A Sin Offering Is For Atonement
Exodus 29:35-37 reads,
29:35
"Thus shall you do to Aaron, and to his sons, according to all that I have commanded you. Seven days shall you consecrate them. 29:36Every day shall you offer the bull of sin-offering for atonement: and you shall cleanse the altar, when you make atonement for it; and you shall anoint it, to sanctify it. 29:37Seven days you shall make atonement for the altar, and sanctify it: and the altar shall be most holy; whatever touches the altar shall be holy.The sin-offering was for atonement. Seeing that it was a part of the procedures to be followed in consecrating Aaron and his sons to minister to Yahweh in the priest's office, it appears that sin-offering was offered for the atonement of Aaron and his sons.
Atonement Is Made With The Blood Of The Sin Offering
Exodus 30:1-10 reads,
30:1
"You shall make an altar to burn incense on. You shall make it of acacia wood. 30:2Its length shall be a cubit, and its breadth a cubit. It shall be square, and its height shall be two cubits. Its horns shall be of one piece with it. 30:3You shall overlay it with pure gold, the top of it, the sides of it around it, and its horns; and you shall make a gold molding around it. 30:4You shall make two golden rings for it under its molding; on its two ribs, on its two sides you shall make them; and they shall be for places for poles with which to bear it. 30:5You shall make the poles of acacia wood, and overlay them with gold. 30:6You shall put it before the veil that is by the ark of the testimony, before the mercy seat that is over the testimony, where I will meet with you. 30:7Aaron shall burn incense of sweet spices on it every morning. When he tends the lamps, he shall burn it. 30:8When Aaron lights the lamps at evening, he shall burn it, a perpetual incense before Yahweh throughout your generations. 30:9You shall offer no strange incense on it, nor burnt offering, nor meal-offering; and you shall pour no drink-offering on it. 30:10Aaron shall make atonement on its horns once in the year; with the blood of the sin offering of atonement once in the year he shall make atonement for it throughout your generations. It is most holy to Yahweh."Exodus 32 reads,
32:1
When the people saw that Moses delayed to come down from the mountain, the people gathered themselves together to Aaron, and said to him, "Come, make us gods, which shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we don’t know what has become of him."32:2
Aaron said to them, "Take off the golden rings, which are in the ears of your wives, of your sons, and of your daughters, and bring them to me."32:3
All the people took off the golden rings which were in their ears, and brought them to Aaron. 32:4He received what they handed him, and fashioned it with an engraving tool, and made it a molten calf; and they said, "These are your gods, Israel, which brought you up out of the land of Egypt."32:5
When Aaron saw this, he built an altar before it; and Aaron made a proclamation, and said, "Tomorrow shall be a feast to Yahweh."32:6
They rose up early on the next day, and offered burnt offerings, and brought peace-offerings; and the people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to play.32:7
Yahweh spoke to Moses, "Go, get down; for your people, who you brought up out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves! 32:8They have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them. They have made themselves a molten calf, and have worshiped it, and have sacrificed to it, and said, ‘These are your gods, Israel, which brought you up out of the land of Egypt.’"32:9
Yahweh said to Moses, "I have seen these people, and, behold, they are a stiff-necked people. 32:10Now therefore leave me alone, that my wrath may burn hot against them, and that I may consume them; and I will make of you a great nation."32:11
Moses begged Yahweh his God, and said, "Yahweh, why does your wrath burn hot against your people, that you have brought forth out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand? 32:12Why should the Egyptians speak, saying, ‘He brought them forth for evil, to kill them in the mountains, and to consume them from the surface of the earth?’ Turn from your fierce wrath, and repent of this evil against your people. 32:13Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, your servants, to whom you swore by your own self, and said to them, ‘I will multiply your seed as the stars of the sky, and all this land that I have spoken of I will give to your seed, and they shall inherit it forever.’"32:14
Yahweh repented of the evil which he said he would do to his people.32:15
Moses turned, and went down from the mountain, with the two tablets of the testimony in his hand; tablets that were written on both their sides; on the one side and on the other they were written. 32:16The tablets were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God, engraved on the tables.32:17
When Joshua heard the noise of the people as they shouted, he said to Moses, "There is the noise of war in the camp."32:18
He said, "It isn’t the voice of those who shout for victory, neither is it the voice of those who cry for being overcome; but the noise of those who sing that I hear." 32:19It happened, as soon as he came near to the camp, that he saw the calf and the dancing: and Moses’ anger grew hot, and he threw the tablets out of his hands, and broke them beneath the mountain. 32:20He took the calf which they had made, and burnt it with fire, ground it to powder, and scattered it on the water, and made the children of Israel drink of it.32:21
Moses said to Aaron, "What did this people to you, that you have brought a great sin on them?"32:22
Aaron said, "Don’t let the anger of my lord grow hot. You know the people, that they are set on evil. 32:23For they said to me, ‘Make us gods, which shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we don’t know what has become of him.’ 32:24I said to them, ‘Whoever has any gold, let them take it off:’ so they gave it me; and I threw it into the fire, and out came this calf."32:25
When Moses saw that the people had broken loose, (for Aaron had let them loose for a derision among their enemies,) 32:26then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, "Whoever is on Yahweh’s side, come to me!"All the sons of Levi gathered themselves together to him. 32:27He said to them, "Thus says Yahweh, the God of Israel, ‘Every man put his sword on his thigh, and go back and forth from gate to gate throughout the camp, and every man kill his brother, and every man his companion, and every man his neighbor." 32:28The sons of Levi did according to the word of Moses: and there fell of the people that day about three thousand men. 32:29Moses said, "Consecrate yourselves today to Yahweh, yes, every man against his son, and against his brother; that he may bestow on you a blessing this day."
