
In Leviticus 4 the LORD gives Moses the law of the sin offering for anyone who sins unintentionally against any of God's commandments. The chapter sets out four cases in order, for the anointed priest, the whole congregation, a ruler, and one of the common people. When the priest or the assembly sins, a young bull is killed and its blood is sprinkled seven times before the veil. Its fat is burned on the altar, and the rest of the bull is burned outside the camp. When a ruler sins, he brings a male goat, and a common person brings a female goat or a female lamb. For them, the priest puts blood on the horns of the altar of burnt offering, burns the fat, and makes atonement, and they are forgiven.
As you read Leviticus 4, look for the answers:
- Where does the anointed priest take the bull's blood, and where is the rest of the bull burned? (verses 5 to 7 and 12)
- Who lays hands on the bull when the whole congregation sins, and what is promised when the priest makes atonement? (verses 15 and 20)
- What animal does a ruler bring for a sin offering, and what does one of the common people bring? (verses 23, 28 and 32)
Reflect together
Key truth
Even unintended sin brings guilt before God, and He forgives through the blood of the sin offering.
People often think a mistake does not count, yet Leviticus 4 says anyone who breaks God's command unwittingly is still guilty (verse 2). Even when the sin is hidden from their eyes, they “are guilty” (verses 13, 22 and 27). God's holiness is the measure of sin, never how much we noticed. The chapter moves from the anointed priest and the congregation down to a ruler and a common person (verses 3, 13, 22 and 27). Only in the ruler's case does verse 22 say “Yahweh his God,” reminding the prince that the LORD is God over him. For the priest and the assembly, blood was sprinkled before the veil, and the bull was burned “outside of the camp” (verse 12). Hebrews 7 verse 27 and 13 verse 12 show that our sinless High Priest suffered outside the gate for His people.
How does Leviticus 4 show us that even unintended sin brings guilt before God, and He forgives through the blood of the sin offering?
Even the anointed priest could sin, and his bull was burned outside the camp.
When the anointed priest sinned, his failure brought guilt on the people (verse 3). He brought a young bull without defect and sprinkled its blood seven times before the veil (verses 4 to 6). Then the rest of the bull was burned “outside of the camp” (verse 12). Earthly priests were sinners too, unlike Jesus our High Priest, who suffered outside the gate for His people (Hebrews 13 verse 12).
The whole congregation can be guilty together, even before they see their sin.
When the assembly sinned, they were guilty even while it was “hidden from the eyes of the assembly” (verse 13). Following the crowd never makes a sin right. When the sin was known, the elders laid their hands on a young bull (verses 14 and 15). Then the priest made atonement, and God promised, “they shall be forgiven” (verse 20).
A ruler is under the LORD his God and needs blood to be forgiven.
Verse 22 says that when a ruler unwittingly breaks any command of “Yahweh his God,” he is guilty. A high position never puts anyone above God's word. When his sin was made known, he brought a male goat without defect (verse 23). The priest put its blood on the horns of the altar of burnt offering, and he was forgiven (verses 25 and 26).
One of the common people receives the exact same forgiveness through the blood.
When one of the common people sinned unwittingly, he brought a female goat or lamb without defect (verses 27, 28 and 32). The priest put the blood on the horns of the altar and burned the fat (verses 30 and 31). Then the priest made atonement, “and he will be forgiven” (verse 35). All have sinned, and Jesus is the Lamb without spot whose blood cleanses all who trust Him (1 Peter 1 verse 19).
Memorise
the priest shall make atonement for them, and they shall be forgiven.
Leviticus 4:20
Looking to Jesus in my life
Ask yourself in your heart, have I asked Jesus to forgive all my sins, even my hidden ones?
Four times in Leviticus 4, the blood of the sin offering is put on the altar and the fat is burned. Each time God promises, “the priest shall make atonement for them, and they shall be forgiven.” And for the priest and the assembly, the bull was carried “outside of the camp” and burned.
No earthly priest was sinless, and the blood of bulls and goats could only picture the forgiveness to come. Our sins, both the ones we know and the ones we forget, make us guilty before God. So Jesus, our sinless High Priest, suffered outside the gate of Jerusalem on the cross. God made Him who knew no sin to be sin for His people, and He paid their whole debt with His own blood. On the third day He rose again, and His one offering is enough forever.
You cannot excuse your sin by saying you did not mean to do it, or because everyone else was doing it. Come to Jesus today. Turn from your sin and put your trust in Him. Whoever trusts in Christ is washed in His blood and forgiven.
Parent's note
Tell your children that acting without knowing or following the crowd cannot erase guilt, because only the blood of Jesus forgives sin. Please do not tell them they are saved just because they grew up in a Christian home. Call each child to turn from sin and trust Jesus, and pray that God would give them a new heart.
Pray together
Now please close your time together in prayer. Thank God that Jesus suffered outside the gate to bring forgiveness to sinners, and bring the heart question to Him. Every child can pray, so let each one say a short prayer if they want to.
Having therefore, brothers, boldness to enter into the holy place by the blood of Jesus,
Hebrews 10:19
Father, thank You for showing us in Your law that no one is above Your commands and no sinner is too small for Your mercy. Thank You that Jesus suffered outside the gate to bear the sins of His people. Please forgive our known and hidden sins, and help us trust Jesus and walk in Your ways this week. Amen.