Priestly Offering Instructions (Leviticus 6)

Were there further details for the priests in regard to the offerings? What great lessons did the offerings provide? How did they prepare for the greatest sacrifice of all? Let’s look at Leviticus 6.

What other kinds of sin would require a guilt or reparation offering?

And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, If a soul sin, and commit a trespass against the Lord, and lie unto his neighbour in that which was delivered him to keep, or in fellowship, or in a thing taken away by violence, or hath deceived his neighbour; Or have found that which was lost, and lieth concerning it, and sweareth falsely; in any of all these that a man doeth, sinning therein: (Leviticus 6:1-3 KJV)

How should such a person compensate their neighbor when they are guilty of such sins?

then it shall be, when he sins and becomes guilty, that he shall return what he took by robbery or what he got by extortion, or the deposit which was entrusted to him or the lost thing which he found, or anything about which he swore falsely; he shall make restitution for it in full and add to it one-fifth more. He shall give it to the one to whom it belongs on the day he presents his guilt offering. (Leviticus 6:4-5 LSB)

What offering should the guilty person make before a priest?

Then he shall bring to the priest his guilt offering to the Lord, a ram without defect from the flock, according to your assessment, as a guilt offering, and the priest shall make atonement for him before the Lord, and he will be forgiven for any one of the things which he may have done to incur guilt. (Leviticus 6:6-7 NASB)

Were there extra commands for the priests in regard to the burnt offering?

The Lord said to Moses: “Give Aaron and his sons this command: ‘These are the regulations for the burnt offering: The burnt offering is to remain on the altar hearth throughout the night, till morning, and the fire must be kept burning on the altar. The priest shall then put on his linen clothes, with linen undergarments next to his body, and shall remove the ashes of the burnt offering that the fire has consumed on the altar and place them beside the altar.’” (Leviticus 6:8-10 NIV)

Could the priests allow the fire to go out on the altar of sacrifice?

Then he shall take off his garments, put on other garments, and carry the ashes outside the camp to a clean place. And the fire on the altar shall be kept burning on it; it shall not be put out. And the priest shall burn wood on it every morning, and lay the burnt offering in order on it; and he shall burn on it the fat of the peace offerings. A fire shall always be burning on the altar; it shall never go out. (Leviticus 6:11-13 NKJV)

Were there extra commands for the priests in regard to the grain offering?

These are the instructions regarding the grain offering. Aaron’s sons must present this offering to the Lord in front of the altar. The priest on duty will take from the grain offering a handful of the choice flour moistened with olive oil, together with all the frankincense. He will burn this representative portion on the altar as a pleasing aroma to the Lord. Aaron and his sons may eat the rest of the flour, but it must be baked without yeast and eaten in a sacred place within the courtyard of the Tabernacle. (Leviticus 6:14-16 NLT)

Could it be baked with yeast? Did the priests eat of it, as their portion?

It shall not be baked with yeast. I have given it as their portion of my offerings made by fire. It is most holy, as are the sin offering and the trespass [guilt] offering. Every male among the children of Aaron shall eat of it, as their portion forever throughout your generations, from the offerings of Yahweh made by fire. Whoever touches them shall be holy. (Leviticus 6:17-18 WEB)

What were the regulations regarding ordination after Aaron’s death or retirement?

The Lord said to Moses, This is the offering that Aaron and his sons must present to the Lord on the day of his anointment: one-tenth of an ephah of choice flour as a regular grain offering, half in the morning and half in the evening. It must be prepared on a griddle with oil. You must bring it thoroughly mixed up and must present it as a grain offering of crumbled pieces as a soothing smell to the Lord. The priest who is anointed from among Aaron’s sons to succeed him will prepare the offering as a permanent portion for the Lord. It will be completely burned as a complete offering. Every priestly grain offering must be a complete offering; it must not be eaten. (Leviticus 6:19-23 CEB)