“Then shall he bring it to the priest, and the priest shall take his handful of it, even a memorial thereof, and burn it on the altar, according to the offerings made by fire unto the LORD: it is a sin offering.”
Leviticus is a book within the Old Testament that provides detailed instructions and regulations for the Israelites’ religious practices and rituals. It covers various aspects of worship, sacrifices, and the role of the priests.
Leviticus 5:12 focuses on the sin offering, which was a specific type of sacrifice made to atone for unintentional sins or sins committed inadvertently. It was meant to restore the relationship between the sinner and God and provide forgiveness for the transgression.
Let’s break down the verse to understand its meaning and significance:
- “Then shall he bring it to the priest”: This refers to the person who has committed the unintentional sin. When someone became aware of their sin, they were required to bring a specific sin offering to the priest.
- “The priest shall take his handful of it”: The individual would bring the sin offering to the priest, who would then take a handful of the offering. This handful represented a memorial or a reminder of the person’s sin.
- “Burn it on the altar, according to the offerings made by fire unto the LORD”: The priest would take the handful of the sin offering and burn it on the altar. This act symbolized the complete dedication of the sin offering to God. The burning of the offering on the altar signified the purification and removal of the sin from the person.
- “It is a sin offering”: This phrase emphasizes the purpose of the offering, indicating that it was specifically designated as a sin offering. The sin offering was a way for the Israelites to seek forgiveness for their unintentional transgressions and restore their relationship with God.
In a broader context, the sin offerings in Leviticus served as a temporary solution for dealing with sins. These offerings were a foreshadowing of the ultimate sacrifice that Jesus Christ would make on the cross to provide permanent forgiveness and reconciliation between God and humanity.
As Christians, we no longer offer sin offerings as described in Leviticus because Jesus Christ fulfilled the law and became the ultimate sacrificial lamb for our sins. Through faith in Jesus, we can find forgiveness and salvation, knowing that His sacrifice was sufficient to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (Hebrews 10:10-14).
Although Leviticus may seem distant from our modern lives, it provides valuable insights into the holiness of God and the need for atonement. It reminds us of the seriousness of sin and points us towards the redemptive work of Jesus Christ.
