Leviticus 5:14-6:7
HERE WE read of trespasses in God’s holy things. “If a soul commit a trespass, and sin through ignorance, in the holy things of the LORD; then he shall bring for his trespass unto the LORD a ram without blemish...”
This was a more serious failure than touching something unclean, for though it might have been done in ignorance, even though others might not think it a moral wrong, yet ignorance was no excuse; he was guilty. And in this case he must bring a ram for his trespass. Furthermore the guilty one must also bring “shekels of silver” to make amends “for the harm that he hath done in the holy thing, and shall add the fifth part thereto, and shall give it unto the priest: and the priest shall make an atonement for him.”
The ram, as elsewhere (the ram caught in a thicket by its horns Gen. 22; the ram of consecration — Ex. 29; the ram of atonement Num. 5) brings before us our blessed Lord Jesus in His entire devotedness to the glory of God. He is the true trespass offering, as seen in Isaiah 53:10-12: “He bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.” (See also Palm 69). Not only has He put away sin from before God by His atoning death, but He has added “the fifth part.” He has restored more to God than the wrong done to Him by man’s sin. Not only has He paid sin’s debt, He has not only made a just settlement before God for all the loss and dishonor to Him brought about by man’s sin, but God has been glorified in Him (John 13:31). He could say “I have glorified Thee on the earth.” (John 17:4).
God has been glorified in the life and death of His beloved Son more than if sin had never come into this world. The effects of His work on the cross, as the true trespass offering, will be manifested in the coming kingdom and abide in the heavenly scene through all eternity. Well might we sing His praise:
“Worthy O Lamb of God, art Thou,
That every knee to Thee should bow!”
Verses 1-7 of chapter 6 really belong to chapter 5 and have to do with sin against one’s neighbor. We have already touched on this, but it is well to notice that the Lord counted a trespass against one’s neighbor as against Himself. How gracious of Him to regard wrongs against a neighbor as wrongs against Himself, and require that amends be made and a guilt offering brought. It is not a case of ignorance here. Not only must there be restitution for the wrong done, but a fifth part rendered as a penalty. The Lord would have His people to know that His own honor was concerned, and the unblemished ram, type of the Lord Jesus, was the trespass offering prescribed.
The time had not yet come for God to proclaim remission of sins absolutely and forever to every believer. This waited the Lord Jesus and His accomplished work of redemption as told forth in the gospel. How blessed for us now to have the comfort of the New Testament scriptures. “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin.” 1 John 1:7.
ML-08/22/1971