Chronological Bible Study – Feb 14

What I Noticed Today (Leviticus 5-7)

Leviticus 5

Leviticus 5 deals with what is called trespass & guilt offerings.

In verses 1-4, these included people who refuse to be a witness, someone who touches something unclean, and someone who makes a rash oath.

In verses 5-6, the person who sinned in this way is to bring a female goat or lamb as a sin offering, and the priest will make atonement for his sin.

In verses 7-14, the sin offering for a poor person is described:

• If the person could not afford an animal from the flock, he could bring two turtledoves or two pigeons; one as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering.
• In this way, the priest will make atonement for his sin.
• If the person could not afford turtledoves or pigeons, he may bring two quarts of fine flour.
• The priest will burn a portion of the flour on the altar as a sin offering.
• In this way, the priest will make atonement for his sin, and the remainder of the flour will belong to the priest.

In verses 14-19, the sin offering for unintentionally violating something holy is described:

• The person must make a restitution offering of an unblemished ram before the Lord.
• In addition, a penalty of 20% of the value was also assessed and given to the priest.
• Then the priest will make atonement for him, and he will be forgiven.

Leviticus 6

Leviticus 6 describes the guilt offering for misappropriation of another person’s property, and the priest’s duties with regard to burnt, grain, and sin offerings.

The beginning of Chapter 6 mentions six examples: a deposit given for safekeeping, an investment made in business, theft, property acquired through fraud, keeping the lost property, and false testimony.

In verses 1-7, the guilt offering for violation of property rights is described:

• If a person sins and offends the Lord by deceiving or defrauding his neighbor, finds something and lies about it, or swears falsely, he must return what was stolen or lost, or whatever he swore falsely about.
• He must make full restitution to the owner and add a fifth (20%) to it.
• Then he must bring a restitution offering of an unblemished ram to the Lord and give it to the priest.
• The priest will make atonement on his behalf, and he will be forgiven.

In verses 8-13, the priest’s duties with regard to the burnt offering are described:

• The Lord spoke to Moses and said the burnt offering must remain on the altar all night, and the fire must be kept burning.
• The priest is to put on his linen robe and linen undergarments and remove the burnt ashes and place them beside the altar.
• Then he must put on other clothes and take the ashes outside the camp to a ceremonially clean place.
• The fire must be kept burning at all times.
• He is to arrange the burnt offering and the fat portions of the fellowship offerings on the altar every day.

In verses 14-23, the priest’s duties with regard to the grain offering are described:

• Aaron’s sons will present the grain offering before the Lord in front of the altar.
• The priest will remove a handful of fine flour, olive oil, and frankincense and burn it as a pleasing aroma to the Lord.
• Aaron and his sons may eat the rest of the offering.
• It is to be eaten as unleavened bread in a holy place, the courtyard of the tent of meeting.
• It is not to be eaten with leaven; it is holy like the sin offering and the restitution offering.
• Any of Aaron’s male descendants may eat it.
• Aaron and his sons must present an offering before the Lord on the day he is anointed of two quarts of fine flour as a grain offering, half in the morning and a half in the evening.
• It is to be prepared with oil, kneaded, and baked on a griddle.
• It was to be burned completely on the altar.

In verses 24-30, the priest’s duties with regard to the sin offering are described:

• The sin offering is most holy and must be slaughtered before the Lord, where the burnt offering is slaughtered.
• The priest who makes the sin offering is to eat it in a holy place in the courtyard of the tent of meeting.
• Anything it touches will become holy.
• If any of its blood splashes on a garment, the garment must be washed in a holy place.
• A clay pot in which the offering is boiled must be broken. A bronze vessel must be scrubbed and rinsed with water.
• Any male among the priest may eat it; it is holy.
• No sin offering may be eaten if its blood has been brought into the tent of meeting to make atonement; it must be burned up.

Some additional thoughts for consideration:

• There are nine examples of atonement and forgiveness mentioned in these three chapters. It’s important to note that in each case, the sacrifice, atonement, and forgiveness were made for unintentional or unknown sins.
• In the case of the sin offerings, the person making the offering was required to lay hands on the animal that was slaughtered. It made very personal the connection between the sin and the spilled blood of the animal.

Leviticus 7

Leviticus 7 deals with the guilt offering and peace offerings.

In verses 1-6, the law regarding the restitution (guilt) offering is provided:

• The guilt offering was a mandatory offering of a male ram or lamb when a person had either deprived another of their rights or desecrated something that was holy. The rules for the guilt offering were the same as the rules for the sin offering.
• The priest will burn the fat, the liver, and the kidneys on the altar fire.
• Any male among the priests may eat the remainder of the offering. It is holy and must be eaten in a holy place.
• Any grain offering baked in an oven or prepared on a griddle will belong to the priest who offers it. Any grain offering mixed with oil will belong equally to all of Aaron’s sons.

In verses 11-21, the law regarding the fellowship (peace) offering is provided:

• The peace (or fellowship) offering was a voluntary offering of any unblemished animal, or grain. It symbolized thankfulness to God for a specific blessing, an expression of a vow, or thankfulness to God in general.
• Unleavened cakes mixed with oil, wafers mixed with oil, or fine flour mixed with oil may be presented as an offering of thanksgiving. It belongs to the priest who offered the fellowship offering.
• The meat of a fellowship offering must be eaten the day it is offered; it must not be left until morning.
• If the offering is in fulfillment of a vow or a freewill offering, it is to be eaten the day it is offered, but may also be eaten the next day. Any meat that remains on the third day must be burned.
• Meat that touches anything unclean must not be eaten; it is to be burned up.
• Everyone who is clean may eat any other meat.
• If anyone eats any of the Lord’s fellowship offering while he is unclean must be cut off from his people.

In verses 22-27, the consumption of fat and blood are prohibited:

• Very strong admonitions were made against eating the fat or the blood of an animal that was an offering.
• The penalty was being cut off from the rest of the nation!
• The fat of an animal that dies naturally or is mauled by another animal may be used for any purpose, but may not be eaten.

In verses 28-37, the Lord gives Moses instructions for the portion of fellowship offerings that belong to the priests:

• The one who presents a fellowship offering must bring a portion to the Lord.
• He will bring the fat with the breast.
• The breast is waved before the Lord and belongs to Aaron and his sons.
• The fat is given to the priest who burns it on the altar
• The right thigh is given to the priest as a contribution from the fellowship offering.
• The breast was to be shared among the body of priests and their families, and the right thigh is to be given to the priest who makes the offering. These are a permanent provision to Aaron and his sons.

What did you notice in your study today? Feel free to visit the website and leave a question or a comment.

Tomorrow: Day 46 Leviticus 8-10