32:30
It happened on the next day, that Moses said to the people, "You have sinned a great sin. Now I will go up to Yahweh. Perhaps I shall make atonement for your sin."32:31
Moses returned to Yahweh, and said, "Oh, this people have sinned a great sin, and have made themselves gods of gold. 32:32Yet now, if you will, forgive their sin— and if not, please blot me out of your book which you have written."32:33
Yahweh said to Moses, "Whoever has sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book. 32:34Now go, lead the people to the place of which I have spoken to you. Behold, my angel shall go before you. Nevertheless in the day when I punish, I will punish them for their sin." 32:35Yahweh struck the people, because they made the calf, which Aaron made.Yahweh's words in 32:7-8 shows that idolatry is corruption. For those who engage in idolatry corrupt themselves. Also, anyone who turns aside out of the way that Yahweh commands him corrupts himself. In other words, going against Yahweh's word to one - sin - is corruption!
Moses' words to both Aaron and Yahweh notes that idolatry is a great sin.
A Priest's Actions Has Ramifications On Those Under His Jurisdiction
32:21 notes that Aaron, the priest over the people, brought a great sin over them by participating in their sin. In other words, the actions of a priest over a people has ramifications with effects on those people.
Atonement Is Forgiveness Of One's Sins
32:30-32 notes that the manner atonement is made for one is by one's sins being forgiven. Implying that when Yahweh forgives one's sins that one is reconciled to Yahweh. Therefore it should be clear that sin separates one from Yahweh, seeing that it corrupts or profanes a person. And Yahweh, who is holy, does not profane himself by dwelling together with corruption or profanity. To dwell with Yahweh, to be reconciled to Yahweh, one must indeed be cleansed through one being forgiven of one's sins.
It therefore appears that the sin-offering for atonement is offered that Yahweh may forgive the sinner of his sins, thereby bringing about a reconciliation of the sinner to Yahweh.
Live Righteously That Your Name May Remain Written In Yahweh's Book
32:32-33 notes that Yahweh has a book that he has written. This book contains the names of people. When people whose names are written in this book sin their names are blotted out of it! Therefore to remain written in Yahweh's book one should not sin. And if one sins one should seek atonement, that his sins may be forgiven and not held against him.
What is the significance of the book that Yahweh writes the names of people?
Moses' Name Was Written In Yahweh's Book
32:32-33 also notes that Moses' name was written in Yahweh's book and remained written in it after Israel's great sin of idolatry.
Yahweh Eventually Punishes A Person For His Sin
32:34 notes that Yahweh eventually punishes a person for sin, even if he does not do it immediately one sins.
