Trespass Offering

Reading Portion

Lev. 5; 7:1-7

Lesson Content

1. Trespass offering is the sacrifice offered when a man, according to his measure of knowledge, later realizes that what he had commit ted earlier in ignorance was a trespass against God. ‘Trespass’ means ‘going beyond the limit’; for (e.g) — Miriam, Aaron (Num.12:1,2) and David (II Sam.24:1-10). This sin occurs when saints trespass by not staying within their limits but going beyond that and working.

2. In the Old Testament, we see in a shadow how saints of the New Testament should live. When the camp set out, Aaron and his sons had to come and take down the covering veil and cover the ark of the testimony with it. In this manner, when th ey had made an end of covering all the vessels of the ministry the sons of Kohath had to come and bear them. If the Kohathites came and looked in while they were being covered, then that was a trespass (Num.4:5,20). Similarly, in the New Testament, each on e should minister in the state wherewith he has been called.

3. Sheep have a tendency to follow the flock. Even so, we are liable to trespass by going with the crowd and involving in the sins of others, unwittingly. Thus we can be as sheep going astray. Al l such iniquities were laid on Jesus Who became a trespass offering to sanctify us (Isa.53:6). By confessing such trespasses and sanctifying himself and by preserving his own life, one is made worthy to enter the most holy place. This offering is most holy (Lev.7:1).

4. In Leviticus 5:1-4 we read of the trespasses for which this sacrifice was offered.

5. The objects of sacrifice: Though the sin may be of the same measure, the sacrifice to be offered should be according to each one’s ability as given below (Lev.5:6-11):

(i) a female from the flock, a lamb or kid of the goats; (ii) two turtledoves, or two young pigeons; (iii) the tenth part of an ephah of fine flour.

6. As we have seen earlier, this sacrifice is most holy (Lev.7:1).