<\/p>\n
Leviticus 4:1-6:30<\/strong><\/span> Today in Leviticus we read about the Sin Offering and the Guilt Offering. Combine this with our readings from yesterday and we\u2019ve covered the 5 major Old Testament sacrifices \u2013 which I\u2019ll recap below from the NIV Study Bible.\u00a0 I\u2019d recommend taking a good mental note of these 5 Sacrifices, as we\u2019ll keep reading about them this year in various capacities in the OT:<\/span><\/p>\n 1. Burnt Offering<\/strong> \u2013 Voluntary act of worship; atonement for unintentional sin in general; expression of devotion, commitment and surrender to God.\u00a0 Bull, ram or male bird is offered \u2013 wholly consumed no defect.<\/span><\/p>\n 2. Grain Offering<\/strong> \u2013 Voluntary act of worship; recognition of God\u2019s goodness and provisions; devotion to God. Grain, fine flower, olive oil, incense, baked bread, salt offered \u2013 accompanied burnt and fellowship offering. <\/span><\/p>\n 3. Fellowship Offering<\/strong> \u2013 Voluntary act of worship; thanksgiving and fellowship as it included a communal meal.\u00a0 Any animal without defect from herd or flock offered.<\/span><\/p>\n 4. Sin Offering<\/strong> \u2013 Mandatory atonement for specific unintentional sin; confession of sin; forgiveness of sin; cleansing from defilement.\u00a0 Young bull for high priest & congregation offered.\u00a0 Male goat for leader. Female goat or lamb for common person.\u00a0 Dove or pigeon for the poor.\u00a0 Tenth of an ephah of fine flower for the very poor.<\/span><\/p>\n 5. Guilt Offering<\/strong> \u2013 Mandatory atonement for unintentional sin requiring restitution; cleansing from defilement; make restitution; pay 20% fine.\u00a0 Ram or lamb offered. Chapter 4 verse 29 contains something new I learned recently, again from NIV Study Bible: \u201cThey are to lay a hand on the head of the sin offering and slaughter it at the place where burnt offerings are slaughtered.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0 The sin offering included confession (see chapter 5 verse 5) and the symbolic transfer of guilt by laying hands on the sacrifice, as we see here in verse 29.\u00a0 It\u2019s only recently that I\u2019ve understood that the laying on of hands on the offering symbolically transferred guilt to the offering.<\/span><\/p>\n Chapter 4 verse 21 foreshadows Jesus\u2019 death on the cross outside the gates of Jersusalem at Golgotha: \u201cThe priest must then take what is left of the bull outside the camp and burn it there, just as is done with the sin offering for the high priest.\u201d <\/em>Here\u2019s how Hebrews chapter 13 verses 11 through 14 looks back at this verse in Leviticus: \u201cThe high priest carries the blood of animals into the Most Holy Place as a sin offering, but the bodies are burned outside the camp. And so Jesus also suffered outside the city gate to make the people holy through his own blood. Let us, then, go to him outside the camp, bearing the disgrace he bore. For here we do not have an enduring city, but we are looking for the city that is to come.\u201d<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n Bible.org\u2019s commentary on Leviticus chapter 4 and the Sin Offering<\/strong> is <\/span>at this link<\/span> and commentary on chapter 5 and the Guilt Offering<\/strong> is <\/span>at this link<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n Today in Leviticus we read about further instructions for offerings.\u00a0 Chapter 6 verse 13 I found interesting: \u201cRemember, the fire must be kept burning on the altar at all times. It must never go out.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0 Commentaries state that the fire was never to go out because the fire was started by God.\u00a0 \u00a0Humans were not to bring man-made fire to the altar, or they would die, as we will see Leviticus chapter 10 when we read about Nadab and Abihu.\u00a0 The only real \u201ceternal flame\u201d that I can think of in today, that was started by God, is the Holy Spirit.\u00a0 And this eternal flame of the Holy Spirit is made available to you and I through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus.\u00a0 Here\u2019s an image of the burnt offering altar from the time of Leviticus:<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n And \u2013 here\u2019s an image to make you think about the fire of the Holy Spirit available to you and I today through Jesus:<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Can you relate to this image above?\u00a0 Can you imagine what this man in this image above is experiencing?\u00a0 Have you experienced this?<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Worship Video: <\/strong>Today\u2019s readings reminded me of \u201cYour Love, Oh Lord\u201d by Third Day:<\/span><\/p>\n
~ Click here to read today\u2019s Scripture on Bible Gateway ~<\/span><\/em>
~ Listen to today\u2019s Scripture with <\/em>The ESV Bible<\/em><\/span> ~<\/p>\n
(above 5 points from the NIV Study Bible p. 151)<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n