Free from guilt (Leviticus 4-7, Hebrews 3)

Guilt can enslave, crush us, and can make us hide from God. Sometimes people may try to suppress guilt, perhaps convince themselves that they haven’t done anything wrong, but when David tried this he said it was as if his bones wasted away. Sometimes the guilt comes out in a fit of rage, and maybe we then tell ourselves “I’m not that bad, that was out of character.” But is it? Or does our sin just show what we’re naturally like and we just are good at hiding it.

The good news in Leviticus is that the LORD has provided a way so that even unintentional sins can be covered. It is amazing to think that God wants relationship with people like us. The sacrificial system shows that there was a way for sin to be dealt with. God wants to forgive His people and wants us to be free from guilt. I wonder if that’s why the blood had to be visible. The blood had to be shed to show the costly nature of our sin, but notice in 4:7 that the blood was put kn the horns of the altar in the case of the priest sinning, and poured out at the base of the altar at the entrance of the tent of meeting. Here it was visible to the worshipper, whenever they remembered their guilt, they could remember the blood that was poured out for them.

We no longer have an altar since there is no longer any need for a blood sacrifice. All these sacrifices pointed forward to the once for all sacrifice of our Saviour Jesus Christ. Through His sacrifice, all sin can be forgiven and we can have the peace, love and joy that the other sacrifices pointed to.

When we feel guilty, the best thing is not to deny it, but to admit our sin and then look to the place where blood was spilt for us, not the blood of animals, but of the perfect son of God. Someone once said for every look within, take 10 at Him! See your saviour and His blood shed for you.