The Guilt Offering

Leviticus 5; 6:1-7

Christ’s work on the sinner’s behalf

The point of this offering is stated in Leviticus 5:19–

It is a guilt offering; he has been guilty of wrongdoing against the LORD.”

In connection with this offering, it is the individual’s sin that is focus, not on the sins of the people. Let’s consider–

1. The need. “All we like sheep have gone astray,” and so this guilt offering is needed. The sins mentioned here are cardinal ones and serve to prove that there is not one person alive or who has ever lived who is without sin.

The sin of silence, 5:1 It is said that “silence is golden,” but sometimes it is downright criminal and/or sinful! Failing to speak up for the Truth, for example, brings guilt. Sometimes to remain silent is to give consent to evil. How often do believers indulge in this guilty silence for Christ because we fear man?

The sin of defilement, 5:2, 3 This sin of defilement occurs through unclean associations. The hands and the feet may touch unclean things without incurring moral pollution, but the pollution of the soul is another matter. It is our fellowship with that which is unclean that corrupts the life. Even the touch of sympathy and desire will bring defilement and condemnation.

The sin of ignorance, 5:17 This is the sin of breaking the commands of the Lord. It is not our reason or our conscience that determines what a sin is, but rather it is the Word of God. Inadvertence or negligence on our part to the revealed will of God is sinful. The apostle Paul stated that he was forgiven when he sinned out of ignorance , the fact remains, forgiveness was needed. To say, “I didn’t know it was a sin,” in no way frees you from guilt.

The sin of deception, 6:1, 2 Even though this sin is one directed against another person, technically all sin is against God Himself. God holds guilty the man who deceives in any way his neighbor.

2. The provision, verses 7-11 Notice the variety of offerings allowed in this sacrifice, all determined by the wealth or poverty of the offerers. This shows the adaptability and all-sufficiency of the sacrifice to the need of all. The expanse of the offering was reduced to a handful of flour, which was within the reach of even the poorest. The grace of God brings salvation to all. 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, or ever poor, but it lays hold on a strong and mighty Redeemer, Who alone is mighty to save! We may not fully grasp all that Jesus has done for us as our guilt offering, yet we are perfectly and wondrously forgiven all the same. Thank God there are no degrees of justification before God Almighty. All these various offerings represent the one sacrifice for the sins of the people.

Along with these thought, let’s also consider this–

Substitution. In every case, the offering was for the offerer. In the same way, Christ loved us and He gave Himself for us! He died for our sins.

Restoration. Jesus Christ, by the offering of Himself, has restored that which sin and unbelief had taken away. Since we ourselves have received so much from our guilt offering, surely we should be quick to restore to our brothers and sisters that which we have taken from them. Freely we have received, freely we should give.

Compensation, 5:16 We are to give compensation to anybody we wronged in any way, because there is in this offering as a type of Christ, not only the payment of a debt, but also the full compensation of God for loss sustained through the ruin of man by sin. This is a remarkable thing wrought on our behalf by our Savior! The death of Christ made amends to God for our guilt and added the “fifth part” of a glorious Church to the eternal praise of His holy Name.

3. The Condition, 5:5 This verse suggests a confession of particular things. The guilt offering dealt with these, and may have special reference to the sins of the backslider, which must be confessed in detail before restoration can be made. There must be–

Acceptance. This person must be willing to accept God’s only way of deliverance from guilt, and to be obedient to His Word.

4. The promise, 5:10 This wonderful verse contains a double promise, giving a double assurance.

Atonement made for him. The priest shall make an atonement for Him. This work is done outside the offerer. This is what Christ has done for us.

Forgiveness extended. We are justified freely by His marvelous grace. Acts 13:38 tells us: Therefore, my brothers, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you.

Numbers 13 and 14

In the Bible, we are told that the carnal mind is enmity against God in Romans 8:7.  This means that unless and until a sinner’s mind is changed toward to God, God’s grace and faithfulness will be never appreciated by that sinner.  As in these two chapters of Israel’s history, they may spy the beautiful land but really see it.  They may hear of its goodness and glory, but its all gibberish.  Until the heart is right with God, all is wrong. The inability to believe God naturally flows out of the carnal heart like water down a hill.  Water always flows down, it never flows up.  The sinful man won’t believe because he cannot.  No amount of proof or evidence will change the human mind.  The Israelites had abundant proof and look at them.  John 6:63 makes it clear:  it is the Spirit Himself that gives life. 

