LEVIITICUS 11


     We have been studying in the last lessons, sins of ignorance, now
we will get into another type of sin and the offerings made for them.
We will begin now in Leviticus 5:1 "And if a soul sin, and hear the
voice of swearing, and [is] a witness, whether he hath seen or known
[of it]; if he do not utter [it], then he shall bear his iniquity."

     This lesson will deal more specifically with sin than the last
few lessons. The Scripture above seems to indicate a concealment of
knowledge. To witness a crime and not report it would possibly be the
sin above. In our courts today, to conceal that type of evidence could
make you an accessory to the crime. We can easily see from this, that
when we see a crime committed, we must report it. To not report a sin
in the verse above, would cause you to be guilty, as well as the
person who committed the crime, and you would have to be forgiven the
same as the one committing the crime.

     Leviticus 5:2 "Or if a soul touch any unclean thing, whether [it
be] a carcase of an unclean beast, or a carcase of unclean cattle, or
the carcase of unclean creeping things, and [if] it be hidden from
him; he also shall be unclean, and guilty."

     Carcase, means dead body. If the animal died of its own volition
[was not killed], then it possibly was diseased. If we look carefully
into all of these instructions, we will see that God did everything
for a specific reason, and it was usually for the benefit of man. If a
person accidently touched it, the person could still take a disease
from it. You can see why this instruction was given. We will get into
the way a person could purify themselves when they touched a carcase
in a later lesson.

     Leviticus 5:3 "Or if he touch the uncleanness of man, whatsoever
uncleanness [it be] that a man shall be defiled withal, and it be hid
from him; when he knoweth [of it], then he shall be guilty."

     This just specifies, that the same procedure is to be taken with
a dead man as was taken with the dead animal. It goes even further in
stating that the man does not have to be dead. Any uncleanness, such
as an issue of blood, would be under this ruling, as well. We know
today how important this is, because of all the diseases that are
transferred from one person to another through blood, or in some cases
just by touching them, such as shaking hands. Many in our society
today have been so frightened of germs that they are afraid to go out
of their house for anything. God does not want us to live in fear, but
He does want us to practice cleanliness.

     Leviticus 5:4 "Or if a soul swear, pronouncing with [his] lips to
do evil, or to do good, whatsoever [it be] that a man shall pronounce
with an oath, and it be hid from him; when he knoweth [of it], then he
shall be guilty in one of these."

     We are cautioned by Jesus not to swear at all in the following
two verses. Matthew 5:34 "But I say unto you, Swear not at all;
neither by heaven; for it is God's throne:" Matthew 5:36 "Neither
shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair
white or black."  The very best policy, is to do just what Jesus said.
Don't swear, and then you will not be held accountable for what you
swear. One of the most terrible oaths taken in the Bible is Herod's in
the next few verses. Matthew 14:6 "But when Herod's birthday was kept,
the daughter of Herodias danced before them, and pleased Herod."
Matthew 14:7 "Whereupon he promised with an oath to give her
whatsoever she would ask." Matthew 14:8 "And she, being before
instructed of her mother, said, Give me here John Baptist's head in a
charger." Matthew 14:9 "And the king was sorry: nevertheless for the
oath's sake, and them which sat with him at meat, he commanded [it] to
be given [her]." Matthew 14:10 "And he sent, and beheaded John in the
prison." Matthew 14:11 "And his head was brought in a charger, and
given to the damsel: and she brought [it] to her mother."  This is one
oath that Herod wished he had never taken. Do not take an oath
lightly.

     Leviticus 5:5 "And it shall be, when he shall be guilty in one of
these [things], that he shall confess that he hath sinned in that
[thing]:" Leviticus 5:6 "And he shall bring his trespass offering unto
the LORD for his sin which he hath sinned, a female from the flock, a
lamb or a kid of the goats, for a sin offering; and the priest shall
make an atonement for him concerning his sin."

