05 Leviticus
Notes
Transcript
05 Leviticus (Chapters 6 & 7 also)
Trespass Offering aka Guilt Offering (maybe better rendered the restitution offering)
The difficulty in all this teaching of Leviticus is whether to teach from a Christian viewpoint or that of a Jewish perspective. They are not going to be the same.
The Sin Offering and the Trespass Offering were for sins of neglect. (Primarily through ignorance, vs.18)
The sin offering aims at the inward harm to God, while the Trespass offering aims at the outward harm to man.
In Chapter 4 we discussed calling the sin offering a purification offering or a decontamination offering. In other words, you were cleansed of inadvertent sins, the blood has been applied to the altar thus protecting it from contamination brought on by sinful man being in the presence of God, and now you’re all good – back in a good fellowship with God. And of course, it was different for various groups; the Priest, the Nation/Congregation, the Rulers, the Individual.
In Chapter 5 – “Sin Offering” (hat-ta offering) is mentioned 8 times in chapter 5 along with trespass and burnt offering. (It appears 60 times in the Book of Leviticus).
Still seeing inadvertent sins, but now with retribution. Sin renders you ritually impure.
A repeated phrase – “if a soul___”
• Sin – 4:2
• Sin – 5:1
• Touch – 5:2
• Swear – 5:4
• Commits a trespass – 5:15
• Sin – 5:17
• Sin – 6:1
1) Sin through Silence (vs. 1)
• Seems intentional rather than inadvertent, even deliberate or defiantly.
• One general consensus among scholars is that sacrifices are only for unintentional sins.
o There are 3 different views as to what is going on in this verse.
• The sacrifices were never about breaking the Moral Laws because those are intentionally broken and there is nothing you can do about those. (Jewish perspective versus Christian)
•
2) Sin of Uncleanliness(vs. 2-3)
· Leviticus 11:44 For I am the LORD your God: ye shall therefore sanctify yourselves, and ye shall be holy; for I am holy:
o Unintentional sins.
3) Sin of Evil speaking, lying, swearing (vs. 4-6)
· Asham – atoning sacrifice / guilt offering, and you are purged of your impurity.
o Guilt incurred
o Penalty required
o Offering to atone for quilt
Christian view:
· James 1:19-20 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: 20 For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.
· Ecclesiastes 5:6 Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin; neither say thou before the angel, that it was an error: wherefore should God be angry at thy voice, and destroy the work of thine hands?
· 1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
4) Provisions for the poor (vs. 7-13)
• Trespass Offering, Sin offering & Burnt offering
o (Working Backwards) – You can approach God, your offering cleanses or purifies the holy place from you, who is impure, and then your offering of restitution or compensation; a payment of sorts is the best way I can differentiate between the offerings.
o The asham(the compensation) is for the sin offering and the burnt offering.
5) Sin of ignorance against the Lord (vs. 14-19)
• Vs.15 “the holy things of the LORD” – the word ‘holy’ is used 94 times in 77 verses of Leviticus.
o Trespass is used twice – 1st = ‘ma al’, H#4606 disobedience, i.e., a violation of a standard and so incurring guilt, with a focus on not being steadfast and faithful to a person in a committed relationship.
§ 2nd = ‘asam’ H#817, meaning guilt offering, an atoning sacrifice. Takes away the guilt.
o mentions silver – it’s a payment, a restitution for the one offended (in this case, the LORD). Even as Christ took our place as the ones who committed the trespass, and making restitution to God, (the One who has been offended). Jesus Christ is our Asham; He is our ‘sin offering’.
§ Isaiah 53:10 Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin…(asam)
§ As our Trespass offering, Jesus takes away our sin.
• Vs.16 The word atonement is used a lot throughout the Book of Leviticus so, let’s nail down the meaning of the word because I feel like I failed to do that in Chapter 4.
o Theological usage of the term “atonement” refers to a cluster of ideas in the Old Testament that center on the cleansing of impurity (which needs to be done to prevent God from leaving the Temple), and to New Testament notions that “Christ died for our sins” (1 Corinthians 15:3) and that “we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son” (Romans 5:10).
o John 1:29 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. The Peace offering took away the guilt of the sin that brought dishonor to GOD (thus the reference to it being a Purification or Decontamination Offering). As our Peace offering, Jesus takes away our guilt.
• What would constitute a trespass against God? Well, I suppose any sin would. Still, not giving to God something that rightfully belonged to Him. (Honor and glory come to mind). Jewish perspective, failure to consecrate or redeem the first born. Withholding first fruits or tithes. Not fulfilling a vow.
o Malachi 3:8 Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.
• Vs.17-19 If a soul sin, and commit… It is a trespass offering: he hath certainly trespassed against the LORD.
o It’s a guilt offering – it’s an admission of guilt / sin. Sort of a 1 John 1:9 for us.
Chapter 6.
6) Sin against our neighbor (Chap. 6:1-7) these are in chapter 5 of the Hebrew Bible.
• “And the priest shall make atonement for him” Jesus Christ, our Hight Priest makes that atonement for us.
The rest of chapter 6 deals with the never ending work of the Priest (the fire had to burn all night) as each day started and ended with a Burnt Offering. Christ being our High Priest and the Holy Spirit being His representative, the work continues without end.
V.8-13 – The Law of the burnt offering
V.14-18 – The Law of the meat offering
V.19-23 – The offering of Aaron and his son, aka the Priest
V.24-29 – The Law of the sin offering
V.30 reveals to us that the whole of it all is about our being reconciled to God; received, reconciled, restored, and redeemed by His grace. Why else would He receive anything we have to offer?
Chapter 7 continues in giving the Law of the sacrifices.
