Leviticus 4:20

And he shall do with the bullock as he did with the bullock for a sin offering, so shall he do with this: and the priest shall make an atonement for them, and it shall be forgiven them.

Leviticus 4:20 (KJV)

Context

Leviticus 4:20 belongs to the instructions for the sin offering when the anointed priest sins unintentionally. Because the priest represents the people, his error brings guilt on the whole congregation. The verse directs that the bullock be treated exactly as the bullock of the earlier sin offering, and then the priest makes atonement for the people, and they are forgiven.

The book of Leviticus records the laws God gave to Israel through Moses. These laws governed worship, sacrifice, and ceremonial purity. The detailed ritual in Leviticus 4:13-21 shows the seriousness of sin and the need for a blood sacrifice. The priest laid his hand on the bull’s head, killed it, sprinkled its blood before the veil, put blood on the horns of the altar, and burned the fat on the altar. This precise procedure taught Israel that sin could not be removed by human effort alone.

Meaning

The word “atonement” means the process of reconciliation between God and humankind. In this verse, atonement comes through the priest’s mediatorial act, not through the sinner’s own merit. The repeated phrase “it shall be forgiven them” assures that God accepts the prescribed sacrifice and grants forgiveness. The shedding of blood symbolized the payment for sin and the restoration of the relationship between the people and God.

This verse emphasizes that unintentional sins still required a sacrifice. The people could not simply ignore their failures or excuse them as accidents. They had to acknowledge wrongdoing and seek reconciliation through the offering God provided.

Biblical connections

For Christians, these sin offerings foreshadowed the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Hebrews 9-10 explains that the blood of bulls and goats could not truly take away sin, but Christ offered Himself once for all as the perfect atoning sacrifice. Jesus, the “Lamb of God”, fulfilled what the Levitical offerings could only picture. Through faith in Him, believers receive complete forgiveness and reconciliation with God.

Application

Leviticus 4:20 teaches that sin, even when unintentional, breaks fellowship with God and requires atonement. Believers today can be assured of forgiveness through faith in Christ, who is both the great High Priest and the perfect sacrifice. This assurance should lead to honest confession and a desire to live in obedience, not to careless disregard for sin.

Reflection

The verse calls readers to consider the cost of forgiveness. The death of an innocent animal pointed to the greater death of Christ. It also invites gratitude for the complete atonement Christ made, so that those who trust in Him can rest in the promise that their sins are forgiven.