Leviticus 4:1-5:13 is devoted to the Sin Offering. The sin offering was not based on the type of sin but on the rank of the sinner as to what had to be sacrificed. The high priest is at the top of the list; when he sins however unintentionally, he brings guilt on the whole nation. His sacrifice must be a bull that he kills; he must go into the tabernacle to the curtain separating the holy place from the holy of holies and sprinkle the bull’s blood on the horns of the incense altar and then go back outside and pour the rest of the bull’s blood at the base of the altar for burnt offerings. All the animal’s fat and internal organs must be burned on the altar and the remaining must be burned on a wood pile outside the camp at a special place. Nothing from this sacrifice may be eaten by anyone because of the seriousness of sin. Moses goes on to describe the sacrifices for sin by the nation, a leaser of the people, and an ordinary person. More is required of certain people because of their position in life, but sin is sin and all are required to make sacrifices for their guilt. The sin offering was a daily offering.
But Jesus is the one who takes our sin upon Himself. John the Baptist “saw Jesus coming toward him and said, ‘Look! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world’.” John 1:29 (NLT). Paul shows us the difference Christ makes in our lives: “When Adam sinned, sin entered the world. Adam’s sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned. Yes, people sinned even before the law was given. But it was not counted as sin because there was not yet any law to break. Still, everyone died – from the time of Adam to the time of Moses – even those who did not disobey an explicit commandment of God, as Adam did. Now Adam is a symbol, a representation of Christ, who was yet to come. But there is a great difference between Adam’s sin and God’s gracious gift. For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and His gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one man, Jesus Christ. Yes Adam’s one sin brings condemnation for everyone, but Christ’s one act of righteousness brings a right relationship with God and new life for everyone. Because one person disobeyed God, many became sinners. But because one other person obeyed God, many will be made righteous.” Romans 5:12-19 (NLT). And again Paul writes, “For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.” 2 Corinthians 5:21 (NLT).