Leviticus 6

Leviticus 6 continues to outline various laws concerning offerings, focusing on the guilt or trespass offering, which is meant to atone for wrongs committed against others or God. The chapter also provides instructions on how priests should handle the offerings, underscoring the holiness required in these sacred rituals. It emphasizes the need for restitution, the sanctity of the offerings, and the priest's role in maintaining purity in the sacrificial process.

Leviticus 6:1-3 (NKJV)
1 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying:
2 "If a person sins and commits a trespass against the Lord by lying to his neighbor about what was delivered to him for safekeeping, or about a pledge, or about a robbery, or if he has extorted from his neighbor,
3 or if he has found what was lost and lies concerning it, and swears falsely—in any one of these things that a man may do in which he sins."

These verses detail specific ways in which someone might sin against another person, and by extension, against God. Sins like lying, theft, extortion, and false swearing are highlighted. These acts are not just wrongs against fellow humans, but they also violate the moral and ethical commands God has set, indicating that interpersonal sins are ultimately sins against God. The inclusion of false oaths underscores the seriousness of truthfulness in daily life.

Leviticus 6:4-5 (NKJV)
4 "Then it shall be, because he has sinned and is guilty, that he shall restore what he has stolen, or the thing which he has extorted, or what was delivered to him for safekeeping, or the lost thing which he found,
5 or all that about which he has sworn falsely. He shall restore its full value, add one-fifth more to it, and give it to whomever it belongs, on the day of his trespass offering."

Here, restitution is emphasized as a key part of atoning for sin. The sinner is required not only to return what was stolen or extorted but to add an extra one-fifth of its value as compensation. This principle ensures that the offended party is fully compensated and that justice is maintained. Restitution also demonstrates the sincerity of repentance and acknowledges the wrong done, illustrating how God's justice includes fairness to the injured party.

Leviticus 6:6-7 (NKJV)
6 "And he shall bring his trespass offering to the Lord, a ram without blemish from the flock, with your valuation, as a trespass offering, to the priest.
7 So the priest shall make atonement for him before the Lord, and he shall be forgiven for any one of these things that he may have done in which he trespasses."

In addition to making restitution, the guilty party must also bring a sacrificial offering to the priest, specifically a ram without blemish. This offering allows the priest to make atonement on behalf of the sinner. Through this ritual, the sinner's guilt is addressed both horizontally (with the person they wronged) and vertically (before God). Forgiveness is granted once both restitution and the offering are made, showing that God's grace follows sincere repentance and atonement.

Leviticus 6:8-9 (NKJV)
8 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,
9 "Command Aaron and his sons, saying, 'This is the law of the burnt offering: The burnt offering shall be on the hearth upon the altar all night until morning, and the fire of the altar shall be kept burning on it.'"

God shifts His instructions to the priests concerning the burnt offering. The offering was to remain on the altar overnight, with the fire continuously burning. This signifies the perpetual nature of Israel's worship and dedication to God. The ever-burning fire represents the constant presence of God and the ongoing need for atonement and communion with Him. It also demonstrates the priests' ongoing responsibility to maintain the sanctity of the offerings and their devotion to God's commands.

Leviticus 6:10-11 (NKJV)
10 "And the priest shall put on his linen garment and his linen trousers; he shall take up the ashes of the burnt offering which the fire has consumed on the altar, and he shall put them beside the altar.
11 Then he shall take off his garments, put on other garments, and carry the ashes outside the camp to a clean place."

These verses provide detailed instructions for handling the remains of the burnt offering. The priest must wear special garments when removing the ashes, signifying the sacredness of the task. Once the ashes are gathered, the priest must change into different clothes before carrying them outside the camp, symbolizing the need to maintain purity and separation from anything associated with the sacrifice. This practice emphasizes the importance of cleanliness and holiness in worship.

Leviticus 6:12-13 (NKJV)
12 "And the fire on the altar shall be kept burning on it; it shall not be put out. And the priest shall burn wood on it every morning, and lay the burnt offering in order on it; and he shall burn on it the fat of the peace offerings.
13 A fire shall always be burning on the altar; it shall never go out."

The command to keep the altar fire constantly burning reiterates the continuous nature of Israel’s sacrificial system. The priest’s responsibility to tend to the fire every morning and to offer additional sacrifices ensures that worship and atonement for sin are never interrupted. This symbolizes the unceasing relationship between God and His people, reminding them of their continual need for God’s presence and forgiveness. The altar fire is a visual representation of God’s ever-present holiness and the ongoing need for atonement.

Leviticus 6:14-15 (NKJV)
14 "This is the law of the grain offering: The sons of Aaron shall offer it on the altar before the Lord.
15 He shall take from it his handful of the fine flour of the grain offering, with its oil and all the frankincense which is on the grain offering, and shall burn it on the altar for a sweet aroma, as a memorial to the Lord."

