Week 4, bringing the missed marks….

Here we are, four weeks into Leviticus. Is it coming to life for you? Are you enjoying the deeper meaning and whispers of Jesus all throughout the text? I sure am. And in even something like “the law of the sin offering”, we see the same whispers of a Savoir who loves us dearly, even when we completely miss the mark.

Before we break down the specifics of the sin offering, it’s important to understand that this chapter discusses unintentional sin…when someone violated a commandment of the LORD without realizing it. This offering was a way to restore relationship with God and maintain the purity of the community and the tabernacle, which could be defiled even by unintentional sin.

You’ll see me mention the word “restore” or “restoration” several times in the following paragraphs. Therefore, you bet that it's my word to describe Leviticus 4!  Restoring or restoration typically means to return something to its original state, often after damage. And this is what the sin offering did…restored the people back towards fellowship with God and Holiness, the original state.  I’m soooo grateful for His restoration in my life!

Let’s dig in and break down the sin offering! Ready?

THE ANIMAL TYPE

Leviticus 4 used to make me yawn until I wondered why the type of animal sacrificed for unintentional sin changed based on the sinner’s status. Upon my research, what I found made sense, but also fascinated me. A High Priest/ or the whole community had to offer a young bull, the largest and most valuable domestic animal sacrificed. This may have hurt a bit, giving something valuable away, but it represented the weight of their responsibility and how their sin could lead the entire nation astray. 

A leader was instructed to offer a male goat, still valuable, but a step down from a bull per say, symbolizing real influence but with more limited impact. A common person offered a female goat or lamb, more affordable and accessible. In cases of poverty, turtledoves could be used. And in the most extreme poverty situations, fine flour could be substituted because, remember, it was found in every home! The type of animal used, or substitution, demonstrated that forgiveness was accessible to all, regardless of social status. Each animal also reflected the weight of responsibility per individual, reminding the community that sin carries consequences beyond the person and always impacts others. The bigger picture? Sin always matters, and no matter who you are, there’s always a way back to God. Restoration is such a beautiful thing!

And guess what? There’s a Jesus whisper woven within the animal sacrifice! In Leviticus 4: 12, 21 we see “the rest of the animal” not used for sacrifice instructed to be taken outside the camp and burned. Flip to Hebrews 13:11-12, which reads, “​​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.” Even in the ashes outside the camp, God was foreshadowing the cross where Jesus, cast out and crucified, became our sin offering to make us holy.


THE ANIMAL ORGANS AND BLOOD

Both the sin offering and peace offering involved animal sacrifice, the shedding of blood, and burning the fat, kidneys, and liver as God’s portion which are symbols of devotion and relationship (along with all the facts you learned about the organs from last week!). However, the purpose of these elements are used differently. The peace offering was a voluntary, joyful communal celebration of restored fellowship with God. The sin offering, however, was mandatory, often private, and focused on purification from unintentional sin. And get this, in the instruction for the sin offering blood was applied not just to the altar, but in sacred spaces like before the veil and on the altar of incense showing that sin pollutes even the holiest places. Yikes, what a painful picture of our unintentional sin tainting what was meant to be holy! However, we see a Jesus whisper here. On the cross, He said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34), a direct echo of Leviticus 4! Praise the Lord for His blood that cleanses once and for all, even the sins we don’t realize we’re committing (Hebrews 9:7–14), purifying not just spaces but our very conscience, and restoring us fully to God.

This week wouldn’t be complete if we didn’t talk about sin itself…

Let’s take a quick look at the Hebrew word for sin: chattat (or chattath). It means “sin” or “wrongdoing,” but also “to miss the mark,” like an archer missing a target just like the Greek word hamartia used in the New Testament. In Scripture, it describes falling short of God’s way. But here’s what’s profound: chattat doesn’t just mean the sin, it can also mean the sin offering. The same word is used for both the problem and the solution. This brings Paul’s words in 2 Corinthians 5:21 into sharp focus: “He who knew no sin became sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.” Jesus became the offering for all the ways we’ve missed the mark restoring our relationship with God through His sacrifice!

While I compared Leviticus 4 to Jesus, He gave me a meaningful image:

It’s the final moment of a tight match. My opponent and I are neck and neck. One point will win it. I steady myself, throw my dart…and miss the bullseye!! How? I’ve trained! I’ve followed every rhythm, studied the manual, lived like a pro, and still, I missed.

Disappointment starts to settle in…I consider walking away because, clearly, I’m not good enough. 
But then, something supernatural happens.

A sudden gust of wind lifts my dart midair and carries it straight into the bullseye!
And just for a moment, I see Him standing there, hand on the dart, smiling.
Reminding me: He’s on MY team.

Even when I miss the mark, He fills the gap.
He makes the connection.
He turns my miss into a perfect hit.

So, where’s your dart?
Have you picked it up? Is it still in your hand? Already thrown?
Did you walk away after missing the mark?

Do you trust Him as your teammate?

Yes, you will miss the mark. We all do.
But we have Jesus, and when He looks at you, He sees the mark hit over and over and over again. And in the end, He will look upon you and say, “well done, my good and faithful servant.”

REFLECTION: In what areas of my life might I be unintentionally missing the mark? Is there an area that I know I’ve “missed the mark” and need to go revisit with Jesus as my teammate?

PRAYER: Father, I don’t always see where I fall short. Thank You for making a way through Jesus, even for the sins I don’t recognize. Search my heart, Lord, and show me where I’m missing the mark. Help me to walk in Your truth, with a tender conscience and a teachable spirit. Thank You that through Christ, I can be made clean and close to You again and again and again. Amen!