(Continued-Chapter XII-The Atonement)

We may not be able to fathom the philosophy regarding the offering of the passover lamb and the blood which was the means of salvation of the first-born; but by faith we accept the historical record as it stands and believe that, because of the efficacious blood, the first-born of Israel were saved from destruction.

When Israel came to Sinai, the Lord delivered His law to her, which, as we have already seen, was perfect. No higher law--no more perfect one--could have been devised. Moses went up into Mount Horeb, communed with the Almighty, and was shown the pattern of the Tabernacle, which he was to build for the worship of God. At the command of Moses this sanctuary was constructed according to plan and was set up on the first day of the first month of the second year of the Exodus (Ex. 40:17). At that time the glory of the Lord descended and filled this "tent of meeting." Shortly thereafter, "Jehovah called unto Moses, and spake unto him out of the tent of meeting …" (Lev. 1:1). The Book of Numbers begins with events which occurred on the first day of the second month of the second year of the Exodus. There is therefore one month of time intervening between the events of the end of the Book of Exodus and the beginning of the Book of Numbers. During this time the Book of Leviticus was spoken to Moses at the door of the tent of meeting.

The first instructions given by the Lord on this occasion pertained to the five types of offerings that the Lord required of Israel. They are the burnt offering, the meal offering, the peace offering, the sin offering and the trespass offering and are described in Leviticus 1:1--6:7. The Laws concerning these sacrifices, which were especially for the priesthood, are found in Leviticus 6:8--7:38.

Four of these offerings were animal sacrifices and one was a meal offering. In giving instructions to Moses regarding Aaron and his sons, the priests, the Lord declared in Leviticus 21:6 that they "shall be holy unto their God, and not profane the name of their God; for the offerings of Jehovah made by fire, the bread of their God, they do offer: therefore they shall be holy." Why are these offerings called the "bread of God"? This terminology must not be confounded with pagan ideas. For instance Esar-Haddon, an Assyrian ruler, engaged in religious services in his own palace and claimed that he was feasting his gods. Contrary to this heathen practice was that which we see in Israel. All Hebrew sacrifices were brought to the sanctuary of God and were given to Him in worship. Thus the animals were no longer the private property of the individual. Only in regard to the peace offerings were the worshipers to partake of any meal at the sanctuary. When some Israelites accepted the pagan idea concerning the offerings of God--that the worshiper was actually providing food for the Almighty to eat--the sacred writer in Psalm 50 corrected this wrong impression, declaring that these offerings were not food which was put before God. In presenting the truth regarding the matter, the Lord declared that He was not hungry, that the cattle on a thousand hills were His, and that, if He were hungry, He would not tell sinful, mortal man about it. Thus we realize that the offerings in Israel were on an entirely different basis from those of the pagan world.

In the case of the four animal sacrifices there were certain steps taken. They are as follows: (1) The presentation of the proper animal, without blemish, at the place where God authorized; (2) the worshiper's laying his hand upon the head of the animal--a symbolic act the significance of which we shall presently see; (3) the worshiper's killing the animal; (4) the priests cutting the sacrifice and preparing it to be offered; (5) the burning of the offering either upon the altar or in a place without the camp, according to instructions; and (6) the eating of the offering at the sanctuary as in the case of the peace offering only.

In Leviticus, chapter 1, we have the instructions regarding the burnt offering; in chapter 2, those pertaining to the meal offering. The peace offering is set forth in chapter 3. The sin offering is described in 4:1-5:13, and the trespass offering in 5:14-6:7. One general idea underlies all these animal sacrifices, which is set forth in Leviticus 17:11,12: "For the life of the flesh is in the blood; and I have given it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh atonement by reason of the life. Therefore I said unto the children of Israel, No soul of you shall eat blood, neither shall any stranger that sojourneth among you eat blood." In Deuteronomy 12:23 on this point we read: "Only be sure that thou eat not the blood: for the blood is the life; and thou shalt not eat the life with the flesh." One statement says that the life of the animal is in the blood, whereas the other declares in the strongest terms that the blood is the life. These sentences are equivalent, the latter being the stronger and more graphic. From the former of these statements we see the purpose of sacrifice--to make atonement for the soul. The reason the blood can make atonement is that the life of the animal is in the blood.

