LEVITICUS 9 - SIN OFFERING
- Pr Enos Mwakalindile
- Jul 17
- 5 min read
Updated: Jul 30
Drawing Close to God: Visit the Leviticus, Look to Christ
Is there a way to return after the fall? We look at the sin offering and the way of mercy.
🪔 INTRODUCTION TO WORSHIP: RETURNING AFTER WEAKNESS
The ninth chapter of Leviticus is the culmination of all the preparations we have seen from chapters 1 to 8. After the offering has been announced and the priest has been consecrated, it is now time for the first service at the altar. It is like a new beginning—the first day of formal worship. But the weight of sin is still heavy; the sin offerings must be offered first.
In this chapter we see Moses instructing Aaron and his sons to perform the first priestly service, and that service begins with the sin offering . Before bringing the peace offering or burnt offering, Aaron himself must confess and repent through the sin offering. This is a picture of how any true worship should begin: with mercy first .
At the gate of God’s grace, no one enters without first coming with an offering for sin—for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.
Aaron is a type of all humans who are called to serve but are full of weakness. Unlike Christ who was sinless, Aaron needs a sin offering for himself. This sets the stage for viewing the greatness of Jesus’ ministry.
“For he did not need to offer sacrifices daily, first for his own sins… for he did this once for all when he offered himself.” — Hebrews 7:27
📖 READ LEVITICUS CHAPTER 9
Read carefully how Aaron is instructed to offer a sin offering for himself before ministering to the people. Notice the order of the offering: it is a sequence of grace, sanctification, and communion.
📚 TRAINING STRUCTURE FOR THIS CHAPTER
📘 THE PRIEST'S SIN OFFERING: MERCY TO THOSE WHO MINISTER – VV. 1–7
Aaron begins by offering a calf as a sin offering , then a ram as a burnt offering (v. 2). This is the first step in raising worship before God. Even a priest cannot stand before God without the grace of a sin offering.
“Before a priest can offer sacrifices for others, he himself must be covered with the blood of atonement.” — Hebrews 5:1–3
In verse 7, Moses tells Aaron: “Bring your sin offering and your burnt offering and make atonement for yourself and for the people.”
Worship does not begin with our ability, but with God's reconciliation.
📘 SACRIFICE FOR THE PEOPLE: A SINFUL TRIBE RECEIVES GRACE – VV. 8–14
Aaron now ministers to the people. The people’s sin offering is brought—a male goat. The blood of the offering is sprinkled on the altar (v. 9), and the entrails and fat are burned on the altar (v. 10).
This shows that sin is not just a personal matter; it is a social disaster. And so God's grace is also for the entire community.
The burnt offering follows after that, as a response of surrender to God after receiving forgiveness.
“God made him who knew no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” — 2 Corinthians 5:21
📘 PEACE AND FELLOWSHIP OFFERING: The CULIMINATION OF FELLOWSHIP – vv. 15–21
After the sin offering and burnt offering, the peace offering and grain offering follow. This is a complete picture of the journey of grace:
Sanctification (sin offering),
Sacrifice (burnt offering),
Sharing (peace offering).
In v. 21, we are told: “Aaron took the portions of the fat from the peace offerings... and waved them before the Lord as a wave offering.” This is a testimony to the joy and peace found after forgiveness.
📘 THE FIRE OF THE LORD: THE GLORY DESCENDS – VV. 22–24
When the service is over, Aaron blesses the people and leaves after all the offerings are burned, and the glory of the Lord appears to all the people (v. 23). Then the fire of the Lord comes out and consumes the offering on the altar.
This is God's response to the sacrifice offered in His order. It is a sign of acceptance . When the people saw the fire, they fell facedown and worshiped .
The fire of the Lord is not to destroy but to confirm: when it falls, it proves that the blood of atonement is sufficient.
📖 SUMMARY OF STUDY
In Leviticus 9, we see that the way back to God is always open—on the basis of the sin offering. This is not just a law of worship, but a sign of grace. And all of these offerings point to Christ, who is the High Priest and the perfect Sacrifice for all our sins (Hebrews 10:11–14).
By giving his life as a sin offering, Christ opened the way back to the Father for every fallen person.
🔥 SIN OFFERING: LIFE APPLICATION
When you stumble or fall, remember: the sin offering is still being offered. Christ is the final sacrifice, and He always stands and intercedes for us (Hebrews 7:25).
Start your days by realizing that God's mercy is morning every day (Lamentations 3:23).
Don't let the voice of shame discourage you. The sin offering is the gateway to true worship.
🛤️ RELAX AND WORK
Do you have an area of life where you feel separated from God because of shame or sin?
Can you believe that Christ's sacrifice is sufficient even for that?
In your life of worship, do you begin with mercy or do you try to arrive at it through your own efforts?
👥 FOR STUDY GROUPS
Reflect and discuss: “How do we need to begin our worship with a ‘sin offering’—confessing, repenting, and receiving mercy? And as we receive God’s forgiveness, how should we show our gratitude with righteous deeds?”
🙌 FINAL BLESSING
MAY THE LORD COVER YOU WITH THE FRAGRANCE OF HIS SACRIFICE.
May the Lord grant you the mercy that begins every morning,
May our hearts be set ablaze by the fire of His grace—
And may His glory descend upon you as proof of His unfailing love.
May you be blessed by the mercy of the Sin Offering, offered for you forever.
Amen.
➡️ THE NEXT LESSON: “THE UNFORGIVABLE SIN – LEVITICUS 10”
What happens when we despise God's holiness with the fire of our own making?
📚 FURTHER STUDIES
L. Michael Morales , Who Shall Ascend the Mountain of the Lord?
Ellen G. White , Patriarchs and Prophets , chapter 31
NT Wright , The Day the Revolution Began , p. 219–221
Tim Mackie (BibleProject) – Leviticus Series
John Walton , The Lost World of the Torah , chapter 3
Hebrews 5–10 – The High Priest, the sin offering, and the perfect atonement through Christ
2 Corinthians 5:21 , Isaiah 53:10 , Lamentations 3:23
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