Leviticus 4:22-26

3. THE SIN OFFERING FOR THE RULER 4:22-26
TEXT 4:22-26

22

When a ruler sinneth, and doeth unwittingly any one of all the things which Jehovah his God hath commanded not to be done, and is guilty;

23

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

24

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

25

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 the blood thereof shall he pour out at the base of the altar of burnt-offering.

26

And all the fat thereof shall he burn upon the altar, as the fat of the sacrifice of peace-offerings; and the priest shall make atonement for him as concerning his sin, and he shall be forgiven.

THOUGHT QUESTIONS 4:22-26

70.

How does a ruler differ from an elder?

71.

What is implied in the expression known to him in Leviticus 4:23?

72.

Is there any significance in the choice of a goat for the ruler's victim?

73.

What was the particular place for the slaying of all the sacrifices? In what sense was it before the Lord?

74.

Why place the blood on the horns of the altar of burnt offering? Horns were symbolic of what?

75.

Peace was effected at what time and by what act?

PARAPHRASE 4:22-26

If one of the leaders sins without realizing it and is guilty of disobeying one of God's laws, as soon as it is called to his attention he must bring as his sacrifice a billy goat without any physical defect. He shall lay his hand upon its head and kill it at the place where the burnt offerings are killed, and present it to the Lord. This is his sin offering. Then the priest shall take some of the blood of this sin offering and place it with his finger upon the horns of the altar of burnt offerings, and the rest of the blood shall be poured out at the base of the altar. All the fat shall be burned upon the altar, just as if it were the fat of the sacrifice of a thank-offering; thus the priest shall make atonement for the leader concerning his sin, and he shall be forgiven.

COMMENT 4:22-26

Leviticus 4:22-23 There was once a ruler who sinned and did not know it, He took the wife of Isaac. The ruler's name was Abimelech. This also happened to Pharaoh, ruler of all Egypt (Cf. Genesis 12:10-20; Genesis 20:3-17). In each case their guilt was made known to them through suffering. They were only forgiven when appeal was made through God's priest and prophet.

We need to consider these men as civil magistrates, but not separated from worship and the laws of God since Moses and Israel lived in a theocracy. Read Numbers chapter seven for a description of such rulers. Cf. Proverbs 29:12.

The Lord is described here as in a very personal sense in relation to the ruler, i.e. his God. We like this thought, for when a ruler of God's people sustains a personal relationship with God he can influence the people to do the same. The converse is also true. Is not this the major sin of our nation? There are many who acknowledge God but so very few who own a personal relationship with Him.

The choice of a male goat teaches us that God does weigh the effects of sin. The sin of the high priest or the sin of the whole assembly calls for a bullock and blood in the holy place and on the horns of the golden altar. A ruler's sin is among the peopleoutside so to speak, his forgiveness must also be among or before the people. In a very real sense he has become the goat for all the people. Thank God he has (and we all have) One who became the goat for him.

Leviticus 4:24-25 Horns have always been a symbol of strength or power. Upon the four horns of the altar of burnt offering must be smeared the blood for the sin offering of the ruler. The cry of the blood on the four hornsthe strong cry, based on all prevailing atonement within the sight and hearing of all was forgiveness provided for the ruler. His sin affected allall should know of his forgiveness. We do not know why he must use the altar of burnt offering instead of the altar of incense, but we have conjectured a possibility.

Leviticus 4:26 It would seem from the use of the term sin that perhaps the ruler was involved in some particular sinat least he should be made aware that God does not ignore those we ignore.

FACT QUESTIONS 4:22-26

96.

There were two rulers who sinned and needed forgiveness through God's priest and prophet. Who were they?

97.

What is meant in the use of the expression his God as applied to the ruler? How does this relate to our nation?

98.

What does the choice of a male goat for a sacrifice teach us as to the weight of the effects of sin?

99.

Why put the blood on the horns of the altar? What is symbolized? Why use the altar of burnt offering?