But why did God require the blood, which is the life, to make atonement for the soul? The answer is to be found in the holiness of God which is reflected in His perfection, His righteousness, and His justice. As we have already seen, God is holy and cannot tolerate sin in any form. Hence His holiness demands satisfaction. His love, on the other hand, provides that which meets the demands of His holiness, and which is reflected in the law delivered by Moses to Israel. The fundamental, underlying principle of all law is set forth graphically in the following passage:

13 And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying, 14 Bring forth him that hath cursed without the camp; and let all that heard him lay their hands upon his head, and let all the congregation stone him. 15 And thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel, saying, Whosoever curseth his God shall bear his sin. 16 And he that blasphemeth the name of Jehovah, he shall surely be put to death; all the congregation shall certainly stone him: as well the sojourner, as the home-born, when he blasphemeth the name of Jehovah, shall he be put to death. 17 And he that smiteth any man mortally shall surely be put to death. 18 And he that smiteth a beast mortally shall make it good, life for life. 19 And if a man cause a blemish in his neighbor; as he hath done, so shall it be done to him: 20 breach for breach, eye for eye, tooth for tooth; as he hath caused a blemish in a man, so shall it be rendered unto him. 21 And he that killeth a beast shall make it good: and he that killeth a man shall be put to death. 22 Ye shall have one manner of law, as well for the sojourner, as for the home-born: for I am Jehovah your God. 23 And Moses spake to the children of Israel; and they brought forth him that had cursed out of the camp, and stoned him with stones. And the children of Israel did as Jehovah commanded Moses (Lev. 24:13-23).

From this passage we see that the fundamental principal underlying all law is expressed by such phrases as "life for life … as he hath done, so shall it be done to him: breach for breach … eye for eye … tooth for tooth … as he caused a blemish in a man, so shall it be rendered unto him … (vs. 18,19,20). It is a just and righteous law that requires "breach for breach, eye for eye, tooth for tooth." These offerings therefore demanded by the law gave life for life, because the animals were slain and their lives were given instead of the lives of the worshipers.

Why were there different offerings--various types of sacrifices? Could not one single kind represent this fundamental idea of substitution--life for life. Why the whole burnt offering? the peace offering? the trespass offering? In each of these sacrifices the life of the animal was forfeited instead of that of the worshiper. The answer is that each of these offerings set forth the fundamental conception of substitution--life for life. This fact is obvious to everyone. But in each sacrifice emphasis was laid upon some special feature of the great doctrine of atonement by substitution. To illustrate this principle, think of my quoting Genesis 1:1 in the ordinary way in which I would repeat any other verse of Scripture: "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." Now suppose I repeat the verse, but by stress of voice I place the emphasis upon the phrase, "In the beginning." In this case I am saying everything that I did when I quoted the statement at first but, by the special emphasis which I put upon the first phrase, I give an additional idea--I magnify or make the phrase, "In the beginning," stand out more prominently than any other thought in the sentence. Suppose I quote the verse a third time stressing the word God. This time I repeat what I have said in the two former instances, but I introduce a new element by laying the emphasis upon the name of God. Again suppose I repeat the verse a fourth time, stressing the word created. By so doing, I make the verb stand out in bold relief, and yet I have said exactly what I have in the first three cases, as far as the words themselves are concerned. In a similar manner, the same thought of atonement by substitution of a life for that of the worshiper is given in all of these offerings, with emphasis in each case upon a certain phase of the truth which makes the special idea stand out boldly. But the manner of presentation and disposal of the victim in each instance emphasizes one special thought which God wished to bring before His people.

In this discussion I shall only call attention, and that in the briefest manner, to some of the salient points that are essential to the understanding of this great theme. Let us notice first the burnt offering. It could be either from the herd or from the flock (Lev. 1:3-10). The victim had to be without blemish. This requirement accentuated the thought of perfection in the case of the one typified. In the days of Malachi there were those who brought offerings with blemishes. God condemned them in the severest terms and would not accept such sacrifices. In other words these animals had to be perfect--as perfect as any animal is.