Yahweh Does Not Dwell In The Midst Of A Stiff-Necked People
Exodus 33:1-34:28 reads,
33:1
Yahweh spoke to Moses, "Depart, go up from here, you and the people that you have brought up out of the land of Egypt, to the land of which I swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, saying, ‘I will give it to your seed.’ 33:2I will send an angel before you; and I will drive out the Canaanite, the Amorite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite: 33:3to a land flowing with milk and honey: for I will not go up in the midst of you, for you are a stiff-necked people, lest I consume you in the way."33:4
When the people heard this evil news, they mourned: and no one put on his jewelry.It Is For The Protection Of Stiff-Necked People That Yahweh Does Not Dwell Among Them
33:5
Yahweh said to Moses, "Tell the children of Israel, ‘You are a stiff-necked people. If I were to go up into your midst for one moment, I would consume you. Therefore now take off your jewelry from you, that I may know what to do to you."33:6
The children of Israel stripped themselves of their jewelry from Mount Horeb onward.Yahweh Spoke To Moses Face To Face, As A Man Speaks To His Friend
33:7
Now Moses used to take the tent and to pitch it outside the camp, far away from the camp, and he called it "The tent of meeting." It happened that everyone who sought Yahweh went out to the tent of meeting, which was outside the camp. 33:8It happened that when Moses went out to the Tent, that all the people rose up, and stood, everyone at their tent door, and watched Moses, until he had gone into the Tent. 33:9It happened, when Moses entered into the Tent, that the pillar of cloud descended, stood at the door of the Tent, and spoke with Moses. 33:10All the people saw the pillar of cloud stand at the door of the Tent, and all the people rose up and worshiped, everyone at their tent door. 33:11Yahweh spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. He turned again into the camp, but his servant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, didn’t depart out of the Tent.Yahweh's Presence Went With Moses
33:12
Moses said to Yahweh, "Behold, you tell me, ‘Bring up this people:’ and you haven’t let me know whom you will send with me. Yet you have said, ‘I know you by name, and you have also found favor in my sight.’ 33:13Now therefore, if I have found favor in your sight, please show me now your ways, that I may know you, so that I may find favor in your sight: and consider that this nation is your people."33:14
He said, "My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest."33:15
He said to him, "If your presence doesn’t go with me, don’t carry us up from here. 33:16For how would people know that I have found favor in your sight, I and your people? Isn’t it in that you go with us, so that we are separated, I and your people, from all the people who are on the surface of the earth?"33:17
Yahweh said to Moses, "I will do this thing also that you have spoken; for you have found favor in my sight, and I know you by name."Yahweh Is Gracious And Merciful
33:18
He said, "Please show me your glory."33:19
He said, "I will make all my goodness pass before you, and will proclaim the name of Yahweh before you. I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy." 33:20He said, "You cannot see my face, for man may not see me and live." 33:21Yahweh also said, "Behold, there is a place by me, and you shall stand on the rock. 33:22It will happen, while my glory passes by, that I will put you in a cleft of the rock, and will cover you with my hand until I have passed by; 33:23then I will take away my hand, and you will see my back; but my face shall not be seen."34:1
Yahweh said to Moses, "Chisel two stone tablets like the first: and I will write on the tablets the words that were on the first tablets, which you broke. 34:2Be ready by the morning, and come up in the morning to Mount Sinai, and present yourself there to me on the top of the mountain. 34:3No one shall come up with you; neither let anyone be seen throughout all the mountain; neither let the flocks nor herds feed before that mountain."Yahweh By No Means Clears The Guilty
34:4
He chiseled two tablets of stone like the first; and Moses rose up early in the morning, and went up to Mount Sinai, as Yahweh had commanded him, and took in his hand two stone tablets. 34:5Yahweh descended in the cloud, and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of Yahweh. 34:6Yahweh passed by before him, and proclaimed, "Yahweh! Yahweh, a merciful and gracious God, slow to anger, and abundant in lovingkindness and truth, 34:7keeping lovingkindness for thousands, forgiving iniquity and disobedience and sin; and that will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, and on the children’s children, on the third and on the fourth generation."34:8
Moses hurried and bowed his head toward the earth, and worshiped. 34:9He said, "If now I have found favor in your sight, Lord, please let the Lord go in the midst of us; although this is a stiff-necked people; pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us for your inheritance."34:10
