The sin offering is never said to be a “sweet savour” unto the Lord! As was the whole burnt offering and the meat offering and the peace offering! This must be because the sin offering ESPECIALLY, FUNDAMENTALLY pictures Jesus bearing our sin on the Cross! Sin is NOT sweet smelling to God, rather it “stinks” as an abomination.

So for that reason, I guess, I suspected that the sin offering was not considered especially holy unto the Lord.

God would not even allow the skin and flesh of the sacrificed animal (in the sin offering) to be burnt inside the tabernacle! ON the brass altar! it had to be carried outside the city gates to be reduced to ashes!

Still, I suspected, it must not have been particularly “holy,” with such clear rejection in view!

But I was wrong!

Not only did God classify the sin offering holy, but “MOST HOLY!” A surprising fact indeed!

Now it is true that the BLOOD of the sin offering was to be presented to God! “And the priest shall dip his finger in the blood, and sprinkle of the blood seven times before the LORD, before the vail of the sanctuary. And the priest shall put some of the blood upon the horns of the altar of sweet incense before the LORD, which is in the tabernacle of the congregation; and shall pour all the blood of the bullock at the bottom of the altar of the burnt offering, which is at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.” Leviticus 4:6-7

And it is also true that the FAT of the bullock was to be sacrificed (burned) unto the Lord, at the huge altar of sacrifice, the brass altar. “And the two kidneys, and the fat that is upon them, which is by the flanks, and the caul above the liver, with the kidneys, it shall he take away, as it was taken off from the bullock of the sacrifice of peace offerings: and the priest shall burn them upon the altar of the burnt offering.” Leviticus 4:9-10

The blood and the fat being the Lord God’s! So Jesus, even as our sin offering, first presented Himself to God the Father as an acceptable sacrifice … His BLOOD and the FAT (the richest part of an animal In God’s estimation) given … GOD BEING CONSIDERED FIRST AND FOREMOST EVEN IN AN OFFERING OF EXPIATION! (It may not have smelled good to the Father, reeking of our filthy sin, but it sure was HOLY unto the Father! Because it involved His Beloved, Only Begotten Son!)

But, as I earlier said, the rest of the beast (an ox, a bullock, was the first example God used here) was to be taken AWAY and burned! “And the skin of the bullock, and all his flesh, with his head, and with his legs, and his inwards, and his dung, Even the whole bullock shall he carry forth WITHOUT (OUTSIDE) THE CAMP unto a clean place, where the ashes are poured out, and burn him on the wood with fire: where the ashes are poured out shall he be burnt.” Leviticus 4:11-12, a picture of Jesus being consumed by the burning Wrath of God (as the Substitute for us, for our sin) “outside” the city of Jerusalem!

But, with all this obvious rejection carefully noted, still God calls the sin offering … “MOST HOLY!”

Where, you might ask?

“Speak unto Aaron and to his sons, saying, This is the law of the SIN OFFERING: in the place where the burnt offering is killed shall the sin offering be killed before the LORD: it is MOST HOLY.” Leviticus 6:25, further instructions on the sin offering!

This means to me that even when Jesus was dying for our sin (on the cruel Cross) … even when He was rejected of God, forsaken by His Father … He was still (in His Father’s Eyes) … MOST HOLY!

Wow!

I feel that we have stood this morning “on holy ground!”

Paul used the expression once, and in a bad sense at that … “ever learning.” But I’d like to be that kind of Bible student, in a good sense … “ever learning!”

And I sure have learned some things today, about Jesus’ Death on that Hill (Mount Calvary) so long ago!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

To God be the Glory! And to His Darling Son Jesus as well! Let’s just say Thanks to the “Godhead,” Paul’s word again.

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The “sin offering” is special! The expression is used hundreds of times
(about 268, to be more precise) in the Bible.

Several things about this particular offering stand out, remain unique … each teaching us further truth about the Lord Jesus Christ, His death on Calvary.

One is this … the bulk of the offering (except the blood, the fat, the kidneys, all of which are burned on the brass altar as a sacrifice unto God Himself) is to be handled (by the priest) as follows: “the whole bullock (a huge ox) shall he carry forth without the camp unto a clean place … and burn him on the wood with fire.” Leviticus 4:12

Notice the words “without the camp.”

By the way, while the first three offerings were all voluntary, free will … the “sin offering” is compulsory! No choice, to be in proper standing with God!

In this offering, the predominant thought is our “sin!” (Unlike the burnt offering with Jesus’ total DEDICATION TO HIS FATHER in view. Or the meat offering where Jesus’ PERFECT HUMANITY is in view. Or the peace offering where our FELLOWSHIP WITH JESUS/GOD is in view.)

