4. The Sin Offering

Leviticus 4

Christ, our substitute

In this chapter, sin, the sinner and the sin offering are all presented vividly. In verse 3, we read this: If the anointed priest sins. Yes, it is possible for even God’s anointed one to sin, but, praise God, He has made provision to deal with that, 1 John 2:1. However, when servants of the Lord do sin, it is doubly serious since others  could be led astray by their example. As one commentator so aptly put it, The sins of teachers are teachers of sin. The way to live a God-pleasing life is a revelation from God; it is a ladder let down from heaven. This sin offering is like the lowest rung on that ladder, and the first with which we as sinners have to do. Like every other sacrifice–

1. It must be defect, verse 3

The smallest physical deformity would make the ox or lamb unfit for sacrifice. Jesus Christ was prefect and without any defect in the eyes of God. Even though Jesus walked with man, and was a man, He remained the perfect man–without sin and without any imperfection in His character. Only Jesus could touch the unclean yet be untouched with uncleanliness. He was holy, harmless and separate from sinners.

2. There had to be imputation and identification, verse 4

The offerer placed his hand on the head of the offering, identifying himself with the sins imputed to the sacrifice and with the sacrifice itself. The sins of the world–our sins–were laid upon Jesus, not by us, but by God the Father, Isaiah 53:6. We confess our sins to Him, and by faith lay our hand of appropriation upon Him. Jesus Christ gave Himself for us.

3. The life must be taken, verse 4

The bull had to be slaughtered in front of God; the death of the offering had to do with God. The death of Christ was not an accident, it was not merely an example to us of patience in suffering. The death of God’s Son was a death demanded by God the Father. So the Son’s life was offered to God as a substitute for others. He died before the Lord; He offered Himself without defect to God.

4. The fat was burned on the altar, verses 8-10

This fat was a sweet smell to the Lord. The fat of the offering is referred to often and occupies a prominent place in connection with the sin offering. It may represent the riches and preciousness of Christ as God sees it all offered up to Him on the altar of the Cross.

5. The body was carried outside, verse 12

On the surface, this sounds like a ridiculous thing to do. What is the reason for making work like this? Why is it burnt outside the camp when the other offerings were burnt inside the camp? Because it is typical of Him who was made a curse for us, who suffered outside the gates of the city, Hebrews 13:11-12, and from whom the Father hid His Face, Matthew 27:46. God cannot look upon sin, but He looks with compassion on the sinner.

6. The blood must be sprinkled, verse 6

The order in which the blood was sprinkled must be noted because it is perfectly consistent with the way of salvation as taught in the New Testament. It was sprinkled:

1. before the Lord;
2. before the veil;
3. on the altar of incense; and then
4. the remainder was poured out at the bottom of the altar of burnt offering.

The priest sprinkled the blood on his way out, not as he was going in, illustrating to us that the way has been made from God out to sinful man. Salvation is of the Lord. But, on our approach to God we meet the poured out blood, at the altar, making atonement for the soul. Typical of Him who poured out His soul in death on the Cross of Calvary–

• At the altar of Sacrifice we have atonement.
• At the altar of incense we have intercession.
• The blood before the veil speaks of access.
• the blood sprinkled seven times before the Lord indicates a perfect standing in His presence. And so we have boldness to enter into the Holiest by the shed blood of Jesus. Let us draw near! Hebrews 10:19-22.

7. The blessed results

The acceptance by God of the blood of the sin offering brings within the reach of every single believer–

The forgiveness of sin. It is a blood bought pardon from past transgressions. Verse 26 promises the sin of the sinner shall be forgiven him. Romans 4:7, 8 says that blessed is the man to who the Lord will not impute sin.

The assurance of this forgiveness. This is the promise of Him who knows the full value of the Blood of His own Son. We are saved by His blood and assured by His Word. In the shedding and sprinkling of Christ’s blood, there is provision made for the sins of ignorance (verse 2) and the sins that we are aware of (verse 28).