So then, unbelief— 

1.  Sees human ingenuity as the solution to every problem. 

But the men who had gone up with him said, “We can’t attack those people; they are stronger than we are.”—Numbers 13:31 

“We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them.”—Numbers 13:33 

People who think they can succeed without God are deluding themselves.  Many believers are attempting obtain the blessings of God without faith in God.  How can a person—a helpless sinner or a child of God—overcome the giants of evil from within and from without?  How can people get over the walls of habitual sin they have built around them?  How can anybody climb out of the rut of depression, fear and anxiety?  Measure your trials and tribulations against your own abilities, and you may well say, “I am not able!” 

It is good when a sinner makes this confession for it is the first step toward their salvation.  But for the believer to make this confession it is just plain sad.  There are blessings—high blessings—in God’s Word promised to His people:  perpetual peace, joy, strength and victory.  Like Nehemiah, we must measure all our problems with his attitude:  Then answered I them, and said unto them, The God of heaven, he will prosper us.—Nehemiah 2:20 

2.  Makes void the Word of God. 

“The land we explored devours those living in it.”—Numbers 13:32 

So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey.—Exodus 3:8 

Here we see puny man daring to contradict an Almighty God. Unbelief will always contradict God because unbelief can only make judgments based on appearance. 

Anyone who does not believe God has made him out to be a liar.—1 John 5:10

God’s Word promises pardon, peace and paradise to all who believe on Jesus Christ, yet the unbelieving heart thinks Christianity devours up its followers because worldly pleasures are no longer sought after.  God says, “Look and live.”  Unbelief says “Work and live.”  God’s Word says Christ’s ways are wisdom; they are ways that lead to peace.  Unbelief says we would have to give up all pleasure to walk in His way. Hebrews 4:2 says— 

For we also have had the gospel preached to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because those who heard did not combine it with faith. 

3.  Despises God’s provision 

So the men Moses had sent to explore the land, who returned and made the whole community grumble against him by spreading a bad report about it.—Numbers 14:36 

Then they despised the pleasant land; they did not believe his promise.—Psalm 106:24 

God had provided and good and fruitful land for His people, yet they saw no beauty in it and had no desire to possess it.  In fact, they made excuses against it! 

Christ and His precious promises are God’s provision to the sinner, yet how often are they are despised and He is slandered.  But you know, Christ is also slandered and His promises despised in His own house!  You bring slander upon the land when you profess to be a Christian, yet live like you aren’t.  You despise God’s provision when you trust your own goodness and your own abilities at the expense of living by faith in Christ.  You despise God’s provision when you pray to be excused: 

“But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said, ‘I have just bought a field, and I must go and see it. Please excuse me.’—Luke 14:18 

4.  Dishonors God Himself

The LORD said to Moses, “How long will these people treat me with contempt? How long will they refuse to believe in me, in spite of all the miraculous signs I have performed among them?—Numbers 14:11

In the Garden of Eden when Eve chose to believe Satan, she discredited the Lord.  When we chose to believe to do our own will and go our own way we disbelieve God and discredit Him. 

God brought these people out of Egypt, He had forgiven them all their sins, yet they doubted Him and didn’t trust Him.  Has God not been gracious to you?  Have you not seen God’s Hand on your life?  How often have you rebelled against Him?  You may wonder how bad is it to occasionally go your own way?  It was unbelief that drove the nails into Christ’s hands and feet.  It was unbelief that pierced His side.  If you are choosing to not listen to God’s Word, you are crucifying Him all over again. 

5.  Is the source of sin and sorrow

Numbers 14:1—4

How easy it is to believe a bad report!  Those who chose to disbelieve God and believe something or someone else will weep and wail.  Unbelief excludes God and prefers darkness to light, sorrow and misery to peach and joy.  It is faith in God and hope in God that wipes your tears away.

Unbelief shuts out the Holy Spirit’s still, small voice of guidance and cries out, “We should choose a leader and go back to Egypt,” (verse 4b).  How foolish is the person who refused to accept the blessings of God!