This is Jesus dying on the Cross … for the expiation (cleansing/forgiveness) of our sin and our sins!

This is Jesus dying under the Wrath of God, as our sin-bearer!

“Without the camp/outside the camp” … starkly suggests Jesus dying “out of fellowship” with His Father! (The first time ever!) It is pictured in Jesus’ wail: “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” (Psalm 22:1 and Matthew 27:46 and Mark 15:34)

Isaiah 53 picks up this thought, too. Verse 4: “Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, SMITTEN OF GOD, and afflicted.” Then again in verse 10: “Yet IT PLEASED THE LORD TO BRUISE (to crush) HIM; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin.”

“Outside the camp!”

Now read Hebrews 13:11-12, critical “sin offering” information … “For the bodies of those beasts, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned WITHOUT THE CAMP. Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered WITHOUT THE GATE.” Crucified outside the City Walls of Jerusalem!

Wow!

But there maybe even more here.

Jesus too was considered expelled, even “cursed” by Israel, by the Jews, by His Own people! (Whom He loved so dearly! As in Matthew 15:24 … “But He answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” As in Matthew 23:37 … “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!”)

I go further, citing Paul … “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, CURSED IS EVERY ONE THAT HANGETH ON A TREE.” Galatians 3:13, Jesus cursed, excommunicated, from the Temple area, from the whole City, the whole Nation! Nailed to a tree!

Read about it here: “Again the high priest asked him, and said unto him, Art thou the Christ, the Son of the Blessed? And Jesus said, I AM: and ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven. Then the high priest rent his clothes, and saith, What need we any further witnesses? Ye have heard the BLASPHEMY: what think ye? And they all condemned him to be guilty of death. And some began to spit on him, and to cover his face, and to buffet him …” Mark 14:61-65, where Jesus just said He was God, the great “I AM.”And for that, they condemned Him to death, severed Him from the religious community of His day!

They killed Him … away from the city!

Jesus … indeed the PERFECT FULFILLMENT of the Old Testament sin offering!

No wonder Paul incisively wrote: “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” 2 Corinthians 5:21

That is … “For he (God the Father) hath made him (Jesus, God the Son) to be sin for us, who (Jesus) knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him (in Jesus).”

The sin offering … in a verse!

Hallelujah, what a Saviour!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

Jesus, like that ox (bullock) was “burned” to ashes, under the “Fiery Wrath” of Almighty God, thus atoning (suffering for and expiating, atoning) our sins!

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Throughout Leviticus 4 and even into Leviticus 5 (both of which discuss the sin offering) we find an interesting term, “sprinkling” (used always regarding the blood of the innocent sacrifice quite recently presented to God).

Here are a few examples: “And the priest shall dip his finger in the blood, and SPRINKLE OF THE BLOOD seven times before the LORD, before the vail of the sanctuary.” Leviticus 4:6, within feet of the Mercy Seat itself!

Again in Leviticus 4:17 … “And the priest shall dip his finger in some of the BLOOD, and SPRINKLE IT seven times before the LORD, even before the vail.”

“And he (the priest) shall SPRINKLE OF THE BLOOD of the sin offering upon the side of the altar; and the rest of the blood shall be wrung out at the bottom of the altar: it is a sin offering.” Now from Leviticus chapter 5, verse 9.

The Hebrew verb “sprinkle” used here is “nazah,” meaning “to spurt!” As if the blood was just coming (gushing) from the severed artery of the dying sacrifice! Also it means “to spring up, to leap!” (Sounds “alive,” doesn’t it, still active, doing something?)

And God (His august Holiness, Righteousness, Justice) is thus satisfied (propitiated) when that blood is so sprinkled! (“And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.” Hebrews 9:22)

The blood is so Holy to God … that the Jews were even forbidden to ingest (to eat) any of it! No rare meat for the observant Israelite! And this command from God even predated the law of Moses! “But flesh with the life thereof, which is the BLOOD thereof, SHALL YE NOT EAT.” Quoting Genesis 9:4.

Only God gets/receives/accepts that blood!

But … and here’s the “point” of today’s Lesson, often when I am preaching and come across (especially in the New Testament) one of those Passages speaking of the “sprinkling” of blood … I have been somewhat puzzled! Because we are said (in Revelation 1:5 and 7:14) to be “washed” in the Blood of the Lamb! BIG DIFFERENCE, “washed” or “sprinkled,” or so it seemed to me.