These verses explain the procedure for offering a grain offering. The priest takes a portion of the grain, oil, and frankincense, burning it on the altar. The burning of the offering produces a "sweet aroma," symbolizing how the offering is pleasing and acceptable to God. This act serves as a memorial before God, acknowledging His provision and the worshiper's gratitude. It highlights the importance of intentional, fragrant worship, showing how offerings express devotion and reverence toward God.

Leviticus 6:16-18 (NKJV)
16 "And the remainder of it Aaron and his sons shall eat; with unleavened bread it shall be eaten in a holy place; in the court of the tabernacle of meeting they shall eat it.
17 It shall not be baked with leaven. I have given it as their portion of My offerings made by fire; it is most holy, like the sin offering and the trespass offering.
18 All the males among the children of Aaron may eat it. It shall be a statute forever in your generations concerning the offerings made by fire to the Lord. Everyone who touches them must be holy."

The priests are allowed to eat the remaining portion of the grain offering, but only in a holy place and without leaven. This restriction underscores the sacred nature of the offering. Eating the portion of the offering signifies that the priests, as intermediaries, partake in the holiness of the sacrifice. The prohibition against leaven, often associated with impurity, emphasizes the need for the offerings to remain pure. The act of eating these offerings is both a privilege and a responsibility for the priests, requiring them to uphold holiness in all their practices.

Leviticus 6:19-20 (NKJV)
19 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,
20 "This is the offering of Aaron and his sons, which they shall offer to the Lord, beginning on the day when he is anointed: one-tenth of an ephah of fine flour as a daily grain offering, half of it in the morning and half of it at night."

God outlines the specific daily offering that Aaron and his sons must present. This grain offering is part of their duty as priests and begins on the day of their anointing. Offering it in the morning and evening signifies the importance of daily worship and constant devotion to God. The act of bringing these offerings highlights the role of the priests as spiritual leaders, ensuring that they are consistently participating in the sacred duties they perform on behalf of the people.

Leviticus 6:21-23 (NKJV)
21 "It shall be made in a pan with oil. When it is mixed, you shall bring it in. The baked pieces of the grain offering you shall offer for a sweet aroma to the Lord.
22 The priest from among his sons, who is anointed in his place, shall offer it. It is a statute forever to the Lord; it shall be wholly burned.
23 For every grain offering for the priest shall be wholly burned. It shall not be eaten."

The preparation and offering of the grain are detailed here, requiring it to be baked with oil and offered for a pleasing aroma. However, this particular offering, being for the priests themselves, is entirely burned and not consumed. This contrasts with other grain offerings where the priests may partake, showing that priests, like the people, must also make complete sacrifices to God. The requirement to burn the entire offering demonstrates the total devotion expected of the priests in their service to God.

Leviticus 6:24-26 (NKJV)
24 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,
25 "Speak to Aaron and to his sons, saying, 'This is the law of the sin offering: In the place where the burnt offering is killed, the sin offering shall be killed before the Lord. It is most holy.
26 The priest who offers it for sin shall eat it. In a holy place it shall be eaten, in the court of the tabernacle of meeting.'"

The sin offering is described as most holy, and the location for its offering is specified as the same place where burnt offerings are made. The priest who offers the sin sacrifice is permitted to eat a portion of it, but only in a designated holy area. This practice continues the theme of the priests sharing in the sanctity of the offerings. Their consumption of the sacrifice symbolizes participation in the atonement process, reinforcing their role as intermediaries between the people and God.

Leviticus 6:27-28 (NKJV)
27 "Everyone who touches its flesh must be holy. And when its blood is sprinkled on any garment, you shall wash that on which it was sprinkled in a holy place.
28 But the earthen vessel in which it is boiled shall be broken. And if it is boiled in a bronze pot, it shall be both scoured and rinsed in water."

These verses focus on the handling of the sin offering. Because it is most holy, any contact with it requires the person or object to be purified. Garments stained by the blood must be washed in a holy place, symbolizing the sacred nature of the offering and the need to remove any uncleanliness. The broken earthen vessels and carefully washed bronze pots further emphasize the importance of ritual purity, ensuring that nothing unholy taints the sacrifice or those involved in it.

Leviticus 6:29-30 (NKJV)
29 "All the males among the priests may eat it. It is most holy.
30 But no sin offering from which any of the blood is brought into the tabernacle of meeting, to make atonement in the holy place, shall be eaten. It shall be burned in the fire."

The male priests are permitted to eat from the sin offering, provided it follows the regulations laid out by God. However, if the blood of the offering is used in the tabernacle to make atonement, the offering cannot be eaten and must be entirely burned. This distinction ensures that some offerings, especially those directly linked to atonement in the holy place, remain wholly dedicated to God. The practice signifies the ultimate sanctity of certain offerings, especially those involving blood, which is seen as a powerful agent of purification.