Daily Scripture Reading Leviticus 5:1-16
John Newton was the son of a pious woman, so in his early years, his mind was filled with scripture, hymns, and poems. His mother died when he was 7 years old, and after that he came under many negative influences. He became known for cursing, blasphemy, and other wickedness. From time to time he made attempts to reform himself, but the attempts ended in failure. At one point he worked as a slave trader.
In 1748 he was sailing home to England, and his ship was engulfed in a violent storm. Death stared him in the face, but as he thought upon his many sins, he feared his sins were too great to be forgiven.
This is a common fear among humans. However, the fifth chapter of Leviticus illustrates a truth that is taught throughout the Bible. Yahweh is a forgiving God.
The first three chapters of Leviticus list the rules for offering burnt, grain, and peace offerings. The fourth chapter begins explaining the process of atoning for sin. Those instructions continue in chapter 5.
Lev. 5:1 ¶ ‘Now if a person sins after he hears a public oath to testify when he is a witness, whether he has seen or otherwise known, if he does not tell it, then he will bear his guilt.
Notice the words “public oath to testify”. When Israelite leaders were investigating a crime, one of the investigating tools they used was to issue a public oath which required anyone who was a witness of the crime to come forward and tell what he knew about the incident. If a witness heard the oath, but did not come forth, he was guilty of a sin.
Lev. 5:2 Or a person who touches any unclean thing, whether a carcass of an unclean beast or the carcass of unclean cattle or a carcass of unclean swarming things—though it is hidden from him, yet he is unclean—will be guilty.
Lev. 5:3 Or if he touches human uncleanness, of whatever sort his uncleanness may be with which he becomes unclean, and it is hidden from him, and then he comes to know it, he will be guilty.
Lev. 5:4 Or if a person swears thoughtlessly with his lips to do evil or to do good, in whatever matter a man may speak thoughtlessly with a sworn oath, and it is hidden from him, and then he comes to know it, he will be guilty in one of these.
Take note of the words “sworn oath”. The problem identified in this verse is not merely a man speaking rashly. It was a man rashly swearing an oath. In our culture, we sign documents and get them notarized in order to create binding agreements. In Biblical culture, they swore oaths to make agreements legally binding. Rashly swearing an oath was problematic because the person was legally obligated to do whatever it was he rashly swore to do.
Take note also of the words “to do evil”. Sometimes, men would rashly swear to do something evil, meaning they were legally obligated to do the evil deed. In that case they were in a bind because it was a sin to break an oath, but it was also a sin to do the evil deed they had sworn to do.
Lev. 5:5 So it shall be, when he becomes guilty in one of these, that he shall confess that in which he has sinned.
Take note of the word “confess”. When a person became aware of his sin, he had to confess that he had committed a sin.
Lev. 5:6 He shall also bring his guilt offering to Yahweh for his sin which he has committed, a female from the flock, a lamb or a goat, as a sin offering. So the priest shall make atonement on his behalf for his sin.
Take note of the word “atonement”. After confession, the next step was to offer a sacrifice to atone for his sin.
Lev. 5:7 ¶ ‘But if he cannot afford a lamb, then he shall bring to Yahweh his guilt offering for that in which he has sinned, two turtledoves or two young pigeons, one for a sin offering and the other for a burnt offering.
Lev. 5:8 And he shall bring them to the priest, who shall bring near first that which is for the sin offering and shall nip its head at the front of its neck, but he shall not separate it.
Lev. 5:9 He shall also sprinkle some of the blood of the sin offering on the side of the altar, while the rest of the blood shall be drained out at the base of the altar: it is a sin offering.
Lev. 5:10 The second he shall then prepare as a burnt offering according to the legal judgment. So the priest shall make atonement on his behalf for his sin which he has committed, and it will be forgiven him.
Don’t miss the word “forgiven”. The purpose of this whole process was to have a sinner confess his sin so that there could be atonement and he could get to a point where his sin was forgiven.
Lev. 5:11 ¶ ‘But if his means are insufficient for two turtledoves or two young pigeons, then for his offering for that which he has sinned, he shall bring the tenth of an ephah of fine flour for a sin offering; he shall not place oil on it or put frankincense on it, for it is a sin offering.
Lev. 5:12 He shall then bring it to the priest, and the priest shall take his handful of it as its memorial portion and offer it up in smoke on the altar, with the offerings of Yahweh by fire: it is a sin offering.
Lev. 5:13 So the priest shall make atonement for him concerning his sin which he has committed from one of these, and it will be forgiven him; then the rest shall become the priest’s, like the grain offering.’”
This is the second time in this passage we see the words “atonement” and “forgiven”.
Lev. 5:14 ¶ Then Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,
Lev. 5:15 “If a person acts unfaithfully and sins unintentionally against the holy things of Yahweh, then he shall bring his guilt offering to Yahweh: a ram without blemish from the flock, according to your valuation in silver by shekels, in terms of the shekel of the sanctuary, for a guilt offering.
Lev. 5:16 And he shall make restitution for that which he has sinned against the holy thing, and he shall add to it a fifth part of it and give it to the priest. The priest shall then make atonement for him with the ram of the guilt offering, and it will be forgiven him.
The words “atonement” and “forgiven” are used in this verse. When a man sinned, he confessed, made restitution, offered a sacrifice for atonement, and then he was forgiven.
There are many people like John Newton who believe their sins are too great to be forgiven. This passage illustrates God’s forgiving nature, which is something we see throughout the Bible. Psalm 86:5 tells us the Lord has a forgiving nature. Psalm 99:8 describes Yahweh as a forgiving God. Micah 7:18 teaches us that no other god forgives like Yahweh.
Jesus performed healings to prove that He has the power to forgive sins (see Mark 2:10). Mark also assures us that all sins will be forgiven except blasphemy against the Holy Spirit (see Mark 3:28).
Paul wrote that we have forgiveness of our transgressions though Christ (Ephesians 1:7). The apostle John promised that if we confess our sins, Jesus is faithful to forgive our sins (see 1 John 1:9).
Through reading the Bible and reflecting on the death of Jesus, the parable of the fig-tree, and the conversion of Paul, John Newton became a new person. He went on to become a pastor, a hymn writer, and an activist who worked on abolishing the slave trade.
Jesus can also forgive you for your sins, no matter how grave you think they are.
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“Scripture quotations taken from the (LSB®) Legacy Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2021 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Managed in partnership with Three Sixteen Publishing Inc. LSBible.org and 316publishing.com.”