LEVITICUS CHAPTER 5-6:7

THE TRESPASS OFFERING

I.   The Trespass Offering is different from the Sin Offering.

A.     The Trespass Offering is given because of an injury to some person or property.  (It could be an injury to Christ.)

B.     They were accompanied by a fine of 20%, if there was restitution to be made to a person.

1.       This is only for willful trespasses.

2.       See chapter 6:1-7 for this information.

C.     The blood is poured at the bottom of the altar, never before the vail of the sanctuary.  There are two reasons for this.

1.       Even though the sin was against a person [not God], God must also forgive us, for we have sinned against one of His people.

2.       We are saved again, this sacrifice is for the payment of sin after salvation.

D.     There is no gradations of offerings to suit the rank or position of the offender.  This is because we should expect no more from "important" people than we expect from the "unimportant".

E.      Although there are various trespasses mentioned, this is by no means all the trespasses a person can commit.  The Jews, desiring to satisfy the law and not God, decided to enforce this list of trespasses to the letter, forgetting about the spirit of the law.

Types of trespasses and their offerings.

II.   5:1-19 - A trespass committed in ignorance.

A.     Verse 1-5 - Various types of trespass in ignorance.

1.       Verse 1 - The sin of "commission" in not telling the whole truth.  We shouldn't desire to hurt people by telling the truth, but we need to understand that we hurt them more (and others are forced into it) by not telling the whole truth.

2.       Verse 2 & 3 - The sin of defilement by touching the unclean.  "Abstain from all appearance of evil."  I Thess. 5:22.

3.       Verse 4 - rash swearing.  In anger, frustration, or good feeling, declaring that we will do something, not realizing what we mean.  Example: (1) we'll hit that person if they do so and so again. (2) We'll give a million dollars if they give 10 cents.  James 3:6, "And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity..."

4.       Verse 5 - There must be confession of the sin, not stubbornness.  This trespass sin is confessed, when the sin of ignorance in chapter 4 is not confessed.  The reason is because the sin of ignorance is to God and is not anybody's business.  The trespass sin is to another person, and they need to know you are sorry.

B.     Verse 6-13 - The sacrifice for trespass committed in ignorance. (The above listed trespasses.)

1.       Verse 6 - A female (no male), a lamb or kid from the goats.

a.      Compare to 5:15 - a sin of the Holy things of the Lord committed by ignorance demand a ram for sacrifice.

b.      6:6 - A trespass committed in full knowledge demands a ram.

c.      Like the sin offerings, there are degrees of trespass and sacrifice.  A trespass done in ignorance is still a trespass.  It must be forgiven.  It is not as serious as a willful trespass.

d.      7:7 - The trespass offering is treated like a sin offering.  Blood on horns of altar, rest poured at bottom of altar, insides burned, rest of body eaten by priests.

2.       Verse 7-10 - A person financially unable to bring a lamb will bring two turtledoves or two young pigeons.

a.      Verse 7-9 - One is a sin offering.

1)      The blood is first sprinkled on the side of the altar - similar to placing blood on the horns of the altar - asking for mercy.

2)      The remainder of the blood is poured at the bottom of the altar - typifying the blood of Christ, which cleanses us from sin.

b.      Verse 10 - One a burnt offering - See 1:14-17 for instructions.

3.       Verse 11-13 - The offering of an extremely poor person.

a.      1/10th part of ephod of fine flour - about 1/2 gallon.

b.      fine flour - pictures Christ ground very fine because of our sins.

c.      No oil or frankincense - God has no pleasure in sin.

d.      Burn a handful on the altar - destroying sin.

e.      The remainder the priest shall eat.

C.     Verse 14-19 - A trespass in the Holy Things of the Lord.

1.       As giving the wrong sacrifice, or eating the wrong sacrifices.

2.       The more serious offense rates a more expensive sacrifice - the ram.

3.       verse 15 - "with thy estimation".  The ram had to be the proper value in silver - according to Jewish tradition, worth at least two shekels.

III.   Chapter 6:1-7 - A sin committed willfully - all trespasses against people are sins against the Lord also.  We do not mean to imply that it is all right to sin willfully, then ask forgiveness and everything will be okay.  The willful trespasses in our text are committed against men.  They happen as a result of the sinful nature, not that they are committed over and over again.  The Bible states that after we sin willfully, (over and over again) there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful looking for judgment (Heb. 10:26,27).  These continual, willful sins are against God and He may not forgive them.

A.     A lie concerning these things (verse 1-3).

B.     Restitution.

1.       Restore the principal of it (to the victim).

2.       Add the fifth part to it.  (A picture of how God, in spite of sin, retains His original glory and adds 20% to it.  Christ will one day give the entire world back to God just like it was when it was first created, plus the group of redeemed souls.  So there will finally be more than there was to start with.)

3.       Give a ram for a sin offering. - Compare to unwittingly committed trespass offering.  The ram is required for a more serious offense.