Leviticus 5:10, commentary and pictures

The verse provides for a person burdened with sin bringing an individual offering during the year to make amends, with the second bird presented as a burnt offering in the prescribed manner. The sinner confessed and laid hands on a blameless victim to transfer sin in figure and slew it himself, but making atonement was the distinct work of the priest alone, not of the offerer or the killing. The priest made atonement with the blood, for life is in the blood given on the altar for the soul, sprinkling it in the holy place so that sin was transferred in figure to the sanctuary, or where the blood was not taken in the flesh was eaten in the holy place to the same effect. Forgiveness followed that priestly atoning work rather than penitence alone, and it was placed within reach of the poorest, for if poverty prevented larger animals two pigeons sufficed and in extreme need a handful of fine flour was accepted with full and equal forgiveness. The whole ministration was an earthly pattern and shadow of Christ's work, with the offerings expressing faith in the Redeemer to come and pointing to Christ making atonement as High Priest in the heavenly sanctuary rather than by His death as the sacrifice.

The Offering and Its Law

Leviticus 5:10 belongs to the ceremonial law of sacrifices and offerings, which was instituted in consequence of sin and stands in contrast to the moral law. Its details have meaning, and they find their fuller meaning in the sacrifice, life, and work of Jesus Christ. It is one of the five kinds of offerings — burnt, meal, peace, sin, trespass — whose purpose and manner are clearly defined. These are set out in the first seven chapters of Leviticus governing sin-offerings, peace-offerings, and thank-offerings, where this second offering is offered as a burnt offering according to the manner to make atonement for sin committed so that it is forgiven. Each of these different kinds of sacrifices teaches something in type about the work of Jesus Christ.

The verse concerns the special, individual offering that a soul, that is a person, burdened with sin brought during the year to make amends for harm done. Sin required a penalty, and here the second bird was offered as a burnt offering according to the manner, while the priest made atonement for the sinner so that the sin was forgiven. These offerings brought when burdened with sin expressed faith in the Redeemer to come, and when offered in faith the sacrifice figured the transfer of the penitent's forgiven sin to the sanctuary through its blood or the priest's person. This work for individuals bringing particular offerings during the year was part of the priests' daily ministration in the first holy place of the earthly sanctuary. The yearly sanctuary service with its offerings and priestly work is also connected with the verse as a type of Christ's ministry, and that yearly service pointed to Christ's once-for-all service.

The sacrifices cost the one making them something, with the cost varying with the wealth or position of the offerer, so that in addition to tithes the Israelites spent much in offerings. This mingles mercy with justice, for the rich were to bring the most costly animals and the poor that of least price. If poverty prevented bringing a bullock or heifer, goat or sheep, calf, kid, or lamb, a turtle-dove or young pigeon sufficed. In extreme poverty even a little meal or fine flour was accepted as a sufficient oblation, with a tenth part of an ephah, about three quarts, of meal bringing the benefits of sacrificial service within the reach of the poorest of the poor, yet every person must bring something because every person has sinned.

Provision was made for one too poor to own pigeons to bring two pigeons, or two wild turtle-doves caught by hand, and for one too feeble to capture doves to bring a small portion of fine flour. Forgiveness for this poor sinner is full and equal, placing him in just the same relation to God as one able to bring a bullock.

Atonement Through the Priest

The verse belongs to individual atonement for forgiveness, with the trespass offering similar to the sin offering, and sin itself requiring atonement and forgiveness. The person bore his iniquity until he presented the offering, and confession and restitution were necessary before atonement could be made. Sincerity did not make a wrong right, nor did failure to recognize it, for God's law remains the standard.

The sinner brought a clean beast without blemish to the door of the tabernacle, laid his hand on its head to confess sins and transfer them in figure to the beast and accept it as substitute, then slaughtered it himself in acknowledgment of his own worthiness of death. Making atonement was the distinct and separate work of the priest, not of the offerer nor of the killing of the offering, for the priest and not the sinner makes atonement for the one who sinned. The priest's atoning act was distinct from the offering's death, being a separate act associated with the offering's blood.

The priest made atonement with the offering's blood, for the life of the flesh is in the blood given on the altar to make atonement for the soul, and life is represented in the blood. He took the blood into the holy place and sprinkled it before the altar of incense and put some on the horns of the altar, so that sin was transferred in figure through the victim and its blood to the sanctuary. Where the blood was not taken in, the flesh was eaten in the holy place and the sins were transferred in that way, figured as transferred through the priest's person when offered in faith.

Through the victim's blood applied by the priest, atonement was made and the sinner was forgiven and freed from that iniquity. Forgiveness follows the priest's sacrificial atoning work, not the sinner's penitence alone, since sin is transgression of the law kept in the ark and favor is extended to the penitent as the atoning blood is sprinkled before the mercy-seat. Once sin is recognized it must be confessed, repented of, and put away, while God also considers the sinner's motives and opportunities to know what is right when assessing responsibility.

Shadow of Christ's Work

The sanctuary service to which this law belongs was an earthly pattern and shadow of the heavenly sanctuary and of Christ's priestly work, and its prescribed offering and priestly atonement form part of the object lesson by which God's way and His work for sinners are taught. As part of the laws concerning sacrifices and offerings, its details have meaning and find their fuller meaning in the sacrifice, life, and work of Jesus Christ.

The instructions for offerings show that sin required a penalty, with the second bird offered as a burnt offering and the priest making atonement for the sinner so that the sin was forgiven, and those offerings were shadows of their fulfillment in Jesus Christ. The different kinds of sacrifices each teach something in type about the work of Jesus Christ. The offerings described for individuals when burdened with sin expressed their faith in the Redeemer who was to come.

The priest made atonement for the sinner in the sanctuary using the offering, while the sinner and not the priest slaughtered the sacrifice. The atonement was thus made through the priest's sanctuary service, pointing to Christ making atonement as High Priest in the heavenly sanctuary rather than by His death as the sacrifice. The yearly sanctuary service with its offerings and priestly work served as a type of Christ's ministry, and that yearly service pointed to Christ's once-for-all service.

Provision was made for the poor in the sin-offering, allowing two pigeons, or two wild turtle-doves caught by hand by one too poor to own pigeons, or a small portion of fine flour for one too feeble to capture doves. The crushed grain is a type of the broken body of the Saviour. Forgiveness for this poor sinner is full and equal, placing him in just the same relation to God as one able to bring a bullock. The burning of a handful of the flour corresponds to the burning of the fat and typifies the final destruction of sin, and the eating of the remainder by the priest typifies the bearing of sins by the Saviour.