Leviticus 3-4

Leviticus 3-4

The peace offering expressed sacrifice on the part of the Israelite. They were to bring the best of whatever animal they used in this offering. The animal was supposed to be without blemish, which was the best of the flock. Furthermore, they were to remove all of the fat and blood, for these were two things that they were not supposed to eat. They would then offer up their sacrifice to God in order to remember the covenant that they had made with Him. Again it is not clear as to why this offering was used, but it has been suggested that the reasons ranged from petition to praise.

Leviticus 4 begins the discussion on the sin offering. This text is clearer on why this offering is needed. Although there are many examples presented, there is one common theme that runs through all of them. One of the main reasons for this offering is to deal with unintentional sins. When someone breaks one of God’s commands and does not realize that they did something wrong, and especially when this sin is then later brought to their attention, they are supposed to repent of that sin with this offering. They are then to follow the careful instructions that God gave them so that they show that they are truly repenting of their sins and are seeking His forgiveness.

This offering shows the importance of accountability amongst believers. It says that when they do not realize their sin, but someone else points it out to them, they should repent. Now of course, that does not mean that people should be out in society as police just waiting for someone to mess up so that they can point out their mistakes, for that is just being judgmental. It does mean, however, that if someone happens to see another person sin, they should care enough about them to point it out in a loving manner. Accountability is not being judgmental toward one another; instead, it is living life together, helping each other along through all of life’s difficult times. Accountability is holding each other accountable for their actions, and when a sin is pointed out, then that person should be glad that they have a friend who is not afraid to help them get their life back on track. So one of the purposes of this offering was to help the people of Israel come together as one, living life together, helping each other along through those hard times.

Accountability is a discipline that has been lost in today’s society. Sure, there are many who do practice this discipline, but at the same time, many do not. People play the “judgment” card so much today that people are almost afraid to point out the fault in someone else. People do not want to be told that they are doing something wrong, and this has hindered the practice of accountability. The church today needs to rediscover the importance and usefulness of the discipline. It needs to be seen throughout the members of today’s church, for as it did for the Israelites, it will unite God’s children as we try to live for Him in this fallen world.

Matt