Daily Manna 2 April
KEY VERSE: “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” (Leviticus 4:14).
READ: LEVITICUS 4:1-26 (KJV)
Now the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Speak to the children of Israel, saying: ‘If a person sins unintentionally against any of the commandments of the Lord in anything which ought not to be done, and does any of them, 3 if the anointed priest sins, bringing guilt on the people, then let him offer to the Lord for his sin which he has sinned a young bull without blemish as a sin offering. 4 He shall bring the bull to the door of the tabernacle of meeting before the Lord, lay his hand on the bull’s head, and kill the bull before the Lord. 5 Then the anointed priest shall take some of the bull’s blood and bring it to the tabernacle of meeting. 6 The priest shall dip his finger in the blood and sprinkle some of the blood seven times before the Lord, in front of the veil of the sanctuary. 7 And the priest shall put some of the blood on the horns of the altar of sweet incense before the Lord, which is in the tabernacle of meeting; and he shall pour the remaining blood of the bull at the base of the altar of the burnt offering, which is at the door of the tabernacle of meeting. 8 He shall take from it all the fat of the bull as the sin offering. The fat that covers the entrails and all the fat which is on the entrails, 9 the two kidneys and the fat that is on them by the flanks, and the fatty lobe attached to the liver above the kidneys, he shall remove, 10 as it was taken from the bull of the sacrifice of the peace offering; and the priest shall burn them on the altar of the burnt offering. 11 But the bull’s hide and all its flesh, with its head and legs, its entrails and offal— 12 the whole bull he shall carry outside the camp to a clean place, where the ashes are poured out, and burn it on wood with fire; where the ashes are poured out it shall be burned.
13 ‘Now if the whole congregation of Israel sins unintentionally, and the thing is hidden from the eyes of the assembly, and they have done something against any of the commandments of the Lord in anythingwhich should not be done, and are guilty; 14 when the sin which they have committed becomes known, then the assembly shall offer a young bull for the sin, and bring it before the tabernacle of meeting. 15 And the elders of the congregation shall lay their hands on the head of the bull before the Lord. Then the bull shall be killed before the Lord. 16 The anointed priest shall bring some of the bull’s blood to the tabernacle of meeting. 17 Then the priest shall dip his finger in the blood and sprinkle itseven times before the Lord, in front of the veil. 18 And he shall put some of the blood on the horns of the altar which is before the Lord, which is in the tabernacle of meeting; and he shall pour the remaining blood at the base of the altar of burnt offering, which is at the door of the tabernacle of meeting. 19 He shall take all the fat from it and burn iton the altar. 20 And he shall do with the bull as he did with the bull as a sin offering; thus he shall do with it. So the priest shall make atonement for them, and it shall be forgiven them. 21 Then he shall carry the bull outside the camp, and burn it as he burned the first bull. It is a sin offering for the assembly.
22 ‘When a ruler has sinned, and done something unintentionally against any of the commandments of the Lord his God in anythingwhich should not be done, and is guilty, 23 or if his sin which he has committed comes to his knowledge, he shall bring as his offering a kid of the goats, a male without blemish. 24 And he shall lay his hand on the head of the goat, and kill it at the place where they kill the burnt offering before the Lord. It is a sin offering. 25 The priest shall take some of the blood of the sin offering with his finger, put it on the horns of the altar of burnt offering, and pour its blood at the base of the altar of burnt offering. 26 And he shall burn all its fat on the altar, like the fat of the sacrifice of the peace offering. So the priest shall make atonement for him concerning his sin, and it shall be forgiven him.
Read yesterday’s Daily Manna here
Sin is transgression against the laws of God. Every sin deserves a just recompense whether it is found in individuals, families, congregations or communities. Time does not cover sins except the sins are atoned for or pardoned. Sin is like pus in the bone; though it may not be seen, it does great damage to the health and life of the one harbouring it.
The issues surrounding sin, either in individuals or congregation of people form the crux of our passage today. Whether known or unknown, unforgiven sin stinks before God. His verdict is that a sinner cannot go unpunished. However, in His infinite mercy, He made provision for man to atone for his sins in order to avoid eternal doom. This provision in the Old Testament involved sacrificing a sheep or a goat without physical blemish to substitute the individual or the community that sinned and by so doing, atone for the iniquities of the guilty. This was to be done as often as iniquities were to be discovered.
Before the sacrifice of the goat or sheep, the sinner lays his hand on it and confesses his sins so that the animal dies in his stead. And the sin “shall be forgiven them”. The narrative has however changed in the New Testament. God has given His only begotten Son as the final Sacrifice for sin. His blood shed on the cross at Calvary, cleanses from all sins.
Like in the Old Testament, a sinner needs to approach Him, confess his sins, acknowledge Him as the Lamb of God that takes away his sins, believe in His vicarious death and appropriate it for himself in order to obtain pardon for his sins. Good works do not substitute for atonement; societal or religious status does not guarantee pardon for sin; only atonement does. Graciously, Jesus has offered Himself to atone for as many as would appropriate the sacrifice for themselves.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: The blood of His Son, Jesus Christ, cleanseth from all unrighteousness.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: JOHN 6 – 7
Thank you for studying today’s Daily Manna – Atonemnt Before Pardon – by Pastor Enoch A.
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Daily Manna 2 April 2021
