The Trespass Offering

I. When a trespass offering is required

1. Refusing to tell the truth (Leviticus 5:1)
2. Touching something unclean (Leviticus 5:2-3)
3. Breaking vows (Leviticus 5:4-5)
4. Profaning the holy (Leviticus 5:14-16)
5. Ignorantly breaking the commandments (Leviticus 5:17-19)

II. What trespass offering is required

1. a female lamb or kid (Leviticus 5:6), or
2. a turtle-dove or two young pigeons (Leviticus 5:7-10), or
3. flour with oil and frankincense (Leviticus 5:11-13)

Meditation Points:

• Sins of omission and sins of commission–both are sins.
• The possibility of defilement by the uncleanness of another should make one cautious about where he goes, what he does, and with whom he associates (Numbers 19:11 sq. ; Haggai 2:12-13).
• Keep your promises, especially those made to God (Ecclesiastes 5:4-6).
• Is God holy? Then be careful not to profane anything associated with Him. Is there anything which is not sacred?

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I. The peace offering (Leviticus 3)

• animal sacrifice
• burnt sacrifice

II. The sin offering (Leviticus 4)

• priest (3-12)
• congregation (13-21)
• ruler (22-26)
• commoner (27-35)

Meditation Points:

1. No fat to be included in either offering
2. The person who brings the offering is to lay his hands upon the animal to show that he accepts the judgment of his sin and wishes that the penalty be transferred to the animal. 1 John 1:9 calls it confession of sin. Luke 13:3-5 speaks of repentance. Ephesians 2:8-9 discusses faith. All of these are present in the symbolic act of laying hands upon the sacrifice and turn our eyes to the repentant sinner who admits his guilt and confesses that God’s judgment upon him is just, who then turns his eyes upon Jesus and believingly cries, “Lord Jesus, I trust that your sacrifice at Calvary shall satisfy God’s justice on my behalf.”
3. If a sin offering must be offered for the sins committed in ignorance, how much more then should sacrifices be required for the sins committed intentionally?
4. Sin is not limited to one class of people or another. All have sinned and come short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23).
5. A national sin is considered, too (13-21). See Psalm 33:12; Proverbs 14:34.
6. It is striking that office holders and people in authority were required to bring male sacrifices (Leviticus 4:23), but the common folks were to bring female ones (Leviticus 4:28, 32). Maybe this is because after all the sins of all the politicians had been accounted for, there wouldn’t be any more male animals left to sacrifice.

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Now that the tabernacle has been built, what is to be done with it? God answers that question Himself as He speaks from the newly erected and dedicated tabernacle.

I. Burnt offerings

• of the herd (Lev. 1:3-9)
  • male
  • without blemish
• of the flock (Lev. 1:10-13)
  • male
  • without blemish
• of fowls (Lev. 1:14-17)
  • turtledoves, or
  • pigeons

II. Meal (modern English translations: grain) offerings (Lev. 2:1-16)

• flour
• oil
• frankincense
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A year after the exodus from Egypt, Israel erects the completed tabernacle and anoints a priesthood.

I.  God commands Moses to set up the tabernacle (Exodus 40:1-15)

II. Moses obeys God’s command to set up the tabernacle (Exodus 40:16-33)

III. The glory of God, seen as a cloud covering the structure, filled the tabernacle (Exodus 40:34-38)

Meditation Points:

1. The planning and construction of the tabernacle were not “busy work” to keep the nomadic Israelites occupied along the way. The expense and labor were not in vain. God’s visual illustration of salvation and worship was to be displayed before them daily.  Should our consideration of salvation and the worship of God be any less before our eyes?
2. How did Israel worship God before the tabernacle?  What did Israel know of God’s holiness, justice, and mercy before the tabernacle? Was there any concept of sacrifice and redemption before the tabernacle? With so much about God before them, one can imagine that they would be glad not to have lived in previous generations.  Are we glad that we live in the New Testament era and that we have a much clearer picture, albeit not literal and visible, of God and true worship?
3. Moses, who had been with God so often in the past year, was unable to enter the tabernacle when God filled the place with His glory. No man can stand before God uninvited or unredeemed-not even Moses.
4. When the cloud moved, Israel moved; when the cloud stayed in place, Israel remained camped where they were. Is our understanding of the will of God any less acute?
5. The presence of God was known by a cloud by day and a fire by night, as it had been from the beginning of the exodus. We should be comforted to know that God never slumbers or sleeps (Psalm 121:4) or takes His phone off the hook, that He will never leave us nor forsake us (Hebrews 13:5).
6. Does not God’s entering the tabernacle and abiding there indicate His approval?  Who does not want to hear Him say, “Well, done, thou good and faithful servant”(Matthew 25:21, 23)?

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