July 19, 2025
DAILY BIBLE READING
Leviticus 4 – The Law of the Sin Offering – When Guilt Comes to Light
God’s Way of Reconciliation with Sinful Humanity
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Bible Text – Leviticus 4 (KJV)
1 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
2 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If a soul shall sin through ignorance against any of the commandments of the Lord concerning things which ought not to be done, and shall do against any of them:
3 If the priest that is anointed do sin according to the sin of the people; then let him bring for his sin, which he hath sinned, a young bullock without blemish unto the Lord for a sin offering.
4 And he shall bring the bullock unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before the Lord; and shall lay his hand upon the bullock’s head, and kill the bullock before the Lord.
5 And the priest that is anointed shall take of the bullock’s blood, and bring it to the tabernacle of the congregation:
6 And the priest shall dip his finger in the blood, and sprinkle of the blood seven times before the Lord, before the vail of the sanctuary.
7 And the priest shall put some of the blood upon the horns of the altar of sweet incense before the Lord, which is in the tabernacle of the congregation; and shall pour all the blood of the bullock at the bottom of the altar of the burnt offering, which is at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.
8 And he shall take off from it all the fat of the bullock for the sin offering; the fat that covereth the inwards, and all the fat that is upon the inwards,
9 And the two kidneys, and the fat that is upon them, which is by the flanks, and the caul above the liver, with the kidneys, it shall he take away,
10 As it was taken off from the bullock of the sacrifice of peace offerings: and the priest shall burn them upon the altar of the burnt offering.
11 And the skin of the bullock, and all his flesh, with his head, and with his legs, and his inwards, and his dung,
12 Even the whole bullock shall he carry forth without the camp unto a clean place, where the ashes are poured out, and burn him on the wood with fire: where the ashes are poured out shall he be burnt.
13 And if the whole congregation of Israel sin through ignorance, and the thing be hid from the eyes of the assembly, and they have done somewhat against any of the commandments of the Lord concerning things which should not be done, and are guilty;
14 When the sin, which they have sinned against it, is known, then the congregation shall offer a young bullock for the sin, and bring him before the tabernacle of the congregation.
15 And the elders of the congregation shall lay their hands upon the head of the bullock before the Lord: and the bullock shall be killed before the Lord.
16 And the priest that is anointed shall bring of the bullock’s blood to the tabernacle of the congregation:
17 And the priest shall dip his finger in some of the blood, and sprinkle it seven times before the Lord, even before the vail.
18 And he shall put some of the blood upon the horns of the altar which is before the Lord, that is in the tabernacle of the congregation, and shall pour out all the blood at the bottom of the altar of the burnt offering, which is at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.
19 And he shall take all his fat from him, and burn it upon the altar.
20 And he shall do with the bullock as he did with the bullock for a sin offering, so shall he do with this: and the priest shall make an atonement for them, and it shall be forgiven them.
21 And he shall carry forth the bullock without the camp, and burn him as he burned the first bullock: it is a sin offering for the congregation.
22 When a ruler hath sinned, and done somewhat through ignorance against any of the commandments of the Lord his God concerning things which should not be done, and is guilty;
23 Or if his sin, wherein he hath sinned, come to his knowledge; he shall bring his offering, a kid of the goats, a male without blemish:
24 And he shall lay his hand upon the head of the goat, and kill it in the place where they kill the burnt offering before the Lord: it is a sin offering.
25 And the priest shall take of the blood of the sin offering with his finger, and put it upon the horns of the altar of burnt offering, and shall pour out his blood at the bottom of the altar of burnt offering.
26 And he shall burn all his fat upon the altar, as the fat of the sacrifice of peace offerings: and the priest shall make an atonement for him as concerning his sin, and it shall be forgiven him.
27 And if any one of the common people sin through ignorance, while he doeth somewhat against any of the commandments of the Lord concerning things which ought not to be done, and be guilty;
28 Or if his sin, which he hath sinned, come to his knowledge: then he shall bring his offering, a kid of the goats, a female without blemish, for his sin which he hath sinned.
29 And he shall lay his hand upon the head of the sin offering, and slay the sin offering in the place of the burnt offering.
30 And the priest shall take of the blood thereof with his finger, and put it upon the horns of the altar of burnt offering, and shall pour out all the blood thereof at the bottom of the altar.
31 And he shall take away all the fat thereof, as the fat is taken away from off the sacrifice of peace offerings; and the priest shall burn it upon the altar for a sweet savour unto the Lord; and the priest shall make an atonement for him, and it shall be forgiven him.
32 And if he bring a lamb for a sin offering, he shall bring it a female without blemish.
33 And he shall lay his hand upon the head of the sin offering, and slay it for a sin offering in the place where they kill the burnt offering.
34 And the priest shall take of the blood of the sin offering with his finger, and put it upon the horns of the altar of burnt offering, and shall pour out all the blood thereof at the bottom of the altar:
35 And he shall take away all the fat thereof, as the fat of the lamb is taken away from the sacrifice of the peace offerings; and the priest shall burn them upon the altar, according to the offerings made by fire unto the Lord: and the priest shall make an atonement for his sin that he hath committed, and it shall be forgiven him.
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Introduction
What happens when we become guilty—often unintentionally?
In everyday life, we fall short of God’s standards more often than we realize. Yet even in the Old Testament, God made it clear: guilt is serious—but there is a path back to Him.
Leviticus 4 reveals the principle of the sin offering. It shows how carefully God laid out a path to forgiveness. Everyone—from priest to “ordinary soul”—was invited to walk that path.
