Leviticus 4:13-21

2. THE SIN OFFERING FOR THE CONGREGATION 4:13-21
TEXT 4:13-21

13

And if the whole congregation of Israel err, and the thing be hid from the eyes of the assembly, and they have done any of the things which Jehovah hath commanded not to be done, and are guilty;

14

when the sin wherein they have sinned is known, then the assembly shall offer a young bullock for a sin-offering, and bring it before the tent of meeting.

15

And the elders of the congregation shall lay their hands upon the head of the bullock before Jehovah; and the bullock shall be killed before Jehovah.

16

And the anointed priest shall bring of the blood of the bullock to the tent of meeting:

17

and the priest shall dip his finger in the blood, and sprinkle it seven times before Jehovah, before the veil.

18

And he shall put of the blood upon the horns of the altar which is before Jehovah, that is in the tent of meeting; and all the blood shall he pour out at the base of the altar of burnt-offering, which is at the door of the tent of meeting.

19

And all the fat thereof shall he take off from it, and burn it upon the altar.

20

Thus shall he do with the bullock; as he did with the bullock of the sin-offering, so shall he do with this; and the priest shall make atonement for them, and they shall be forgiven.

21

And he shall carry forth the bullock without the camp, and burn it as he burned the first bullock: it is the sin-offering for the assembly.

THOUGHT QUESTIONS 4:13-21

63.

Please try to approximate the circumstances in which the whole congregation could sin through ignorance.

64.

Can you cite a biblical example of such a sin?

65.

Why does God consider them guilty even if they do not know they are sinning?

66.

Why are both the sacrifice of the priest and of the whole congregation a young bullock?

67.

In what way are the elders of the congregation involved in this sacrifice? Why?

68.

The ceremony of the application of the blood is the same as with the priest except the promise is made of forgiveness and atonement. Are we not told in the New Testament that such sacrifices could not forgive or make atonement? Explain.

69.

Doesn-'t it appear strange that after the declaration of forgiveness is made the sacrifice must yet be removed and burned?

PARAPHRASE 4:13-21

If the entire nation of Israel sins without realizing it, and does something that Jehovah has said not to do, all the people are guilty. When they realize it, they shall offer a young bull for a sin offering, bringing it to the Tabernacle where the leaders of the nation shall lay their hands upon the animal's head and kill it before the Lord. Then the priest shall bring its blood into the Tabernacle, and shall dip his finger in the blood and sprinkle it seven times before the Lord, in front of the veil. Then he shall put blood upon the horns of the altar there in the Tabernacle before the Lord, and all the remainder of the blood shall be poured out at the base of the burnt offering altar, at the entrance to the Tabernacle. All the fat shall be removed and burned upon the altar. He shall follow the same procedure as for a sin offering; in this way the priest shall make atonement for the nation, and everyone will be forgiven. The priest shall then cart the young bull outside the camp and burn it there, just as though it were a sin offering for an individual, only this time it is a sin offering for the entire nation.

COMMENT 4:13-21

Leviticus 4:13 If we pause and give thought we can recall examples of congregational sin in which it would indeed appear that the majority if not all the people were unaware of the enormity of their sin. Remember the golden calf? or the response of the nation to the report of the twelve spies? Read Hosea 4:6-9 for a commentary on the mutual guilt of people and priest (but most especially the people). People do sin because their teachers fail to teach them. On the other hand so many have failed to make use of the knowledge they have received. The congregation knew in the days of Saul and Samuel that they should not eat of an animal before the blood was drained from it; but out of desperate hunger they fell upon animals and ate them in violation of the law (Cf. 1 Samuel 14:33). Somehow the word and law of God slipped from their hearts. What a lesson we see in this for today. We need to give constant heed to the word lest we allow it to slip from our consciousness and we become involved with others in the sin (indeed, we believe such a sin is now being practiced even as in the days of the writer of Hebrews 2:1-3).

