When we consider the trespass offering, we find that the case of a man too poor to present an animal as the offering which his sin demanded is provided for. His offering was taken from the kingdom of birds. One of these was dealt with in a way resembling a burnt offering — the other was a sin offering. Thus poverty deprived the sin offering of half its emphasis. Its firm, decided character was gone. Yet deeper poverty still was provided for. Ten ephahs of flour — merely plain flour without even oil — were presented before the altar. In this sin offering most remarkable absences are noticeable. Life which had been in the blood was not there; the hand could not be laid upon the victim, and therefore no transference of sin was possible. The lofty character of the offering in its relation to God, as symbolized in the offerings of the high priest and the people collectively, could not, of course, enter into this offering: Hence the threefold utterance of the blood was unheard, and the voice from the horns of the altar was silent. The figures of the offering being made sin and of its consumption with the fire outside the camp were absent. In a word, the great characteristics of the sin offering were not to be found. It was an offering rather than a sacrifice.
As a Meal Offering
All that was offered was flour, but God stooped down and received it. However, God did inflexibly require a sin offering. Now, into this sin offering, which met the claim of God, the priest placed his hand and took out his handful. This he burned upon the burnt offering as it lay upon the blood-sprinkled altar; the offering was accepted, and the man received forgiveness.
Perhaps there is no aspect of Christ’s offering up of Himself to God, regarding which man’s thought has generated spiritually poorer views, than that of His sacrifice for sin. The greatness of His sacrifice for sin in bringing glory to the throne and majesty of God is clouded. The might of His work in putting away sin by the sacrifice of Himself and His appearing for us in the presence of God as High Priest in heaven are often hardly traceable. And because the glory of Christ’s work Godward is so poorly laid hold of, the effects of His work manward are so little rejoiced in. As the sin offering, He “suffered without the gate” and was “made sin for us.” The fullest measure that the types of sacrifice for sin portray was all realized in Himself when He was forsaken of God. As the sin offering, He “bare our sins in His own body on the tree” (1 Peter 2:2424Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. (1 Peter 2:24)), so that they are gone, and we are “made the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Cor. 5:2121For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. (2 Corinthians 5:21)).
H. F. Witherby