V.1-10 – The Law of the trespass offering
V.11-21 – The Law of the peace offering
V.23-27 – Regulation against eating the fat or the blood
V.28-36 – More regulation regarding the peace offering
V.37-38 – The Law of the burnt offering
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Leviticus 101 – Question:
1) It is said that silence speaks louder than words. How might a person “sin through silence” today?
2) Verses 2-3 talk about ceremonial uncleanness. To become unclean unintentionally is one thing, but to defile oneself intentionally is another. What are some ways a Christian might defile themselves today? What effect would this have on the church family?
3) Jesus Christ’s entire ministry was performed selflessly. He was constantly giving. Are there times when a Christian reacts selfishly? Name some of those times.
4) Not only was Christ selfless, but He always gave His best. He performed the work God sent Him to do entirely. He expects the same from us. Name some ways a Christian might neglect their service to God. What effect does this have on the church? The community?
5) In the book of Luke Jesus gave the parable of the Good Samaritan. A parable that demonstrates the type of life Christ would have us live. Compare that with Leviticus 6:1-7. How are they alike? How do they differ?
Lunsford, J. (2006). Leviticus 101 (p. 48). Prestonsburg, KY: Reformation Publishers.
THE TRESPASS-OFFERING
the adaptation of christ’s work to the sinner’s need
Leviticus 5; 6:1–7
The voice of the trespass-offering to man is: “He hath certainlytrespassed against the Lord” (v. 19). In connection with this offering individual sins rather than persons are prominently dealt with. Let us look at—
1. The need. “All we like sheep have gone astray.” So a trespass-offering is needed. The sins mentioned here are cardinal ones, and prove that all have sinned.
1. The sin of silencewhen we ought to speak (v. 1). Every privilege of witnessing for the truth that is neglected brings guilt. Silence may be sometimes golden, but it may also be criminal. Silence gives consent. How often do we Christians indulge in this guilty silence for Christ because of the fear of man? “I say unto you, Fear God.”
2. The sin of defilementthrough unclean associations. “If a soultouch any unclean thing,” &c. (vs. 2, 3). The hands and the feet may touch things unclean without incurring moralpollution, but not so with the soul.It is our fellowship with the unclean that corrupts the life. Even the touchof sympathy and desire will bring defilement and condemnation.
3. The sin of ignorance, in breaking the commands of the Lord. “If a soul commit any of these things which are forbidden, though he wist it not, yet is he guilty” (v. 17). Neither our reason nor our conscience determine what is sin, but the Word of God. Inadvertence or negligence on our part to the revealed will of God is in itself sinful. Although Paul says he was forgiven because he did it ignorantly (1 Tim. 1:13), yet forgiveness was needed all the same. To say I am not conscious of sin does not imply that I am free from guilt (Psa. 19:12).
4. The sin of defraudingour fellowmen (chap. 6:1, 2). All sin is against God. He holds the man guilty who deceives in any way his neighbour. The apostle realised this when he said, “I am debtor both to the Jew and to the Greek,” &c. Defraud no man. How much owest thou?
2. The provision. The variety of the offerings allowed, according to the poverty of the guilty offerers, reveals the adaptability and all-sufficiency of the sacrifice to the need of all. The expense of the offering was reduced to the “tenth part of an ephah of fine flour” (vs. 7–11). A handful of flour was within the reach of the poorest. The grace of God which bringeth salvation to all men hath appeared. No matter how poor the offerers may be, the full value and power of the sacrifice was imputed to them. Our faith may be weak, poor indeed, but it lays hold on a strong Redeemer, the mighty to save. We may have but a poor estimate of the worth of Christ as our trespass-offering, and yet be as perfectly forgiven as those who are rich in faith, giving glory to God. There are no degreesin our justification before Him. All these various offerings represent the one sacrifice for the trespasses of the people.
Associated with it we have these thoughts—
1. Substitution. In every case the offering was for the offerer. “Christ loved us, and gave Himself forus” (Eph. 5:2). He died for our sins.
2. Restoration (chap. 6:1, 2). Our Lord Jesus Christ, by the offering of Himself, has restored that which sin and unbelief had taken away. Surely if we are dependent upon the trespass-offering for our restoration unto God we shall willingly restore to our fellowmen what we have fraudulently taken away from them. Freely ye have received, freely give.
3. Compensation. “He shall make amends, and add the fifth part” (v. 16). We are to give compensation to our brother man for loss through our acts, because there is in this offering as a type of Christ, not only the payment of a debt, but in a deep, unfathomable sense, the full compensating of God for loss sustained through the ruin of man by sin. Hallelujah, what a Saviour! The death of Christ has made amendsunto God for our guilt, and added the “fifth part” of a glorious Church to the eternal praise of His holy Name.
3. The condition. The provision made by the trespass-offering availed nothing where there was no—
1. Confession. “He shall confess that he hath sinned in that thing” (v. 5). That thing implies that the confession must come down to particularthings. The trespass-offering deals with these, and may have special reference to the sins of the backslider, which must be confessed in detail before restoration can come. Then there must be—
2. Acceptance. He must be willing to accept God’s only way of deliverance from guilt, and be obedient to His Word.
4. The promise. “And it shall be forgiven him” (v. 10). This verse contains a double promise, giving a double assurance.
1. Atonement made for him. The priest shall make an atonement for him. This work is outside of the offerer. This Christ has done for us (Rom. 5:11).
2. Forgiveness extended to him. Justified freely by His grace. “Through this Man (Christ) is offered unto you the forgiveness of sins” (Acts 13:38).[1]
[1]Smith, J., & Lee, R. (1971). Handfuls on Purpose for Christian Workers and Bible Students, Series I–XIII(five-volume edition, Vol. 3, pp. 18–21). Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.