Leviticus: Chapters 1-4

~~~~~Lesson: Leviticus: Chapters 1-4 (reading after lesson)

As every day, if you went to read the chapters in full, feel free. In the daily readings, I have picked the "most important," for lack of a better term, parts.

Chapters 1 through 4 cover the five basic categories of offerings. Don’t allow what appears to be a simplistic reading and explanation overshadow the deep feelings and connotations that the Hebrews had attached to these rituals. A modern example would be a simple explanation of baptism- mere words sometimes have trouble showing the depth of emotion and importance attached to certain rites. Offerings were also combined in certain days with an elaborate system of rules dictating what offering(s) were required.

1) Burnt (Holocaust) Offerings- person kills and burns an animal to purify themselves from a sin they committed. The rich usually killed a bull, middle-class a male goat or sheep, the poor a dove or pigeon. The sin was “burned” out of the person with the burning of the animal.

2) Grain (cereal) offerings- grain from harvest is burned (with the priest keeping a portion) in thanksgiving. This later appears as not a separate sacrifice, but an addition to other types of offerings.

3) Peace/Fellowship offerings- person burns part of an animal as an expression of thanks to God.

4) Sin/purification offerings- person sacrifices an animal for unintentional sins (once they realize they committed a sin).

5) Guilt/reparation offerings- person makes sacrifice for unintentional sins against God’s holy things and commandments (once they realize they committed a sin).

Questions:
Why do you think the Lord required sacrifices? (Hint: see 11:44 & 17:11 if stuck...or wait a few days until we get there)
Why do you think there were different "levels" of sacrifice based on personal wealth?
We all know that we no longer have to burn animals and grain to "atone" for sin. However, do you feel that penance is necessary to forgiveness of sin (either a penitent heart or penitent actions)? If so or if not, why?


~Leviticus: Chapters 1-4

1: 1-3 (Holocaust Offerings)
The Lord called Moses, and from the meeting tent gave him this message: "Speak to the Israelites and tell them: When any one of you wishes to bring an animal offering to the Lord, such an offering must be from the herd or from the flock."
"If his holocaust offering is from the herd, it must be a male without blemish. To find favor with the Lord, he shall bring it to the entrance of the meeting tent...."
-further instructions for proper method of offering-

2:1 (Cereal Offerings)
"When anyone wishes to bring a cereal offering to the Lord, his offering must consist of fine flour. He shall pour oil on it and put frankincense over it..."
-further instruction for proper method of offering-

3:1 (Peace Offerings)
"If someone in presenting a peach offering makes his offering from the herd, he may offer before the Lord either a male or female animal, but it must be without blemish...."
-further instruction for proper method of offering-

4:1-3 (Sin offerings for Priests)
The Lord said to Moses, "Tell the Israelites: When a person inadvertently commits a sin against some command of the Lord by doing one of the forbidden things, if it is the anointed priest who thus sins and thereby makes the person also become guilty, he shall present to the Lord a young, unblemished bull as a sin offering for the sin he committed...."
-further instruction for proper method of offering-

4:13-14 (Sin offerings for the Community)
"If the whole community of Israel inadvertently and without even being aware of it does something that the Lord has forbidden and thus makes itself guilty, should it later on become known that the sin was committed, the community shall present a young bull as a sin offering. They shall bring it before the meeting tent....."
-further instruction for proper method of offering-

4:22-23 (Sin offerings for the Princes)
"Should a prince commit a sin inadvertently by doing one of the things which are forbidden by come commandment of the Lord, his God, and thus become guilty, if later on he learns of the sin he committed, he shall bring as his offering an unblemished male goat..."
-further instruction for proper method of offering-

4:27-28 (Sin offerings for Private Persons)
"If a private person commits a sin inadvertently by doing one of the things which are forbidden by the commandments of the Lord, and thus becomes guilty, should he later on learn of the sin he committed, he shall bring an unblemished she-goat as the offering for his sin..."
-further instruction for proper method of offering-