Shall we consider a little more deeply the nature of this sin as it relates to so many of us today? How is it that we cherish almost unaware some idol to the lust of the flesh?the lust of the eye?or the pride of life? We know it is wrong subconsciously but we are unwilling until rebuked, to bring such a practice into conscious guilt before God. How is it that James and John could be so obviously vindictive when they had been taught otherwise? (Cf. Luke 9:55) How easy it is to substitute our own selfishness for His will in our life. Is busy-ness for God equal to fellowship with God? If we give our body to be burned but do it without love we have sinned out of ignorance. We are unwitting but responsible. He may contrive to retain the look of greenness when the sap is gone. Even a whole community of believers may be pervaded by some such sin.. These secret sins may be keeping God from blessing the whole people, though He blesses individuals. Somewhere amid these sources is to be found the origin of much inefficiency and unprofitableness. Ai cannot be taken because of the accursed thing in the camp. The mariners cannot make out the voyage to Tarshish with Jonah on board. (Bonar)

Leviticus 4:14 The largest and most costly of sacrifices is provided for both the high priest and the congregation. The high priest represents the whole assembly and each one is represented in the bullock offered for him; as they are represented in the one for themselves. How costly and large was the propitiation God provided for our sins and the sins of the whole world (1 John 2:2).

Leviticus 4:15 The elders-' activity on behalf of the people transferred the guilt of each one to the head of the victim. We remember in almost disbelief that it was the elders of the people of Israel who laid hands upon our Lord and put Him to death. We hear them cry on behalf of all the nation of Israel His blood be upon usas indeed it wasin guilt, and in forgiveness! What amazing love and wisdom that in the same act sin and forgiveness could be joined!

Leviticus 4:16-20 The ritual here is identical to that we have already considered in Leviticus 4:3-12. The only variation is in Leviticus 4:20 where atonement and forgiveness are promised. Such an expression here is equal to what is said in Leviticus 4:10 concerning the sacrifice of peace offerings. Peace and confidence in God's provision is a necessary part of the response of the worshipper. Two important aspects of our Savior's sacrifice for us are missing in the sin offering: (1) the heavenly love seen in the condescension of the One who was made sin for us is missing, thus the deepest motivations for praise and thanksgiving are lost; (2) the need to repeat again and again the same sacrifice indicates the inadequacy of the sacrifice (not the forgiveness).

Leviticus 4:21 Imagine the scene oft repeated in the camp of Israel: the congregation assembles for observance of a ceremony in which they are a very real part: the bullock before the tabernaclethe hands of the elders upon its head. They watch as its blood is shed and caught in a bowl to be taken into the holy place. Presently the priest emerges from the door of the tabernacle to walk to the altar of burnt offerings. The blood is thrown at the base of the altarthe fat is burned upon the fire. Then there is a long walk to a clean place. Thus even when peace, forgiveness and atonement has been made there is yet the cry, O wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me from the body of this death? Only the forgiven man can catch a true glimpse of the horror of sin. We need to be often led out to that place without the camp and see again the One who suffered there for us (Hebrews 13:11-12).

FACT QUESTIONS 4:13-21

85.

Give two examples of congregation sinning in which the whole assembly was involved in inadvertent sin.

86.

How are priest and people both involved in sin?

87.

How does 1 Samuel 14:33 illustrate this sin?

88.

How does Hebrews 2:1-3 relate this sin to us?

89.

Church members today share the guilt of James and John of Luke 9:55. Discuss.

90.

Whole community of believers are hindered by such secret sinshow?

91.

Why was the most costly of animals offered in the sacrifice for the high priest and for the people?

92.

What a beautiful comparison is made in the action of the elders in relation to the sacrificewhat was it?

93.

What is the one difference in the ritual of Leviticus 4:16-20 with Leviticus 4:3-12? Why?

94.

Two important aspects of our Saviour's sacrifice for us are missing in the sin offering. What are they?

95.

Please read with personal involvement the comment on Leviticus 4:21. Express in your own words what Hebrews 13:11-12 means to you as related to this text.