Leviticus 5:1-19 (CLICK HERE FOR BIBLE VERSES)
Hi GAMErs,
Today’s passage is Leviticus 5:1-19. With a humble heart, see what sticks out to you in this passage. Is there a verse, a phrase, or a lesson you think the Holy Spirit may be highlighting for you in this passage? After you’ve thought about the passage yourself a bit, read the GAME sharing below. Let’s go!
Leviticus 5:1 (NIV)
1 “‘If a person sins because he does not speak up when he hears a public charge to testify regarding something he has seen or learned about, he will be held responsible.
On verse 1: Often we think that sinning is when we do bad things. Verse 1 shows us that failing to do the good that we know we ought to do is sin. For example, refusing to speak up against injustice is sin. James 4:17 says “Anyone who knows the good he ought to do and doesn’t do it, sins”. That’s how high God’s moral standards are. For God, holiness is not just about avoiding wrong; it’s about always doing what is right. Anything less than that is sin in God’s eyes. Praise God that even though all of us have sinned, God has given us His Son Jesus to save us from our sins.
Leviticus 5:2-13 (NIV)
2 “‘Or if a person touches anything ceremonially unclean–whether the carcasses of unclean wild animals or of unclean livestock or of unclean creatures that move along the ground–even though he is unaware of it, he has become unclean and is guilty.
3 “‘Or if he touches human uncleanness–anything that would make him unclean–even though he is unaware of it, when he learns of it he will be guilty.
4 “‘Or if a person thoughtlessly takes an oath to do anything, whether good or evil–in any matter one might carelessly swear about–even though he is unaware of it, in any case when he learns of it he will be guilty.
5 “‘When anyone is guilty in any of these ways, he must confess in what way he has sinned
6 and, as a penalty for the sin he has committed, he must bring to the LORD a female lamb or goat from the flock as a sin offering; and the priest shall make atonement for him for his sin.
7 “‘If he cannot afford a lamb, he is to bring two doves or two young pigeons to the LORD as a penalty for his sin–one for a sin offering and the other for a burnt offering.
8 He is to bring them to the priest, who shall first offer the one for the sin offering. He is to wring its head from its neck, not severing it completely,
9 and is to sprinkle some of the blood of the sin offering against the side of the altar; the rest of the blood must be drained out at the base of the altar. It is a sin offering.
10 The priest shall then offer the other as a burnt offering in the prescribed way and make atonement for him for the sin he has committed, and he will be forgiven.
11 “‘If, however, he cannot afford two doves or two young pigeons, he is to bring as an offering for his sin a tenth of an ephah of fine flour for a sin offering. He must not put oil or incense on it, because it is a sin offering.
12 He is to bring it to the priest, who shall take a handful of it as a memorial portion and burn it on the altar on top of the offerings made to the LORD by fire. It is a sin offering.
13 In this way the priest will make atonement for him for any of these sins he has committed, and he will be forgiven. The rest of the offering will belong to the priest, as in the case of the grain offering.'”
On verses 2-13: These verses are talking about what happens when a person sins “even though he is unaware of it”. Notice that the phrase “even though he is unaware of it” is found in verses 2-4. It goes to show that we can sin against God and against people without being aware of it. In other words, “Sorry I didn’t know” is not an excuse for our sin. That is why David would pray in Psalm 19, “Forgive my hidden faults”, i.e. those sins I committed that I’m not even aware of.
When we become aware that we have sinned, even if we sinned unintentionally, we want to be proactive in dealing with it, confessing it and looking to God for mercy.
In verses 5-13 we see God making a way for an Israelite to be forgiven when they sinned unintentionally, by sacrificing an animal with the help of a priest. That way, whether a person was rich or poor, regardless of their background, everyone could find forgiveness for sin. Similarly, regardless of your background, God made a way for all of us to be forgiven, even for sins that we weren’t aware that we committed: He sent Jesus Christ to be the sacrifice for all our sins, both the ones we are fully aware of and the ones we have no idea about.
Leviticus 5:14-19 (NIV)
14 The LORD said to Moses:
15 “When a person commits a violation and sins unintentionally in regard to any of the LORD’s holy things, he is to bring to the LORD as a penalty a ram from the flock, one without defect and of the proper value in silver, according to the sanctuary shekel. It is a guilt offering.
16 He must make restitution for what he has failed to do in regard to the holy things, add a fifth of the value to that and give it all to the priest, who will make atonement for him with the ram as a guilt offering, and he will be forgiven.
17 “If a person sins and does what is forbidden in any of the LORD’s commands, even though he does not know it, he is guilty and will be held responsible.
18 He is to bring to the priest as a guilt offering a ram from the flock, one without defect and of the proper value. In this way the priest will make atonement for him for the wrong he has committed unintentionally, and he will be forgiven.
19 It is a guilt offering; he has been guilty of wrongdoing against the LORD.”
On verses 14-19: These verses are talking specifically about when an Israelite sins unintentionally “in regard to any of the Lord’s holy things” (v15). What does that mean? It’s about not treating as holy something that God calls holy. This can happen, for example, when we unintentionally use His holy name in vain, or when we unintentionally treat people whom God calls holy with less than the amount of care, respect and honour they are due. This can happen when we unintentionally treat our own bodies and other people’s bodies (which are the temple of the Holy Spirit – 1 Corinthians 6:19-20) dishonourably. In verses 16-19, God provides a way for that person to be forgiven. That person is to pay for whatever damage they caused, add a fifth to it, as well as sacrifice a ram.
What can we learn from this?
First, we want to be sensitive and aware of what – and whom – God considers holy. We want to treat those people and things whom God considers holy with the appropriate amount of honour and respect.
Second, when we sin, especially against others, we should do what we can not just to make things whole again but to “add a fifth to it”, that is, to make things even better.
Thank You Jesus that because You offered Yourself on the cross as the perfect sin offering and guilt offering, we can be forgiven of every single sin, even those that we commit unintentionally. May I treat as holy everything and everyone that You call holy. In Jesus’ name, AMEN!
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