Sat.’s Devo - Forgiveness

Read: Leviticus 4:1-5:19; Mark 2:13-3:6; Psalm 36:1-12; Proverbs 10:1-2 The sin offering was the “chatta’t” in Hebrew. It was to be offered when a person found out he had unintentionally committed a sin against any of the Lord’s commandments. If it was the priest who sinned he was to offer a young bull as a sacrifice and lay his hands on the head of the bull. Then he was to sprinkle its blood seven times before the Lord in front of the veil of the sanctuary. Blood was also to be put on the horns of the altar of incense and the rest of the loved was to be poured at the base of the altar of the brazen altar. The fat, two kidneys and fatty lobe of the liver was to be burnt on the altar and there rest of the bull was to be carried outside the camp to be burnt along with the ashes of the offering on the altar. *** If the whole congregation found they had unintentionally sinned against the Lord’s commandments the same sacrifice was to be offered only just the fat was offered on the brazen altar. *** If a ruler found he had done something unintentionally, he was to offer a goat instead of a bull. The blood was only put on the horns of the brazen altar and the rest poured at its base. *** If the common people sinned unintentionally and then realized they had sinned against the Lord, they were to bring a female kid goat or a female lamb and lay his hand on its head. It was to be killed and the priest would put blood on the horns of the brazen altar and pour the rest at its base. All the fat was to be removed and burnt on the altar. Then their sins would be forgiven. *** It is not hard to see that Jesus did this for us on the cross and was crucified outside of the camp. When we are convicted of our sin, we accept the atoning sacrifice of Jesus and we are forgiven. *** The trespass offering was the “asham”in Hebrew. It was also known was the guilt offering or the offering of reparation. It was prepared when one violated the sanctity of God’s property or another person’s. It was usually done by lying or giving false testimony or not coming forth with the truth. *** The violator was to bring a female goat or lamb to the priest. If he couldn’t afford these he could bring two turtle doves or two young pigeons. One would be the sin offering and the other the burnt offering. The blood of the sin offering was to be put on the sides of the altar and at it base and the other was to be burnt on the altar. If the person couldn’t afford the birds then a grain offering could be given. *** If the sin regarded harm done to something then he must pay for the holy thing and add one fifth to it. This is much like our “pain and suffering” clause in insurance policy’s today. *** The result of all these sacrifices was forgiveness for the sin. *** In Mark, Jesus went to the areas around the sea and the multitudes came to hear him. He passed by the tax office and saw Matthew the tax collector sitting at his table. He told him to follow him and he rose up and did. Jesus ate at his house with Matthew and his friends and the scribes and Pharisees accused of eating with sinners. He told them that he didn’t come to the well who didn’t need him but he came to the sick to call them to repentance. *** During the feast where they were to fast, Jesus disciples didn’t fast. When they asked him about this he replied, “Can the friends of the bridegroom fast while the bridegroom is with them… but the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them and then they will fast.” Then he added that you wouldn’t sew a new piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment or else it would pull away from the old and make the tear worse. And, no one would put new win into old wineskins, or else the new wine would burst the wineskins. New wine must be put into new wineskins. *** Jesus was referring to the new he was bringing. They had to be born again to receive the new doctrine he was bringing. *** To prove his point, Jesus did something that he knew would break their tradition. He had his disciples pluck the heads of the grain on the Sabbath. He explained that the Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath. The Sabbath was a gift, not a curse and Jesus was the Lord of the Sabbath. (I bet that ticked them off.) *** He emphasized it further by healing the man with the withered hand on the Sabbath in the synagogue. He explained that he was good to do good on the Sabbath and bring life. It grieved the Lord to see the hardness of their hearts. *** Lord, may we not worry about what the evil people are doing but set our hearts to follow you.