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Commentary
1. Unintentional Sin – No Small Matter (vv. 1–2)
God makes it clear: even unintended guilt has consequences. It’s not only about conscious rebellion, but also the fundamental neglect of God’s commandments—even unknowingly.
2. The Priest’s Sin (vv. 3–12)
When the anointed priest sins, he bears responsibility for the people. His sin offering must be a young, unblemished bull—a costly sacrifice. This shows: spiritual leadership doesn’t require perfection, but it does require accountability.
→ The priest’s actions affect the entire community. His sin “loads” guilt onto the people. Hence the depth of the ritual: blood, anointing, purification.
3. The Sin of the Whole Congregation (vv. 13–21)
Even “collective failure” requires reconciliation. The elders lay their hands symbolically on the sacrificial animal—a sign of identification.
→ The reconciliation process mirrors that of the priest—highlighting communal responsibility.
4. The Sin of a Leader (vv. 22–26)
A political or societal leader isn’t exempt. The sacrifice is smaller (a male goat), but still complete. Again, guilt in leadership is serious—but God’s grace is extended to them as well.
5. The Sin of an Individual (vv. 27–35)
The “ordinary person” should bring a female goat or lamb—without blemish. Here, too, the focus is on repentance, surrender, and cleansing.
→ Important: Each sacrifice ends with the assurance, “And it shall be forgiven.”
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Summary
Leviticus 4 is not about bloody rituals—it’s about God’s heart:
He shows that guilt must not be ignored—but can be atoned for.
He invites everyone—priest, leader, congregation, or individual—to receive forgiveness.
The clear message:
→ Sin separates—but God Himself provides the bridge of forgiveness.
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Message for Us Today
Even today, the following truths remain:
Sin is real—even if unintentional. Responsibility is no excuse to downplay sin. Forgiveness is possible—through the perfect sacrifice of Jesus Christ, which all Old Testament offerings pointed to.
The sin offering in the Old Testament points to the cross of Calvary.
Jesus is our “spotless Lamb of sacrifice.”
Through Him we are free, clean, and justified—if we come to Him.
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Reflection Questions
Do you take your guilt seriously—or do you brush it off?
Are there things you’ve done unintentionally—but others still carry the burden?
When was the last time you consciously received forgiveness?
“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
—1 John 1:9
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July 13 – 19, 2025
WEEKLY SPIRIT OF PROPHECY READING
Ellen G. White │ Patriarchs and Prophets – Chapter 17
Jacob’s Flight and Exile
Read online here
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Introduction
Jacob does not leave his home as a hero, but as a fugitive—not because of external enemies, but because of inner guilt. And yet, on this very path—full of fear, uncertainty, and self-doubt—God’s faithfulness is revealed in a remarkable way. Chapter 17 of Patriarchs and Prophets vividly describes how God, despite guilt and flight, not only forgives His servant but uses him to fulfill His promises.
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Commentary
1. Jacob flees – alone, afraid, and broken
Jacob leaves his parents’ home out of fear of Esau’s wrath.
He is filled with guilt and remorse, feeling abandoned—by his family and perhaps even by God.
In this solitude, he begins to pray honestly. His prayer is not prideful, but marked by humility and desperation.
2. Heaven opens – the ladder from heaven (Genesis 28)
In a dream, Jacob sees a ladder connecting heaven and earth.
Angels ascend and descend—a picture of God’s service to us.
God Himself stands above the ladder and repeats the promise made to Abraham—now it applies to Jacob!
Jacob not only receives assurance but also a promise: “I am with you… I will not leave you.”
3. Jacob awakens – from sinner to worshiper
Jacob realizes: “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I did not know it!”
He sets up a stone pillar, names the place Bethel (“House of God”), and makes a vow—not as a bargain, but out of gratitude.
He vows to remain faithful, to give a tenth, and to follow God.
4. Jacob in Haran – faithful despite disappointment
In Haran, Jacob meets his future wife Rachel.
He serves seven years—out of love, faithfully and patiently.
But Laban deceives him. Instead of Rachel, he is given Leah.
Jacob is betrayed—yet he stays.
In total, he serves 20 years, is cheated multiple times, but God blesses him despite all human injustice.
5. The return – decision in distress
Jacob realizes it’s time to return home.
He prays again—remembering God’s promise at Bethel.
God answers: “Return… I am with you.”
Laban pursues him—but God protects Jacob.
A peace covenant is made, marked with the name Mizpah – “The Lord watch between you and me.”
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Summary
Jacob begins his journey as a fugitive burdened by guilt, fear, and uncertainty. But God meets him—not with punishment, but with grace. On the difficult road into exile, Jacob grows spiritually, is shaped through trials, and ultimately remains faithful to God. A deceiver becomes a shepherd, a father, and a bearer of the promise.
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Message for Us Today
We too experience times of guilt, loneliness, and uncertainty. We may feel like failures, misunderstood, or taken advantage of. But God does not abandon us.
It is often in the deepest valleys that He reveals His faithfulness.
Jacob’s story shows us:
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God starts new journeys with broken people.
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Your past does not determine your calling.
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God is faithful to His promises—even when we fail.
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Reflection Question
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Have I ever encountered God like Jacob—in the midst of crisis?
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What is my “Bethel”? Where has God shown me His presence?
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Am I ready, like Jacob, to entrust God with my life, my gifts, and my tithe?
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What do I need to let go of today in order to follow God’s call to return?
Source: https://fulfilleddesire.net/19-07-2025-leviticus-chapter-4-believe-his-prophets/