Remember when the disciples met Jesus on the road to Emmaus, and they didn’t recognize Him?  The account is in Luke 24:13—27.  His friends didn’t recognize even though they were discussing Scriptures about Him!  They didn’t believe what they were reading.  Why is there so much sadness in the world?  Because people don’t believe Him.

6.  Presumes to succeed without God

Nevertheless, in their presumption they went up toward the high hill country. 

The foolish virgins came knocking at the door after it was shut and locked.  Samson had fallen so far from God, he didn’t even know when God had left him (Judges 16:20).   

This is the sad presumption of every sinner:  that God will bless them even though they don’t believe God’s Word.  Believers are the same; they expect God to bless them when they don’t obey God’s Word.  Many believers are like the children of Israel in Exodus 16:27—

Nevertheless, some of the people went out on the seventh day to gather it, but they found none.

They were a day late and a dollar short.  Like many Christians.

7.  Incurs the sentence of death

In this desert your bodies will fall—every one of you twenty years old or more who was counted in the census and who has grumbled against me.

Talk about solemn!  Unbelief will keep a person out of heaven.  God is merciful, but He is not to be trifled with.  The punishment of the unbelieving is as certain as the blessedness of the believing. 

“Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”—Matthew 25:46

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).

3. The Peace or Fellowship Offering

Leviticus 3

Fellowship through Christ

In the peace offering, we see Jesus Christ as the Way.  In the grain offering, we see this same Jesus as the Truth. And in the burnt offering, Jesus is pictured as the Life.  In Leviticus 3, the peace offering is presented in three aspects. 

1. The Ox, verse 1
2. The Lamb, verse 7
3. The Goat, verse 12

As the ox, Christ is pictured as strong and patient; as the lamb He is meek and gentle and as the goat, despised and rejected.  So these three aspects of the offering represent three aspects of Christ’s character.  Notice the following— 

1.  It could be male or female, verse 1

In Christ, there is neither male nor female, we are all one in Him. 

2.  It must be without blemish before the Lord, verse 1 

Standing before God in the merits of Christ, all believers are without blemish within or without. 

3.  There must be identification, verse 2 

A peace-maker must be worthy of the trust of both parties.  The atoning Blood of Christ, shed for all, justifies only those who by faith identify themselves with it, Romans 5:1 

4.  There must be death, verse 2 

If we are saved by His life, it is His life from the dead.  The life of Christ before the Cross could save nobody; it was evidence of His fitness to be the sinner’s substitute before God.  Without the shedding of blood, there is no remission of sins. 

5. The blood must be sprinkled on the altar, verse 2 

The altar signifies the just claims of God.  To Him atonement must be made.  The propitiation or covering from sin made by the death and resurrection of Christ is wide enough for all.  The blood on the altar speaks of God’s acceptance of the offering. 

6. The offering was made by fire, verse 3

The fire of God’s judgment has to fall upon all so peace can come to the sinful soul. He suffered for us, the Just for unjust, that He might bring us closer to God.  In verses 3 to 5 we see that all the choice parts of the offering were laid upon the altar.  The love and energy of Christ were all directed to God’s glory. 

7.  It was a sweet savor to the Lord, verse 5 

This does not mean a cold, bare satisfaction, as if only a debt had been paid, but a sweet delight, as one receiving a great gift.  God the Father will be glorified through all eternity because of His Son’s obedience unto death, Isa. 42:1 

8.  The offerer had a portion of the offering, 7:34 

The breast and shoulder were taken by the Lord and given back to the offerer.  This is most significant because the breast speaks of affection, the shoulder of strength; both are given to us through Jesus Christ.  Love and power come to us by His Cross. 

9.  It could be eaten on the same day it was offered, 19:5, 6 

Peace and soul satisfaction come at once when Christ the peace offering is truly trusted.  Instant faith results in instant salvation.

10.  It was to be eaten until the third day, 19:6 

The third day points to the resurrection.  We feed on the love and rest in the strength of our glorified Redeemer until resurrection morning.  The breast and the shoulder will keep us till the day dawns and the shadows flee away, when we shall see Him as He is, and forever be like Him.