Leviticus 4 presents the Law of sin offerings.  This gives directions regarding unintentional sins that become known and bring guilt upon an individual, a priest, a leader, or the entire congregation.  The Lord makes it clear here that when anyone does something that God has commanded them NOT to do - that is sin.

The sin offering is similar to the other sacrifices, but it does have some differences.

- A bull must be offered if it the priest or the congregation that has sinned.
- A male goat must be offered if it a leader that sins.
- A female goat or lamb is offered for the "common people"

 In the case of the priest or the congregation the bull is brought to the doorway and is slain there after the priest puts his hand on the animal; or in the case of the whole congregation's sinning, the elders all place their hands on the bull's head.
What is different is that the priest puts his fingers in the blood and 7 times he sprinkles it before the veil and he puts some on the table of incense and on the altar's horns; then he pours out all of the blood at the base of the altar;  he offers up specific pieces of the animal and then the rest of the sacrifice is taken outside of the camp and burned up.

"So the priest shall make atonement for them, and they shall be forgiven." ( v20, 26, 31, 35)

The writer of Hebrews says, " For the Law, since it has only a shadow of the good things to come and not the very form of things, can never by the same sacrifices year by year which they offer continually, make perfect those who draw near. "(10:1)  And, " We have an altar, from which those who serve the tabernacle have no right to eat. For the bodies of those animals whose blood is brought into the holy place by the high priest as an offering for sin are burned outside the camp, Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people through His own blood suffered outside the gate. "

The Law gave a glimpse of God's atonement plan for mankind.  It was a shadow, a foresight, into the True sacrifice that would come when Jesus Christ died on the cross.  Every offering commanded by the Law - was a glimpse into the fulfillment of atonement and forgiveness and sanctification that comes only through Jesus Christ.   " For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling those who have been defiled, sanctify for the cleansing of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God." (Hebrews 9:13-14).  Once and for all His perfect sacrifice is sufficient to sanctify us "once for all".

Praise and honor and thanksgiving to our Heavenly Father and to the Lamb Who was slain!
Jesus paid it all, all to Him we owe.  Sin has left a crimson stain.  Jesus washed it white as snow!
Hallelujah! Amen