He said, "Behold, I make a covenant: before all your people I will do marvels, such as have not been worked in all the earth, nor in any nation; and all the people among which you are shall see the work of Yahweh; for it is an awesome thing that I do with you. 34:11Observe that which I command you this day. Behold, I drive out before you the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite. 34:12Be careful, lest you make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land where you are going, lest it be for a snare in the midst of you: 34:13but you shall break down their altars, and dash in pieces their pillars, and you shall cut down their Asherim; 34:14for you shall worship no other god: for Yahweh, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God. 34:15Don’t make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land, lest they play the prostitute after their gods, and sacrifice to their gods, and one call you and you eat of his sacrifice; 34:16and you take of their daughters to your sons, and their daughters play the prostitute after their gods, and make your sons play the prostitute after their gods. 34:17You shall make no cast idols for yourselves.34:18
"You shall keep the feast of unleavened bread. Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread, as I commanded you, at the time appointed in the month Abib; for in the month Abib you came out from Egypt. 34:19All that opens the womb is mine; and all your cattle that is male, the firstborn of cow and sheep. 34:20The firstborn of a donkey you shall redeem with a lamb: and if you will not redeem it, then you shall break its neck. All the firstborn of your sons you shall redeem. No one shall appear before me empty.34:21
Six days you shall work, but on the seventh day you shall rest: in plowing time and in harvest you shall rest. 34:22You shall observe the feast of weeks with the first fruits of wheat harvest, and the feast of harvest at the year’s end. 34:23Three times in the year all your males shall appear before the Lord Yahweh, the God of Israel. 34:24For I will drive out nations before you and enlarge your borders; neither shall any man desire your land when you go up to appear before Yahweh, your God, three times in the year.34:25
"You shall not offer the blood of my sacrifice with leavened bread; neither shall the sacrifice of the feast of the Passover be left to the morning. 34:26You shall bring the first of the first fruits of your ground to the house of Yahweh your God. You shall not boil a young goat in its mother’s milk."34:27
Yahweh said to Moses, "Write you these words: for in accordance with these words I have made a covenant with you and with Israel."34:28
He was there with Yahweh forty days and forty nights; he neither ate bread, nor drank water. He wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant, the ten commandments.Be Righteous That Yahweh May Dwell With You
33:1-3 notes that Yahweh does not dwell with sinners, lest he consumes them on account of their sins. This implies that those who dwell with Yahweh are not sinners, but are righteous. Therefore, to dwell with Yahweh, we must indeed be righteous.
Offer A Sin Offering When You Sin Unintentionally
Leviticus 4:1-6:7 reads,
4:1
Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 4:2"Speak to the children of Israel, saying, ‘If anyone sins unintentionally, in any of the things which Yahweh has commanded not to be done, and does any one of them: 4:3if the anointed priest sins so as to bring guilt on the people, then let him offer for his sin, which he has sinned, a young bull without blemish to Yahweh for a sin offering. 4:4He shall bring the bull to the door of the Tent of Meeting before Yahweh; and he shall lay his hand on the head of the bull, and kill the bull before Yahweh. 4:5The anointed priest shall take some of the blood of the bull, and bring it to the Tent of Meeting. 4:6The priest shall dip his finger in the blood, and sprinkle some of the blood seven times before Yahweh, before the veil of the sanctuary. 4:7The priest shall put some of the blood on the horns of the altar of sweet incense before Yahweh, which is in the tent of meeting; and he shall pour out all the blood of the bull out at the base of the altar of burnt offering, which is at the door of the Tent of Meeting. 4:8He shall take all the fat of the bull of the sin offering off of it; the fat that covers the innards, and all the fat that is on the innards, 4:9and the two kidneys, and the fat that is on them, which is by the loins, and the cover on the liver, with the kidneys, he shall take away, 4:10as it is taken off of the ox of the sacrifice of peace offerings. The priest shall burn them on the altar of burnt offering. 4:11The bull’s skin, all its flesh, with its head, and with its legs, its innards, and its dung, 4:12even the whole bull shall he carry forth outside the camp to a clean place, where the ashes are poured out, and burn it on wood with fire. Where the ashes are poured out it shall be burned.Atonement Is Equivalent To Forgiveness For One's Sins
4:13
"‘If the whole congregation of Israel sins, and the thing is hidden from the eyes of the assembly, and they have done any of the things which Yahweh has commanded not to be done, and are guilty; 4:14when the sin in which they have sinned is known, then the assembly shall offer a young bull for a sin offering, and bring it before the Tent of Meeting. 4:15The elders of the congregation shall lay their hands on the head of the bull before Yahweh; and the bull shall be killed before Yahweh. 4:16The anointed priest shall bring of the blood of the bull to the Tent of Meeting: 4:17and the priest shall dip his finger in the blood, and sprinkle it seven times before Yahweh, before the veil. 4:18He shall put some of the blood on the horns of the altar which is before Yahweh, that is in the Tent of Meeting; and the rest of the blood he shall pour out at the base of the altar of burnt offering, which is at the door of the Tent of Meeting. 4:19All its fat he shall take from it, and burn it on the altar. 4:20Thus shall he do with the bull; as he did with the bull of the sin offering, so shall he do with this; and the priest shall make atonement for them, and they shall be forgiven. 4:21He shall carry forth the bull outside the camp, and burn it as he burned the first bull. It is the sin offering for the assembly.4:22
