On the day after I heard bad news about a young friend, I am reading about sin. This is such a hard word for our society to swallow - I’m tempted to say that we’re in denial about it. But the truth is a little more complicated, I feel. There’s a sickness in our society, that puts intolerable pressures on us, especially the young. I think I’m going to find that the Israelites were given a short way of dealing with this sickness.
The sin offering for the whole congregation
Leviticus 4:13-21
The sin offering for a ruler and for any of the people
Leviticus 22:35
Concerning the sin offering
Leviticus 6:24-30
Concerning various sins
Leviticus 5:1-13
Concerning sins against the Lord
Leviticus 5:14-19
Concerning sins against our neighbour
Leviticus 6:1-7
Concerning the guilt offering
Leviticus 7:1-10
Instructions to Aaron and his sons about offerings
Leviticus 10:8-20
Leviticus 4 makes it abundantly clear: if you sin unintentionally, you are guilty. “It’s not my fault,” is no defence. You have incurred a debt, and it must be paid off as soon as possible. Take an animal to the altar.
There is great emphasis on the holiness of the sacrifices. Aaron and his family are allowed to eat certain of them; no one else is. These transactions between the priests and God are sacred, they must be carried out precisely and carefully.
It makes me think about our banking system. Why? you are probably asking. There’s no room for error in a financial transaction When you sign a cheque, or tap your PIN into a little machine, you need to know that precisely the right amount of money is moved between precisely the right two bank accounts. There is no room for error. Similarly with the sacrifices. They are almost financial in their exactitude. Aaron and his sons have got to get it right.
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