The animal without blemish had to be presented at the door of the tent of meeting. This is where God promised to meet with His people. Israel was warned not to make her offering in any place except in that location which God would choose for His name. (Deut. 12:5-14).

After presenting his animal, the worshiper was to place his hands upon it for "he shall offer it at the door of the tent of meeting, that he may be accepted before Jehovah" (Lev. 1:3). This language is unmistakable. In order to be accepted before Jehovah, the worshiper had to lay his hands upon the victim which he was about to offer. If he failed to do this, of course he would not be acceptable. Herein lies a very definite and important truth.

What is the significance of the laying on of the worshiper's hands? In order to determine this question, we must investigate biblical examples of this ceremony. In Leviticus, chapter 24, we read the record of a man, the son of an Egyptian father and of an Israelitish mother, who blasphemed the name of God. Jehovah told Moses that this man should be stoned to death because of his sin. The great lawgiver was instructed to cause "all that heard him lay their hands upon his head, and let all the congregation stone him" (Lev. 24:14). By the laying on of the hands of the witnesses, the man was officially appointed to death. Thus one signification of this ceremony was that of designation. Another instance was that of Moses' laying his hands upon Joshua, by which symbolism the latter was appointed to be his successor. God instructed Moses saying, "Take thee Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the Spirit, and lay thy hand upon him; and set him before Eleazar the priest, and before all the congregation; and give him a charge in their sight. And thou shalt put of thine honor upon him, that all the congregation of the children of Israel may obey" (Num. 27:18-20). The facts of this case show that the symbolic significance of his laying his hands upon Joshua was the transference to the latter of the gifts of the office, which he had been filling. The rights, privileges, prerogatives, and authority of Moses were thus bestowed upon Joshua. Since God spared the first-born of the children of Israel when the death angel passed over Egypt--because of the blood of the Passover lamb--He chose the tribe of Levi to be the priestly family. When they were officially set aside, the children of Israel laid their hands upon the Levites; and Aaron offered them before Jehovah as a wave offering "that it maybe theirs to do the service of Jehovah" (Num. 8:10,11). In this case we see an example of the formal substitution of the Levites to take the place of the first-born of Israel--for special service. This fact was indicated by the laying on of the hands. Another case of the laying on of hands is found in the ritual of the great Day of Atonement. When the live goat is presented at the door of the tent of meeting Aaron, according to instructions, "shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions, even all their sins: and he shall put them upon the head of the goat, and shall send him away by the hand of a man that is in readiness into the wilderness: and the goat shall bear upon him all their iniquities unto a solitary land: and he shall let go the goat in the wilderness: (Lev. 16:20-23). Here it is significantly stated that the laying on of the hands of the high priest transferred symbolically to the goat all the iniquities and the transgressions of the children of Israel.

From these examples we can gather a very definite idea regarding this ceremony. In the first example cited above, it indicated the idea of designation, appointment to death, with the correlative idea of the transference of the guilt to the one thus condemned. In the case of Moses' laying his hands upon Joshua, the idea expressed was the transference of the gifts, prerogatives, and authority of Moses to his successor. The case of the laying on of the hands of Israel upon the Levites was that of substitution and appointment to service, with the idea of the transfer of rights, prerogatives, and honors connected with the priestly office. Lastly, Aaron's laying his hands upon the scapegoat signified the transference of all the iniquities and transgressions of Israel to it that it might bear them away to Azazel. Thus we conclude that the ceremony of the laying on of the hands of the worshiper upon his sacrifice which he was offering signified the appointment to death of the victim as a substitute for himself and the transference of his sins and transgressions in order that he might be acceptable before Jehovah. The animal of the burnt offering, to which the sin of the worshiper had thus been transferred "shall be accepted for him to make atonement for him" (Lev. 1:4).