"‘When a ruler sins, and unwittingly does any one of all the things which Yahweh his God has commanded not to be done, and is guilty; 4:23if his sin, in which he has sinned, is made known to him, he shall bring as his offering a goat, a male without blemish. 4:24He shall lay his hand on the head of the goat, and kill it in the place where they kill the burnt offering before Yahweh. It is a sin offering. 4:25The priest shall take some of the blood of the sin offering with his finger, and put it on the horns of the altar of burnt offering. He shall pour out the rest of its blood at the base of the altar of burnt offering. 4:26All its fat he shall burn on the altar, like the fat of the sacrifice of peace offerings; and the priest shall make atonement for him concerning his sin, and he will be forgiven.4:27
"‘If anyone of the common people sins unwittingly, in doing any of the things which Yahweh has commanded not to be done, and is guilty; 4:28if his sin, which he has sinned, is made known to him, then he shall bring for his offering a goat, a female without blemish, for his sin which he has sinned. 4:29He shall lay his hand on the head of the sin offering, and kill the sin offering in the place of burnt offering. 4:30The priest shall take some of its blood with his finger, and put it on the horns of the altar of burnt offering; and the rest of its blood he shall pour out at the base of the altar. 4:31All its fat he shall take away, like the fat is taken away from off of the sacrifice of peace offerings; and the priest shall burn it on the altar for a sweet savor to Yahweh; and the priest shall make atonement for him, and he will be forgiven.4:32
"‘If he brings a lamb as his offering for a sin offering, he shall bring a female without blemish. 4:33He shall lay his hand on the head of the sin offering, and kill it for a sin offering in the place where they kill the burnt offering. 4:34The priest shall take some of the blood of the sin offering with his finger, and put it on the horns of the altar of burnt offering; and all the rest of its blood he shall pour out at the base of the altar. 4:35All its fat he shall take away, like the fat of the lamb is taken away from the sacrifice of peace offerings; and the priest shall burn them on the altar, on the offerings of Yahweh made by fire; and the priest shall make atonement for him concerning his sin that he has sinned, and he will be forgiven.Yahweh Requires Witnesses To Report Whatever It Is That They Have Witnessed
5:1
"‘If anyone sins, in that he hears the voice of adjuration, he being a witness, whether he has seen or known, if he doesn’t report it, then he shall bear his iniquity.5:2
"‘Or if anyone touches any unclean thing, whether it is the carcass of an unclean animal, or the carcass of unclean cattle, or the carcass of unclean creeping things, and it is hidden from him, and he is unclean, then he shall be guilty.5:3
"‘Or if he touches the uncleanness of man, whatever his uncleanness is with which he is unclean, and it is hidden from him; when he knows of it, then he shall be guilty.How To Be Forgiven Of The Rash Utterance Of Your Lips
5:4
"‘Or if anyone swears rashly with his lips to do evil, or to do good, whatever it is that a man might utter rashly with an oath, and it is hidden from him; when he knows of it, then he shall be guilty of one of these. 5:5It shall be, when he is guilty of one of these, he shall confess that in which he has sinned: 5:6and he shall bring his trespass offering to Yahweh for his sin which he has sinned, a female from the flock, a lamb or a goat, for a sin offering; and the priest shall make atonement for him concerning his sin.5:7
"‘If he can’t afford a lamb, then he shall bring his trespass offering for that in which he has sinned, two turtledoves, or two young pigeons, to Yahweh; one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering. 5:8He shall bring them to the priest, who shall first offer the one which is for the sin offering, and wring off its head from its neck, but shall not sever it completely. 5:9He shall sprinkle some of the blood of the sin offering on the side of the altar; and the rest of the blood shall be drained out at the base of the altar. It is a sin offering. 5:10He shall offer the second for a burnt offering, according to the ordinance; and the priest shall make atonement for him concerning his sin which he has sinned, and he shall be forgiven.5:11
"‘But if he can’t afford two turtledoves, or two young pigeons, then he shall bring his offering for that in which he has sinned, the tenth part of an ephah of fine flour for a sin offering. He shall put no oil on it, neither shall he put any frankincense on it, for it is a sin offering. 5:12He shall bring it to the priest, and the priest shall take his handful of it as the memorial portion, and burn it on the altar, on the offerings of Yahweh made by fire. It is a sin offering. 5:13The priest shall make atonement for him concerning his sin that he has sinned in any of these things, and he will be forgiven; and the rest shall be the priest’s, as the meal offering.’"5:14
Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 5:15"If anyone commits a trespass, and sins unwittingly, in the holy things of Yahweh; then he shall bring his trespass offering to Yahweh, a ram without blemish from the flock, according to your estimation in silver by shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary, for a trespass offering. 5:16He shall make restitution for that which he has done amiss in the holy thing, and shall add a fifth part to it, and give it to the priest; and the priest shall make atonement for him with the ram of the trespass offering, and he will be forgiven.Ignorance Of Yahweh's Word Does Not Excuse One Of Sin Against Yahweh
5:17
"If anyone sins, and does any of the things which Yahweh has commanded not to be done; though he didn’t know it, yet he is guilty, and shall bear his iniquity. 5:18He shall bring a ram without blemish from of the flock, according to your estimation, for a trespass offering, to the priest; and the priest shall make atonement for him concerning the thing in which he sinned and didn’t know it, and he will be forgiven. 5:19It is a trespass offering. He is certainly guilty before Yahweh."6:1
Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 6:2"If anyone sins, and commits a trespass against Yahweh, and deals falsely with his neighbor in a matter of deposit, or of bargain, or of robbery, or has oppressed his neighbor, 6:3or has found that which was lost, and dealt falsely therein, and swearing to a lie; in any of all these things that a man does, sinning therein; 6:4then it shall be, if he has sinned, and is guilty, he shall restore that which he took by robbery, or the thing which he has gotten by oppression, or the deposit which was committed to him, or the lost thing which he found, 6:5or any thing about which he has sworn falsely; he shall restore it even in full, and shall add a fifth part more to it. To him to whom it belongs he shall give it, in the day of his being found guilty. 6:6He shall bring his trespass offering to Yahweh, a ram without blemish from the flock, according to your estimation, for a trespass offering, to the priest. 6:7The priest shall make atonement for him before Yahweh, and he will be forgiven concerning whatever he does to become guilty."The Actions Of A Priest Are Imputed On The People
It should be noted from 4:2-3 that the priest acts on behalf of the people. When he does good that good is imputed on the people. When he sins that sin is imputed to the people.
Anyone Who Sins Is Guilty Of It, Whether Aware Of It Or Not
It should be noted from 4:13-14 that anyone who sins unwittingly is guilty of that unwitting sin. In other words, one incurs guilt for one's sin irrespective of whether or not one was aware that he was sinning in that conduct.
Yahweh Forgives Unwitting Sins When We Acknowledge Them, Repent Of Them And Seek His Forgiveness
It should also be noted from 4:13-21 that when a person recognises his unwitting sin and confesses it, offering his sin-offering for his sin, Yahweh forgives him. In other words, Yahweh forgives us our unwitting sins when we eventually recognise them, acknowledge them and seek forgiveness for those sins.
It Is Iniquity Not To Bear Witness When In A Position To Do So
5:1 notes that Yahweh imposes an obligation on us to bear witness in any matter when we are in a position to bear witness to it, especially after we have become aware that we are to bear witness in that matter. By not bearing witness in a matter when we are in a position to do so we engage in iniquity.
It should be noted that Yahweh states that a witness who does not bear witness when he should do so bears his iniquity. How does such a witness bear his iniquity?
Are Those Who Sin Wittingly Forgiven Their Sins?
5:17-19 notes that a person who sins unwittingly is guilty and bears his iniquity. Nevertheless, when that person becomes aware of his sin, confesses it, and seeks forgiveness for it, he is indeed forgiven. It therefore appears that a person who bears his iniquity on account of his unwitting sin is forgiven his sin. What about a person who bears his iniquity on account of a sin he wittingly commits, such as a witness who refrains from bearing his witness yet has become aware of the adjuration that all witnesses come forward and bear witness? Can a person who sins wittingly be forgiven his sin?
Deal Truthfully And Faithfully With Your Neighbour
6:1-7 notes that when one deals falsely with another the one sins against the other. Yahweh therefore obliges us to deal truthfully and faithfully with those we deal with.
It should also be noted that where one has dealt falsely with another on account of the other's property the one should not only restore the property, but should also add a fifth part of the restored property. The restoration and additional compensation should be made to the other. Once the restoration and additional compensation has been made the one should seek Yahweh's forgiveness, and Yahweh will indeed forgive the one. It therefore appears that for one to be forgiven by Yahweh when one has dealt falsely in a matter concerning another the one must first make reparations for the false dealing, prior to seeking Yahweh's forgiveness in the matter.
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