Yet Peter clearly says we have been saved (chosen) … “according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and SPRINKLING of the blood of Jesus Christ.” 1 Peter 1:2, Father and Son and Holy Spirit!

Wow!

Then, this morning, it became “apparent!” I saw it! (It is amazing what happens as we study the Word of God! The Holy Spirit indeed is the real Teacher, the Illuminator!)

This blood the priests “sprinkled” in Old Testament days was an act they alone could do. The offerer did NOT sprinkle the blood of his sacrifice! He could slay it (at times) … but that sprinkling job was solely the priests! He took the blood before God, particularly in the sin offering! (Even into the very Holy of Holies on the Day of Atonement!)

Now hereafter … when I read about the “Blood of Sprinkling” in the New Testament I am going to see something that has little to do with me. I can sprinkle no blood! That’s the Job of the Priest, my High Priest, the Lord Jesus Christ! He sprinkled that Blood, His Own Blood!

In Hebrews 12:24 Paul is offering praise to God, and … “to JESUS the MEDIATOR (PRIEST) of the new covenant, and to the BLOOD OF SPRINKLING, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.”

Jesus (I believe) sprinkled his Own Blood (in the Heavenly Sanctuary) on the Altar near the very Presence of Almighty God!

I have been “washed” in the blood!

But that Blood only has it Power because Jesus (the offerer) gave (willingly shed) it on the Cross … then (the great High Priest) took it to Glory where He sprinkled it there on the real Mercy Seat! And the Father is hence totally satisfied!

Hallelujah!

If you feel I am reading too much into Hebrews 9:12-14, you will just have to overlook me! “Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by HIS OWN BLOOD he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?”

If the “sprinkled” blood of animals satisfied God (at least temporarily … until the Real Lamb could come) SURELY MUCH, MUCH MORE has the “sprinkled” BLOOD OF JESUS satisfied God (eternally) … thus meeting every need in the life of a believer!

Amazing!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

I have not been sprinkled with the Blood, I have been washed in that Blood! The “sprinkling” speaks of the Perfect Work Jesus my High Priest has accomplished (on my behalf) at the Right Hand of God Almighty!

Let me go worship Him a while …

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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I learned this earlier today, studying for this morning’s Lesson. A fact about the BLOOD of the animals (whatever type; ox or goat or lamb or dove) offered … was to be handled in slightly different ways!

If the offender was one of the “common people” … just a regular member of society … “The priest shall take of the blood thereof with his finger, and put it upon the horns of the altar of burnt offering, and shall pour out all the blood thereof at the bottom of the altar.” Leviticus 4:30 and 34, both verses being identical. The blood is “put” (the verb “nathan” in Hebrew, meaning “given”) on the tip ends (the horns) of the big brass altar at the door of the tabernacle. On the most prominent part of that altar! Then the remainder of the blood is to be poured out at the base of that altar. THIS IS THE ONLY PART OF THE TABERNACLE TO WHICH THAT COMMON MAN HAD ACCESS! THE ONLY PLACE HE COULD WITNESS THIS CRITICAL BLOOD RITUAL!

But if the man was a “priest” (a leader among the Israelites) … his sin being more visible and his access to God being more intimate … “The priest that is anointed shall take of the bullock’s blood, and bring it to the tabernacle of the congregation: and the priest shall dip his finger in the blood, and sprinkle of the blood seven times before the LORD, before the vail of the sanctuary. And the priest shall put some of the blood upon the horns of the altar of sweet incense before the LORD, which is in the tabernacle of the congregation; and shall pour all the blood of the bullock at the bottom of the altar of the burnt offering, which is at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.” Leviticus 4:5-7, in this case the blood was clearly taken further into the tabernacle! Sprinkle that blood right before the vail hiding the Ark of the Covenant! And place some of the blood on the horns of the “incense (golden) altar,” within the Holy Place! Then there’s even more … pour the rest of the bullock’s blood at the “front” door of the tabernacle, where the brass altar sits!

Why?

Because the priests are held more responsible (their sins being more egregious, dangerous, influential) that the “average” man! Thus the blood is to be sprinkled and poured and touched … further into the tabernacle, where the priests worked day by day!

Wow!

But again, why?

Because our Holy God demands that blood be the “price” for forgiveness! For remission of sin!

This “blood ritual” is NOT just for man’s sake! It is for God’s Eyes, God’s Satisfaction, primarily so!

The brass altar … a bloody place!

The golden altar … also a bloody place!

Even the curtain (vail) before the Holy of Holies … a bloody place!

