Numbers 15:25
And the priest shall make an atonement for all the congregation of the children of Israel, and it shall be forgiven them; for it is ignorance: and they shall bring their offering, a sacrifice made by fire unto the LORD, and their sin offering before the LORD, for their ignorance:
When the whole congregation sins unintentionally through ignorance, the priest makes atonement for them with the prescribed offering and they are forgiven, revealing God's pardoning mercy. The prescribed offering is a burnt offering and a sin offering, a sacrifice made by fire unto the Lord and presented before the Lord. Sin committed in ignorance is still real sin and not a harmless mistake, and it leaves the sinner in need of atonement even when the conscience feels no guilt. Sins of ignorance are less heinous than sins of presumption, yet once they come to light the guilty must repent, turn from sin, and seek forgiveness. There is no provision here for willful, persistent rebellion, for presumptuous sin brings death and cuts the defiant off from Israel and from life.
Provision for Unintentional Sin
When the whole congregation sins unintentionally through ignorance, the priest makes atonement for them through the prescribed offering, and they are forgiven. That forgiveness displays God's pardoning mercy extended to the whole congregation when they sin without intent. People can sin without knowing it, and when the sin comes to their knowledge they must take steps to obtain forgiveness. The prescribed offering is a burnt offering and a sin offering, a sacrifice made by fire unto the Lord. It is presented before the Lord by the priest, who makes atonement for the congregation so they may be forgiven.
The provision applies alike to the congregation and to the stranger living among them. There is one ordinance forever for Hebrew and stranger alike as equals before the Lord. Bought foreign servants when circumcised became part of the household during their service and naturalized citizens of Israel. As such they became members of the congregation and partakers of all its rites and privileges including atonement and forgiveness.
Forgiveness under this provision did not mean the sin had already been removed from the sanctuary. Those sins were dealt with there later through the annual cleansing. The chapter sets this provision alongside Sabbath-breaking as presumptuous sin, not ordinary sin. That Sabbath-breaking stands among sins abhorrent to God, and the chapter teaches what an acceptable offering is.
The chapter belongs to temporary regulations given for Israel in the wilderness, adapted to that people, time and surroundings. It is easily distinguishable from the Decalogue as the eternal constitution of God's government. It includes provision for special and flagrant presumptuous sin as in the stoning of the man who defiantly gathered sticks on the Sabbath.
Ignorance, Repentance, and Presumption
Sin done without knowing it is still sin, not merely a mistake, and not knowing does not make the act harmless. Even where the conscience feels no guilt, the guilt remains until atonement is made, so forgiveness still requires the appointed burnt offering and sin offering brought before the Lord with priestly atonement. The need applies when the whole congregation unknowingly breaks the commandments, for ignorance does not cause the transgression to cease to be sin.
Sins of ignorance are less heinous than sins of presumption, yet they are not removed by unawareness, and being unaware of sin does not mean a person is fully saved from sin. A person may sin without knowing it, but when the sin comes to knowledge he is counted guilty and must act to obtain forgiveness. That action is repentance and turning from sin as soon as the sin is made known, with the prescribed offering bringing atonement and forgiveness.
That atonement and forgiveness belong to repented ignorance, but the offerings give no remedy for willful, persistent sin. Presumptuous sin stood apart under penalty of death, and those who deliberately continued in rebellion were cut off from Israel and from life. When God's law reveals the transgression the sinner stands condemned and must turn from sin, yet ignorance in unbelief can receive mercy, as seen in Paul, followed by a changed life in which God's law becomes a delight.