Wed.’s Devo - The Importance of the Sin Offering

Read: Lev. 4-6
First, we read about the procedures for the sin offering. They start with the sin of the leader, the High Priest. His sin affects the whole community just as what our leaders do affects our whole nation. He must atone with a sin offering. Notice that it doesn’t matter if he sinned intentionally or not; if he broke the law, he is held accountable. The same goes of the entire Israelite community, a leader, or a common person. They are guilty whether they knew it was a sin or not. When they realize it was a sin then they bring their offering to the Lord to atone for their sin. That is where we are blessed. If we sin unintentionally, we have an advocate, Jesus who already took care of it. We just need to thank him and repent.
If one of the people was an eye witness to a sin, it was required that they come forward with the truth or they would be in sin. To touch something unclean requires a sin offering. To us these mean that if we know the truth and don’t speak it then we are wrong and need to repent and speak the truth no matter the consequence. If we join in a sin and then we are convicted of it, we need to repent and turn from it.
The quilt offering seems to have to do with defiling the Lord’s sacred property. Then, that would be anything that had to do with the Tabernacle or the priests. So to us that would be talking against the church or the leaders. They were to bring an offering to the one they offended. We are to bless those that we have wronged and ask their forgiveness. Jesus said to love our enemies and do good to those who wrong us.
The guilt offering went further than the sacred objects and priests to the people they worked with. God calls all people his sacred possession. That is why Jesus told us that the second greatest commandment was to love others as you love yourself.
The sin offering was the most holy offering because Jesus was the most holy sacrifice to end all sacrifices.
Lord, help us to honor You in our walk and love our neighbor and treat everyone with honor.