And (looking ahead to Leviticus 16) on the Day of Atonement, with the sins of the whole nation being considered … that blood must be taken into the Holy of Holies Itself .. and sprinkled upon and around the very Mercy Seat Itself! (God’s Abode … “between the cherubims.”)

Yet again, why?

To appease God Almighty!

To satisfy His Wrath!

To fulfill the requirements of the Law!

To bring that blood as close to God as one is capable!

By the way, our dear Lord Jesus has taken the Blood (His Blood shed on Calvary) into the Heavenly Temple, depositing it There, before the very Throne (Face) of God!

“By His Own Blood He entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.” Hebrews 9:12

Glory!

God sees that precious Blood … on our behalf!

Hebrews 10:19-20 goes so far as to say that the Blood of Jesus there in Heaven constitutes for us a “new and living way” to enter “into the holiest!” And that word “new” means “freshly slain!” Jesus’ Blood in Heaven is NOT old and dried and obsolete! IT IS STILL FRESH AND POWERFUL AND GLISTENING AND ETERNAL!

Amen!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

No wonder we sing about the Blood so very much!

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By that word, “gradations,” I just mean the different “levels” of application … specifically taught/required by God to atone for mankind’s sins.

Let me show you what I mean.

For the “priest” on duty, in order to deal with his own “sin” … Let him bring for his sin, which he hath sinned, a young BULLOCK (an ox) without blemish unto the LORD for a sin offering.” Leviticus 4:3, an ox … not a little lamb, mind you!

For the “whole congregation,” a national sin one might say … “And if the whole congregation of Israel sin through ignorance, and the thing be hid from the eyes of the assembly, and they have done somewhat against any of the commandments of the LORD concerning things which should not be done, and are guilty; when the sin, which they have sinned against it, is known, then the congregation shall offer a young BULLOCK for the sin, and bring him before the tabernacle of the congregation. And the elders of the congregation shall lay their hands upon the head of the bullock before the LORD: and the bullock shall be killed before the LORD.” Leviticus 4:13-15, another huge animal, another (rather expensive) ox!

Then for the “ruler” who sins … “When a ruler hath sinned, and done somewhat through ignorance against any of the commandments of the LORD his God concerning things which should not be done, and is guilty; or if his sin, wherein he hath sinned, come to his knowledge; he shall bring his offering, a kid of the GOATS, a MALE without blemish: and he shall lay his hand upon the head of the goat, and kill it in the place where they kill the burnt offering before the LORD: it is a sin offering.” Leviticus 4:22-24. a goat, unusual indeed, but it still must be a male! ! (Though of less value … this is is still a blood sacrifice!)

Then last of all, for the “common person,” for the individual Jew in the community … “He shall bring his offering, a kid of the GOATS, a FEMALE without blemish, for his sin which he hath sinned. And he shall lay his hand upon the head of the sin offering, and slay the sin offering.” Leviticus 4:28-29, here even a female is allowed! (Of far less value, in that ancient culture, than a male!)

Wow!

The priest, the whole congregation, the ruler, then the individual … “gradations” of erring people who need blood atonement!

And I am sure you noted the descending quality/value of the offerings, too. Of the sacrificial animals themselves!

From oxen to male goats to even female goats! (God making it possible for “whosoever will” to have access to His Presence! To have the wherewithal to come!)

In fact, if we glance into Leviticus 5, we soon learn that the common man (if unable to afford a goat or lamb) could even acceptably bring “two doves,” easily accessible and affordable! And if he could not even afford those … a small amount of “fine flour” would suffice, if handled properly by the priest on duty! (God is really making concessions, now! “Flour” instead of “blood?” (Yes … if that man’s heart was right. If he had been WILLING to bring an ox, had he owned one!)

Amazing!

God wants to commune/fellowship with His creation … to that astoundingly deep extent!

Note this too: the higher the position of leadership a man held in Israel … the more significant his sacrifice needed to be! THE RESPONSIBILITY OF LEADERSHIP! James 3:1 here comes to mind: “My brethren, be not many masters (teachers, leaders), knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation (judgment).”

Gradations of people, but not exempting a single person who chose to come to God, obediently.

Gradations of animals to be sacrificed, making it possible for even the poorest of the poor to come worship God freely!

Hallelujah!

Since the sin offering is a vital requirement … God makes it accessible to all Israel!

By the way, this Same God … yet today … “is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9

That’s why I believe Jesus died for everybody!

God has made salvation accessible (“gradations”) for all!

Oh, I love Him!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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