Following the ceremony of the laying on of the hands, the worshiper himself slew his sacrifice. He could go this far but no further in the ceremony. Then the officiating priest took up the service, catching the blood and sprinkling it round about the altar of burnt offering. Next the priest cut the animal into various parts, washed the legs and the inwards, and burnt the whole animal upon the altar. This became "an offering made by fire, of a sweet savor unto Jehovah" (Lev. 1:9). Thus ended the burnt offering. This offering thus presented to the Lord at the proper place made the worshiper acceptable before Jehovah, for it was accepted for him--instead of him--to make atonement for him. By this means and by no other could the worshiper be made acceptable and have atonement made for him--during the Law Dispensation.

The meal offering, described in Leviticus, chapter 2 was made of fine flour mixed with oil and with frankincense. Since this offering was of fine flour, the idea of atonement by blood is absent. Nevertheless it was "a thing most holy of the offerings of Jehovah made by fire" and was "an offering made by fire, of a sweet savor unto Jehovah."

The peace offerings are set forth in Leviticus, chapter 3. The ritual for them was exactly like that of the burnt offering with one exception: At the conclusion of the service the worshipers sat down and partook of a certain portion of the offering and ate the food before, the Lord. The animal here made atonement and presented the worshiper acceptable in God's sight. After he had thus brought his offering, it belonged to the Lord, who then feasted¹ His worshipers in His own house from the offerings thus received as their atonement. Here the Lord was the host, and the worshipers were the guests.

The peace offerings therefore indicated fellowship and communion with God upon the basis of the worshiper's having already been accepted by virtue of an animal sacrifice which had already made atonement for sins.

The next in order is the sin offering described in Leviticus 4:1-5:13. As we have already seen, the whole burnt offering and the peace offerings were brought to God to make atonement for the sinner. In the instructions regarding these offerings nothing is said with regard to any definite sin. Thus in them there is no remembrance of specific sins which the offerer had committed: but they were offered because of what he was--a sinner in the sight of God because of his corrupt human nature. They made atonement for sin in the flesh. Not so was it with the sin offering and the trespass offering. These particular ones were presented to God to make atonement for the person who was guilty of certain specific wrongs. Thus these offerings lay emphasis upon definite acts, which are the result of man's sinful condition. In this connection, we must remember that the sins for which these latter offerings atoned were those of ignorance, rashness, and inadvertence. On the other hand, no offering was prescribed for a sin of willfulness, committed deliberately with a high hand. "But the soul that doeth aught with a high hand, whether he be home-born or a sojourner, the same blasphemeth Jehovah; and that soul shall be cut off from among his people. Because he hath despised the word of Jehovah, and hath broken his commandment, that soul shall utterly be cut off; his iniquity shall be upon him" (Num. 15:30,31).

One should note the various instructions in regard to the sin offering for sins committed by different ones. For instance, if the priest sinned unwittingly in regard to holy things, he had to offer a bullock without blemish according to the regular prescribed ritual (Lev. 4:3). On the other hand, if the entire congregation sinned in the things of God, a bullock had to be offered to atone for the wrong (vss. 13,14). Moreover, if the ruler sinned unwittingly, he had to offer a goat, a male without blemish (vss. 22,23). But if one of the common people sinned unwittingly, he brought a goat a female without a blemish (vs. 27), or he could bring a lamb, a female without blemish (vs. 32). If a person was not able to make these offerings, he could bring two turtledoves, or two young pigeons: or, if he could not do that, he could bring the tenth part of an ephah of fine flour for a sin offering.

From these various instructions we see that the guilt of a trespass was measured by the position which one occupied or the privileges which he enjoyed. Those who sin knowingly, according to our Lord, are beaten with many stripes. On the other hand, those not knowing, but sinning, shall be beaten with few stripes. Circumstances, therefore, mitigate cases.

Whenever one became aware of his guilt, he had to make a sin offering. But what about those sins of which men were guilty but of which they were unaware? They of course were taken care of in the annual offering on the Day of Atonement. But what about such sins as murder? blasphemy? and the like? The murderer had to be put to death (Num. 35:31). The blasphemer had to be stoned (Lev. 24:14). For the sin of adultery, both persons had to be put to death (Lev. 20:10-16).