     The very first thing a man or woman should do, then or now, when
they have sinned, is to confess the sin and ask for forgiveness.  In
the case of the Jews, who were under the law, there was a specific
offering to be made. They would come to the tabernacle and place their
hands on the head of the offering, confess their sin publicly, and
then ask for forgiveness. He would kill the offering {in this case a
female lamb or goat}. Their prayer for forgiveness would be very
similar to one we might pray today. They might say: Lord forgive me,
for I have sinned, please accept my prayer and bring me into right
standing with God. You may read more detail in Numbers on these sins
and their offerings. Numbers chapters 5, 6, and 7 go more into detail
on this. In Numbers, you find that this sinner might be male or
female.

     Leviticus 5:7 "And if he be not able to bring a lamb, then he
shall bring for his trespass, which he hath committed, two
turtledoves, or two young pigeons, unto the LORD; one for a sin
offering, and the other for a burnt offering."

     When this speaks of not being able, it means they are poor. A sin
offering is not a freewill offering. It is a required offering for
sin. They must bring something, even if it is a fowl. The sins in the
previous verses are very different, but all are sin and must be atoned
for. To keep company with a robber, or even worse, makes you a robber
by witness. To casually swear to something could be avoided by not
speaking rashly. To be in close association with killing diseases
could make you very sick. You can easily see from this that, all of
these particular warnings that are given to mankind are for his own
benefit.

     Leviticus 5:8 "And he shall bring them unto the priest, who shall
offer [that] which [is] for the sin offering first, and wring off his
head from his neck, but shall not divide [it] asunder:"

     We went into this in detail in a previous lesson, but I will say
again here, that this shadows Jesus Christ, our Saviour. Jesus had no
broken bones. This fowl will be offered with it's wings open wide on
the wood, with no bones broken.

     Leviticus 5:9 "And he shall sprinkle of the blood of the sin
offering upon the side of the altar; and the rest of the blood shall
be wrung out at the bottom of the altar: it [is] a sin offering."

     We see the symbolism of the blood He shed for all who are on the
earth, by the blood being wrung out at the foot of the altar. The
earth swallowing up the blood, shows that Jesus died for whosoever
will in all the earth.

     Leviticus 5:10 "And he shall offer the second [for] a burnt
offering, according to the manner: and the priest shall make an
atonement for him for his sin which he hath sinned, and it shall be
forgiven him."

     The word, atonement, in the Scripture above, I would remind you
means to cover or cancel. The blood of an animal can only cover the
sin. The blood of Jesus Christ cancels sin out. In the case of this
sinner, he or she will have to come back every time they sin, but the
Christian is forgiven for all his sins at once. Jesus sacrificed once
for us that we might be made His righteousness.























                             Questions 11

1.  In Leviticus chapter 5 verse 1, if a person heard someone swearing
    and did not report it, who was guilty?
2.  What type sin would this be classified as?
3.  In our day, if a person is with another person who commits a crime
    and does not report it to the authorities, what crime is the
    witness guilty of?
4.  What are the unclean things listed in verse 2?
5.  What is a carcase?
6.  What was, possibly, the reason that God said not to touch dead
    animals?
7.  The instructions for touching a man or woman, was not just about
    touching a dead body, but also what?
8.  What are some of the ways diseases are caught today?
9.  God does not want us to live in fear, but to practice _________.
10. Who cautioned us not to swear?
11. Who made an oath, and then greatly regretted it in the Bible?
12. What was the awful consequence of his oath?
13. Why did he not take back the oath?
14. Where do we find the Scriptures that tell us not to swear at all?
15. What is the first thing he must do, if he realizes he has sinned?
16. For the sin offering here, is it permissible for the offering to
    be a female?
17. How were they to confess their sins?
18. If they were to pray, what would be the first thing they would
    admit to God?
19. Where can you find more detailed information on this sin offering?
20. What is the only reason the person would be allowed to bring a
    lesser offering?
21. From verse 7, what could be substituted for the offering?
22. A sin offering is not a ____ ____ _________.
23. Who must the sinner bring this offering to, in verse 8?
24. How will this fowl be offered?
25. What 2 things will the priest do with the blood?
26. What 2 things does the word atonement mean?
27, It shall be _______ him.