Leviticus chapter 6 begins with providing a deeper understanding to the guilt offering. The Lord begins the chapter with a basic truth that must be understood first. When we sin against our neighbor, we are first and foremost “unfaithful to the Lord“. God takes it personally when we, “deceive… about something entrusted to him… stolen… finds lost property and lies about it… swears falsely, when he thus sins he is guilty and must return what he has stolen“. We are reminded we must “first make restitution in full and add a fifth of the value” to the owner. We must then present a guilt offering. Each time we revisit one of the offerings we are given new details, just as we grow closer to God, we grow in our understanding. It is the Holy Spirit that teaches us and applies God’s truth to our heart. As we learned, “the priest will make atonement before the Lord, and he will be forgiven“. Just as 1 John 1:9 promises, “If we confess our sins He is faithful and just to cleanse us from all unrighteousness“.
Three times the priest are instructed to “keep the fire burning” on the altar, even as the ashes are removed and carried outside the camp. “The fire must be kept burning continuously, it must not go out“. What a beautiful picture of the role of Jesus: “Jesus Christ…who is at the right side of God who intercedes for us continually” (Romans 8:34). As believers, our trust is in God’s faithfulness, not our own. We are told that the grain offering is “an aroma pleasing to the Lord“, but it must first be mixed with oil. The difference between doing good deeds and serving the Lord is the presence of His Holy Spirit.
We are also told that a portion of the sin offering is to go to the priest (never the priest’s sin offering or the Leader’s sin offering). “The priest who offers it shall eat it; it is to be eaten in the holy place, in the courtyard of the Tent of Meeting“. Spiritually we are strengthened when we are in the presence of the Lord. “Any male in the priest’s family may also eat it“. Interestingly, we read, “the clay pot the meat is cooked in must be broken, but if it is cooked in a bronze pot is to be scoured and rinsed with water“. Jesus became our sin offering, His earthly body was broken for us so that we might partake in the priest’s portion. Without the provision of Christ we are starving and dying in our sin, still separated from God. 2 Corinthians 5:21 reminds us “He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him“. May you know the fullness of being in Him!