We have an altar from which those who serve the tent have
no right to eat. 11
For the bodies of those animals whose blood is brought into the holy places by the high priest as a sacrifice for sin are burned outside the camp. 12
So Jesus also suffered outside the gate in order to sanctify the people through his own blood. 13
Therefore let us go to him outside the camp and bear the reproach he endured. 14
For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come. 15
Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name. 16
Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.
In the sin offering no particular sin is mentioned, just that someone has sinned. There is a certain person seen standing confessedly as a sinner. But in the trespass
offerings, certain ACTS are listed but the person never himself or herself appears.
In other words, not simply, I am a sinner, but Lord forgive these specific sins.
Perhaps you think that that is a small point, but I don’t think so. Think about it: We are quick to say that we have done this evil or that evil, but we are more reticent
to say, I am evil. But is it not true that as you grow in grace, the Lord works in you a deeper realization not only of sins committed, but of the fact that you have a constant sense of indwelling evil?
That is exactly what Paul saying in Romans 7. “When I would do good, evil is present with me…” We confess this act or that act and rightly so, and we know it
is pardoned, but this ever remaining ever struggling sin within us, is, more than everything else, what burdens us. The sin offering speaks to the worshipper’s victory in that as well.
The reason that Christians do not have peace and assurance is not, as is so often accused, that the church talks too much about sin and sermons are too heavy. If sin
is being preached, then the pastor is robbing me of my assurance. But remember, your assurance is not based upon your not being so bad…your assurance is based upon Christ’s being so good!
Christ saved us AS SINNERS, not as those who were holy and righteous. God’s testimony is that we are saved as sinners by Christ’s work FOR us.
To doubt our pardon because we see the greatness of our sin is just weakness of faith in the One offered, Jesus. What it proves is not that the minister is a sour
puss, but rather, how low our estimate of Jesus is, how limited our confidence in God’s love and faithfulness.
In the sin offering, sin is pictured as exceedingly sinful, exceedingly hateful, exceedingly evil before God. But it is also shown to have been perfectly judged and
perfectly atoned for. The sweet aroma offerings were for acceptance, but these are for the satisfying of God’s righteous anger against sin. In the first group, sin is not seen, it is simply the faithful Israelite satisfying the Lord. In the sin offering it
is just the reverse, it is an offering charged with the sin of the offerer.
In these sacrifices, the worshipper comes as a convicted sinner, his offering, which represents himself, had poured upon it the judgment that was to have been his.
You may be tempted to wonder how it could have been so easy for the OT saint to wander from truth, to forget what sin deserved.
Picture it, you take your offering and watch as it is destroyed outside the camp…its blood poured out and the whole point is that YOU deserve that, but that God was
pleased to pour his wrath upon the perfect sacrifice and not the individual, you, who deserved it.
How could they forget! What a demonstrative show!!! Complete with blood and all of what the sinner deserves but does not get, how could this ever be treated as if
it did not happen? How could this become a going through the motions?
But how is it that I can, not any different from my OT brother, do the very same thing when the fullness of the OT has come in Christ and He, the Son of God bore my
punishment for me? How can we ever, just go through the motions? And yet we do, don’t we?
Never live taking that for granted. The fact of Christ’s taking your punishment from God the Father, is not an aspect of life that is now behind you, true the punishment
never threatens you but the reality of what Christ has done, is life itself.
In this offering, unlike the others, the offering was cast out and burnt, not on God’s table, not on God’ altar, but cast out in the wilderness, outside of the
camp.
To be thrown outside the camp is the ultimate picture of God’s wrath and rejection being upon you. The sacrifice was taken outside of the presence of God and it was
pronounced a curse. This testified how completely the offering was identified with the sin it suffered for, so completely that it was looked upon as sin itself. Now, the comment made in Hebrews is becoming more clear.
That is what Jesus has done for you. The preacher of Hebrews sees the picture and brings out the significance of it for us. Christ was cast out as one who was unfit
for Jerusalem, as unworthy a place in the city of God.
Prayer: Father, although I forget often, your gifts, kindness and mercies please do not forget me. My confidence is not in my hold on you, but on yours on me. Help
me to live in conscious awareness of Your word and presence. When I forget, show me the way again, when I remember, may I be full in truth and obedience to all that You have said, through Jesus Christ my Lord, Amen.
Hymn: Sometimes a Light Surprises