The last of the five sacrifices is that of the trespass offering. Though it was akin to the sin offering, there were certain distinctions which differentiated it from the latter. This is seen by the use of an entirely different word in the original text. For instance, it appears in Joshua 7:1, in the narrative concerning the sin or trespass of Achan. Once again, we see it in the passage regarding the trespass of Ahaz in II Chronicles 28:22. The fundamental idea of this word is an invasion into the rights of others, especially property rights. In this realm of ideas the thought is that certain rights and privileges belong to God. If men transfer their allegiance or give of their substance to false gods, they are invading the rights of the one true God; hence this sin is a trespass. The same thing was true with regard to the invasion of human rights by different men. On this point S. H. Kellogg, in his Commentary of Leviticus, gives this most illuminating comment: "But the sins for which the guilt offering is prescribed are in every case sins which may, at least, be specially regarded under this particular point of view, to-wit: as trespasses on the rights of God or man in respect of ownership; and this gives us the fundamental thought which distinguishes the guilt offering from all others; namely that for any invasion of the rights of another in regard to property, not only must expiation be made, in that it is sin, but also satisfaction, and as far as possible, plenary restoration of the wrong, in that the sin is also a trespass."

The trespass offerings were for individuals. Nothing is said about the making of an offering of this type by the congregation as a whole in case of sin. The reason is evident. It was most highly improbable that all the people of Israel could be guilty of any one sin coming under this classification. The possibility of such a trespass would be for the entire nation, without exception, to defraud the Lord in matters pertaining to the ritualistic worship.

We know however of one such national sin of Israel, which is clearly set forth in the prophetic word. It is her rejection of King Messiah according to Leviticus 26:39,40; Isaiah 53:1-9; Hosea 5:15; and Matthew 23:37-39. Those causing the nation to commit this terrible tragedy were its leaders at the time of Christ's (Messiah's) first coming, who in ignorance of the Scriptures fulfilled them in condemning Him. "For they that dwell in Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they knew him not, nor the voices of the prophets which are read every sabbath, fulfilled them by condemning him" (Acts 13:27). As we shall see, the entire nation of Israel some day will confess this national sin and accept Him in fulfillment of the ritualism of Yom Kippur.

In connection with these trespass offerings satisfaction had to be made by the offender. This compensation came in the form of restitution and an addition of a fifth part of the thing in question in order that full satisfaction might be made. It is also to be noted that men sinned against God when dealing falsely with their neighbors. While the trespass was a wrong, it was a special kind of sin--an invasion of the rights of others. When the trespass offering was made, restitution and full satisfaction were required in order that the offering might be acceptable in the sight of God.

The regular ritual of the burnt offering, the peace offering, and the sin offering obtained with reference to the trespass offering.

The offerings which we have been studying were individualistic in character as opposed to those offered on the Day of Atonement which were nationalistic in scope. Let us in this connection bear in mind that no provision was made for willful, deliberate sin. But what about the Adamic sin and those which were unknown to the individual and the nation as a whole, and of which they were guilty? All of these were taken care of in the ritual of the great Day of Atonement as set forth in Leviticus, chapter 16.

16 And Jehovah spake unto Moses, after the death of the two sons of Aaron, when they drew near before Jehovah, and died; 2 and Jehovah said unto Moses, Speak unto Aaron thy brother, that he come not at all times into the holy place within the veil, before the mercy-seat which is upon the ark; that he die not: for I will appear in the cloud upon the mercy-seat. 3 Herewith shall Aaron come into the holy place: with a young bullock for a sin offering, and a ram for a burnt-offering. 4 He shall put on the holy linen coat, and he shall have the linen breeches upon his flesh, and shall be girded with the linen girdle, and with the linen mitre shall he be attired: they are the holy garments; and he shall bathe his flesh in water, and put them on. 5 And he shall take of the congregation of the children of Israel two he-goats for a sin-offering, and one ram for a burnt-offering.

