In this article we will review some statements we have made, related to expiatory offerings for the sins of the common people, which were presented daily in the earthly sanctuary, and the morning and evening offerings that could atone for the sin of the whole nation: A – The first statement is that individually the Israelites presented as an expiatory offering for the sins they committed, a one-year-old unblemished LAMB. This statement is not based on the books of the Pentateuch, where the sacrifices that should be offered on occasion of different rituals are recorded; but rather, on the public statement of John the Baptist, who pointed to the Lord Jesus as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. B – That the blood of the expiatory victim for the sins of the common people was introduced into the holy place and sprinkled seven times over the veil, thus contaminating it with all the sins committed by individuals throughout the year. Regarding this, in the book “Patriarchs and Prophets,” pages 367-368, the following is mentioned: “The most important part of the daily service was that which was done in behalf of individuals. The repentant sinner brought his offering to the door of the tabernacle and placing his hand upon the head of the victim, confessed his sins … He then killed the animal with his own hand, and the priest took the blood into the holy place and sprinkled it before the veil …” C – Due to the aforementioned, we have concluded that in the holy place a partially expiatory and intercessory ministry was carried out on behalf of the Israelites, culminating on the Day of Atonement with the vindication or “purification” of the sanctuary from all the sins transferred to it. The above is confirmed in the aforementioned book, page 371, where it is recorded: “The ministry of Christ was to consist of two great divisions, occupying each a period of time and a different place in the heavenly sanctuary … as Christ, after His ascension, appeared in the presence of God to offer His blood for repentant believers, so the priest sprinkled the blood of the sacrifice in the holy place in behalf of sinners in the daily service.”
In order to validate or invalidate the previous statements, we will review what the Scriptures record in this regard, especially what is contained in Leviticus 4. To begin with, it is important to note that in the aforementioned chapter, the offerings that were to be presented before the sanctuary are recorded, as well as the procedures to be followed for the sin of the anointed priest, the whole congregation or corporate body, a leader, and the common individuals. It is also important to highlight that in the daily ritual, the individual sacrifices offered were for sins of ERROR, that is, unintentional sins, out of ignorance, inadvertently; in other words, for sins that were not committed deliberately, for which sacrifices had to be offered when the individual or the entire congregation realized they had erred, even without intending to do so.
For deliberate sins committed daily, the law did not allow for expiatory sacrifices to be offered, especially if they were serious and public sins. If these sins became public, the punishment was death; but if they remained private and within the offender’s knowledge, these sins could be covered by the blood of the morning and evening lambs when the sinner repented of their sin. The expiatory victims offered by the priest represented the Lord, who was also represented by the sacrificed animals, through whose blood the sinner obtained undeserved forgiveness given by grace. In the case of the unintentional sins of the anointed priest, he had to offer a bull as an expiatory sacrifice, whose blood he took into the holy place, where he sprinkled it seven times toward the veil of the sanctuary, as well as placing it on the horns of the altar of incense; pouring the rest at the base of the altar of burnt offering, which was at the doorway of the meeting tent, that is, in the temple courtyard (Leviticus 4:3-7). For the sin of the entire congregation or corporate body, the sacrifice and procedure were similar to that of the anointed priest, who sprinkled the blood seven times toward the veil in the holy place, and also put it on the horns of the altar in the tent of meeting; pouring the rest at the base of the burnt offering altar (Leviticus 4:13-18).
To atone for the sin of a leader, he had to offer a male goat as a sacrifice, whose blood did not enter the holy place but was placed on the horns of the burnt offering altar, pouring the rest at the base of said altar (Leviticus 4:22-25). If the sin to be atoned for was that of a common individual, he offered a GOAT, not a lamb, whose blood also did not enter the holy place but was placed on the horns of the burnt offering altar, pouring the rest at the base of that altar (Leviticus 4:27-30).
The aforementioned shows us that the blood of the expiatory victim for the sins of individuals was never brought into the holy place, so we cannot affirm that an expiatory and intercessory ministry was exercised in favor of individuals who sinned from the common people. The unintentional sins of the anointed priest, given his role, were practically nonexistent; as were the unintentional sins of the whole congregation that had to present an expiatory offering for sins committed unintentionally, when they became aware of their mistakes. The only biblical record we have of such a sin, possibly, was the request of the Israelites to be like other nations, with a king to rule over them. The remaining corporate sins they committed were deliberate sins, for which the law did not allow expiatory sacrifices to be offered. The same applied to the unintentional sins of a leader or common individuals, in whose cases the blood of the expiatory victims also did not enter the holy place.
We conclude by asking the following question: How can we continue to affirm that an expiatory ministry was carried out in the holy place through the blood of the sin-offering victims, sprinkled in that place, when in reality the blood was never taken there? To be continued. Blessings.
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