The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Leviticus 4:2,
"When anyone sins unintentionally and does what is forbidden in any of the Lord's commands... "
This is how the introduction to the sin offering begins. The sin offering, while used in various ways, is defined for us here as to atone for a known sin that was committed unintentionally. When a person recognizes, after the fact, they had sinned in some manner, this was an offering the Lord provided for the Israelites to atone for that sin to bring a renewed fellowship with him. In this chapter four groups of people are in view, with their respective instructions: the "anointed priest ", the whole congregation, one of the leaders of Israel and one of the common people.
Bob Deffingbaugh, a pastor at Community Bible Chapel in Richardson, Texas wrote a rather good article on the sin offering. It can be found at https://bible.org/seriespage/5-sin-offering-leviticus-41-513-624-30. In his conclusion he makes an interesting observation, "Then, too, let us be reminded of the seriousness of sin. God takes sin very seriously. God takes unintentional sin more seriously than we take willful sin. And God takes willful sin even more seriously than we wish to think about..."
He closes the article with these words, "Finally, I must say to you that 'ignorance is not bliss,' in spite of those who would have you think so. The Israelites were held accountable for the sins they committed ignorantly. Many contemporary Christians seem to think that if they don't study their Bibles, if they don't familiarize themselves with the standards and principles God has given in the Bible, they will not be responsible for their sins committed in ignorance. Not so! The Sin Offering strongly suggests that we had better become careful students of the revealed Word of God, for it is disobedience to His word that constitutes sin."
Here is yet further testimony that believers should become very knowledgeable when it comes to their Bibles!
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.
"When anyone sins unintentionally and does what is forbidden in any of the Lord's commands... "
This is how the introduction to the sin offering begins. The sin offering, while used in various ways, is defined for us here as to atone for a known sin that was committed unintentionally. When a person recognizes, after the fact, they had sinned in some manner, this was an offering the Lord provided for the Israelites to atone for that sin to bring a renewed fellowship with him. In this chapter four groups of people are in view, with their respective instructions: the "anointed priest ", the whole congregation, one of the leaders of Israel and one of the common people.
Bob Deffingbaugh, a pastor at Community Bible Chapel in Richardson, Texas wrote a rather good article on the sin offering. It can be found at https://bible.org/seriespage/5-sin-offering-leviticus-41-513-624-30. In his conclusion he makes an interesting observation, "Then, too, let us be reminded of the seriousness of sin. God takes sin very seriously. God takes unintentional sin more seriously than we take willful sin. And God takes willful sin even more seriously than we wish to think about..."
He closes the article with these words, "Finally, I must say to you that 'ignorance is not bliss,' in spite of those who would have you think so. The Israelites were held accountable for the sins they committed ignorantly. Many contemporary Christians seem to think that if they don't study their Bibles, if they don't familiarize themselves with the standards and principles God has given in the Bible, they will not be responsible for their sins committed in ignorance. Not so! The Sin Offering strongly suggests that we had better become careful students of the revealed Word of God, for it is disobedience to His word that constitutes sin."
Here is yet further testimony that believers should become very knowledgeable when it comes to their Bibles!
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.
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