Sacrifices and the Law: Bible Survey for New Christians.
Leviticus 5:14–19
Summary:
The trespass offering in sacrilege
and in sins of ignorance
5:14. Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying:
5:15. “If a person commits a trespass, and sins unintentionally in regard to the holy things of the Lord, then he shall bring to the Lord as his trespass offering a ram without blemish from the flocks, with your valuation in shekels of silver according to the shekel of the sanctuary, as a trespass offering.
5:16. “And he shall make restitution for the harm that he has done in regard to the holy thing, and shall add one-fifth to it and give it to the priest. So the priest shall make atonement for him with the ram of the trespass offering, and it shall be forgiven him.
5:17. “If a person sins, and commits any of these things which are forbidden to be done by the commandments of the Lord, though he does not know it, yet he is guilty and shall bear his iniquity.
5:18. “And he shall bring to the priest a ram without blemish from the flock, with your valuation, as a trespass offering. So the priest shall make atonement for him regarding his ignorance in which he erred and did not know it, and it shall be forgiven him.
5:19. “It is a trespass offering; he has certainly trespassed against the Lord.”
Comments:
Sin requires payment. In Bible times, this was done with a ram, and silver, and an extra fifth to give to the priest. In presenting this sacrifice, the tresspass of that person was forgiven.
The ram was required to be killed to cover sins. Today we have the gift of Jesus, and the prie he paid for us by laying down his life in our place. The silver was used in the temple service, and the extra percentage was for the priest himself. Even if a person doesn’t realize a thing is a sin, it is no excuse, and once it does become know, the price still needs to be paid.
God will always take a person back. Forgiveness is waiting, all that needs to b done is claim the sacrifice that Jesus has already presented, and performed on our behalf.
The ram is a stand in for Jesus. A living being who was sacrificed. Silver was also used. It has no life in itself. It is valuable, not as valuable as gold, but was more common. As a sacrifice it seems to be more symbolic than a true sacrifice.
The ram seems to be a stand in for Jesus, and the silver seems to be a stand in for us. I may be wrong, but consider a few things about silver.
*It comes from the earth in an impure state. We begin in an impure, sinful state.
*Silver is refined and becomes purified. As believers, we reach a point where we are purified by encountering God’s word.
*Silver then obtains it’s real value and usability. You can make useful things with it: cups, bowls, or other utensils. It can be made into things that just have value: jewelry, coins, artwork. God can use his believers in his kingdom like that as well.
A sacrifice carries a hefty price, but it is required to make up the lack that sin, and our own tresspasses have caused. Claim Jesus to make it right to God, and become purified as refined silver, so he can make something useful and valuale out of your life.