Leviticus 4:27-35

4. THE SIN OFFERING FOR INDIVIDUALS 4:27-35
TEXT 4:27-35

27

And if any one of the common people sin unwittingly, in doing any of the things which Jehovah hath commanded not to be done, and be guilty;

28

if his sin, which he hath sinned, be made known to him, then he shall bring for his oblation a goat, a female without blemish, for his sin which he hath sinned.

29

And he shall lay his hand upon the head of the sin-offering, and kill the sin-offering in the place of burnt-offering.

30

And the priest shall take of the blood thereof with his finger, and put it upon the horns of the altar of burnt-offering; and all the blood thereof shall he pour out at the base of the altar.

31

And all the fat thereof shall he take away, as the fat is taken away from the sacrifice of peace-offerings; and the priest shall burn it upon the altar for a sweet savor unto Jehovah; and the priest shall make atonement for him, and he shall be forgiven.

32

And if he bring a lamb as his oblation for a sin-offering, he shall bring it a female without blemish.

33

And he shall lay his hand upon the head of the sin-offering, and kill it for a sin-offering in the place where they kill the burnt-offering.

34

And the priest shall take of the blood of the sin-offering with his finger, and put it upon the horns of the altar of burnt- offering; and all the blood thereof shall he pour out at the base of the altar.

35.

And all the fat thereof shall he take away, as the fat of the lamb is taken away from the sacrifice of peace-offerings; and the priest shall burn them on the altar, upon the offerings of Jehovah made by fire; and the priest shall make atonement for him as touching his sin that he hath sinned, and he shall be forgiven.

THOUGHT QUESTIONS 4:27-35

76.

Is there a question about the guilt of the individual? What is meant by the word if in Leviticus 4:27?

77.

Why a female, since Christ is typified by these offerings?

78.

No sin is trifling and no sinner is ignored, but there is hope in this fact. Where?

79.

This offering is called a sweet savor unto the Lord. When and why?

80.

What is the meaning of the expression in Leviticus 4:35 of according to the offerings made by fire ?

PARAPHRASE 4:27-35

If any one of the common people sins and doesn-'t realize it, he is guilty. But as soon as he does realize it, he is to bring as his sacrifice a nanny goat without defect to atone for his sin. He shall bring it to the place where the animals for burnt offerings are killed, and there lay his hand upon the head of the sin offering and kill it. And the priest shall take some of the blood with his finger and smear it upon the horns of the burnt offering altar. Then the priest shall pour out the remainder of the blood at the base of the altar. All the fat shall be taken off, just as in the procedure for the thank-offering sacrifice, and the priest shall burn it upon the altar; and the Lord will appreciate it. Thus the priest shall make atonement for that man, and he shall be forgiven. However, if he chooses to bring a lamb as his sin offering, it must be a female without physical defect. He shall bring it to the place where the burnt offerings are killed, and lay his hand upon its head and kill it there as a sin offering. The priest shall take some of the blood with his finger and smear it upon the horns of the burnt offering altar, and all the rest of the blood shall be poured out at the base of the altar. The fat shall be used just as in the case of a thank-offering lambthe priest shall burn the fat on the altar as in any other sacrifice made to Jehovah by fire; and the priest shall make atonement for the man, and his sin shall be forgiven.

COMMENT 4:27-35

Leviticus 4:27-28 No one is excluded from God's love and grace, and no one is exempt from the penalty of sin. There would seem to be two ways a poor man or a common man would know of his sin: (1) he would be reminded by his own consciencehow often do we fall into the habit of negligence until a commandment of our God comes to mind and we are reminded of our lack and sin; (2) Someone could bring his sin to his attentionwe take the little expression come to his knowledge to be information brought to him by someone else. We like the thought that in the female goat or lamb we have the passive nature of our Lord represented. The male animal characterizing His active, volitional choicesthe female His perfect submissiveness to the Father's will. Someone has suggested that the female animals were used to indicate to the women of Zion that they were not forgotten, or that they too were represented in the offerings.

Leviticus 4:29-31 The expression for a sweet savor unto the Lord is reserved for the sacrifice of the common man. We are sure that the other sin sacrifices were also a sweet savor after the fat was burned. The sin offering itself was not for this purpose, but the peace-offering portion or the fat became the sweet savor unto God. Atonement or forgiveness was the major point or the distinctive message of the sin offering.

The hands of the worshipper were on the head of the animal for this purpose. The blood was on the horns of the altar of burnt offering with this intentionthe largest quantity of blood was poured out at the base of the altar for this reason. Somewhat in contrast: the fat upon the altar was a sweet and satisfying fragrance to the Lord. Could we say that once atonement or forgiveness was made it became as represented in the Lord's portion or the fat a sweet savor unto God?

Leviticus 4:32-34 How glad we are for all of God's alternates! There are always circumstances (most of them of our own making) that seem to prevent us from being able to fulfill this requirement or thatbut God has another way which will also accomplish His will in our lives. If you do not have a goat you can also bring a lamb (and we shall learn later that even a handful of flour for a sin offering is acceptable if it is given out of the right attitude). The same actions are taken in each offering. They need not become monotonousour sins are many and often each is in need of forgiveness and each is in every sacrifice.

Leviticus 4:35 The expression, -according to the offerings made by fire-' should be -in addition to-' the daily sacrifices, morning and evening-'upon the offerings,-' i.e. over the very remnants of the daily sacrifices. It is exactly like Leviticus 3:5. We are there taught that particular sins must be cast upon the one great atonement; and the cases that occur in this chapter of special guilt are just specific applications of the great truth taught in the daily sacrifices.

Israel was taught that their different offerings were all of one nature in the main with the general burnt offering; one Saviour only was prefigured, and one atonement. These sin-offerings, presented -upon the daily sacrifices,-' resemble tributary streams pouring in their waters into one great ocean. -Christ once for all suffered for sins, the Just for the unjust, to bring us unto God.-' (1 Peter 3:18) O how anxious is our God to purge us from every stain! The priest's hyssop is introduced into every corner of the building that we may be altogether pure. Well may we join the seraphim in their song, -Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts.-' (Bonar)

FACT QUESTIONS 4:27-35

100.

No one is excluded either from grace or forgiveness. Show how this is typified.

101.

What are the two ways a poor man would know of his sin?

102.

How do we relate to these two thoughts?

103.

Why a female goat or lamb? (Two possible answers.)

104.

Show the meaning of: a sweet savor unto the Lord. When did it become such?

105.

Why were the hands of the worshipper upon the head of the animal?

106.

How glad we are for God's alternateswhat are they here?

107.

The actions taken in offering the sacrifices need not become monotonoushow avoided?

108.

What is meant by the expression, according to the offerings made by fire?

109.

How do daily sacrifices and specific sacrifices relate? How does this apply to us?

4. SPECIAL APPLICATIONS OF SIN OFFERINGS

(a)

THREE SPECIFIC SINS

(1)

THE WITNESS WHO REFUSED TO TESTIFY (Leviticus 5:1)

(2)

ACCIDENTAL CEREMONIAL DEFILEMENT (Leviticus 5:2-3)

(3)

IDLE SWEARING (Leviticus 5:4)

(b)

SPECIFIC OFFERINGS PRESCRIBED IN SUCH CASES

(1)

FEMALE SHEEP OR GOAT (Leviticus 5:6)

(2)

Two TURTLEDOVES OR TWO YOUNG PIGEONS (Leviticus 5:7)

(3)

THE TENTH PART OF AN EPHAH OF FINE FLOUR (Leviticus 5:11-13)