6 And Aaron shall present the bullock of the sin-offering, which is for himself, and make atonement for himself, and for his house. 7 And he shall take the two goats, and set them before Jehovah at the door of the tent of meeting. 8 And Aaron shall cast lots upon the two goats; one lot for Jehovah, and the other lot for Azazel. 9 And Aaron shall present the goat upon which the lot fell for Jehovah, and offer him for a sin-offering. 10 But the goat, on which the lot fell for Azazel, shall be set alive before Jehovah, to make atonement for him to send him away for Azazel into the wilderness.

11 And Aaron shall present the bullock of the sin-offering, which is for himself, and shall make atonement for himself, and for his house, and shall kill the bullock of the sin-offering which is for himself. 12 And he shall take a censer full of coals of fire from off the altar before Jehovah, and his hands full of sweet incense beaten small, and bring it within the veil: 13 and he shall put the incense upon the fire before Jehovah, that the cloud of the incense may cover the mercy-seat that is upon the testimony, that he die not: 14 and he shall take of the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it with his finger upon the mercy-seat on the east; and before the mercy-seat shall he sprinkle of the blood with his finger seven times.

15 Then shall he kill the goat of the sin-offering, that is for the people, and bring his blood within the veil, and do with his blood as he did with the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it upon the mercy-seat, and before the mercy-seat: 16 and he shall make atonement for the holy place, because of the uncleannesses of the children of Israel, and because of their transgressions, even all their sins; and so shall he do for the tent of meeting, that dwelleth with them in the midst of their uncleannesses. 17 And there shall be no man in the tent of meeting when he goeth in to make atonement in the holy place, until he come out, and have made atonement for himself, and for his household, and for all the assembly of Israel. 18 And he shall go out unto the altar that is before Jehovah, and make atonement for it, and shall take of the blood of the bullock, and of the blood of the goat, and put it upon the horns of the altar round about. 19 And he shall sprinkle of the blood upon it with his finger seven times, and cleanse it, and hallow it from the uncleannesses of the children of Israel.

20 And when he hath made an end of atoning for the holy place, and the tent of meeting, and the altar, he shall present the live goat: 21 and Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions, even all their sins; and he shall put them upon the head of the goat, and shall send him away by the hand of a man that is in readiness into the wilderness: 22 and the goat shall bear upon him all their iniquities unto a solitary land: and he shall let go the goat in the wilderness.

23 And Aaron shall come into the tent of meeting, and shall put off the linen garments, which he put on when he went into the holy place, and shall leave them there: 24 and he shall bathe his flesh in water in a holy place, and put on his garments, and come forth, and offer his burnt-offering and the burnt-offering of the people, and make atonement for himself and for the people. 25 And the fat of the sin-offering shall he burn upon the altar. 26 And he that letteth go the goat for Azazel shall come into the camp. 27 And the bullock of the sin-offering, and the goat of the sin-offering, whose blood was brought in to make atonement in the holy place, shall be carried forth without the camp; and they shall burn in the fire their skins, and their flesh, and their dung. 28 And he that burneth them shall wash his clothes, and bathe his flesh in water, and afterward he shall come into the camp.

29 And it shall be a statute for ever unto you: in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, ye shall afflict your souls, and shall do no manner of work, the home-born, or the stranger that sojourneth among you: 30 for on this day shall atonement be made for you to cleanse you: from all your sins shall ye be clean before Jehovah. 31 It is a sabbath of solemn rest unto you, and ye shall afflict your souls; it is a statute for ever. 32 And the priest, who shall be anointed and who shall be consecrated to be priest in his father's stead, shall make the atonement, and shall put on the linen garments, even the holy garments: 33 and he shall make atonement for the holy sanctuary; and he shall make atonement for the tent of meeting and for the altar; and he shall make atonement for the priests and for all the people of the assembly. 34 And this shall be an everlasting statute unto you, to make atonement for the children of Israel because of all their sins once in the year. And he did as Jehovah commanded Moses.

Footnotes:

¹ As already suggested, the heathen practices show that in their peace offerings they were the hosts and their gods were the guests, which custom doubtless was a pagan perversion of divine revelation. The ways of men are not the ways of God.

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