Numbers 15:22-26: a reflection

22“‘When you err, and don’t observe all these commandments which the LORD has spoken to Moses— 23even all that the LORD has commanded you by Moses, from the day that the LORD gave commandment and onward throughout your generations— 24then it shall be, if it was done unwittingly, without the knowledge of the congregation, that all the congregation shall offer one young bull for a burnt offering, for a pleasant aroma to the LORD, with its meal offering and its drink offering, according to the ordinance, and one male goat for a sin offering. 25The priest shall make atonement for all the congregation of the children of Israel, and they shall be forgiven; for it was an error, and they have brought their offering, an offering made by fire to the LORD, and their sin offering before the LORD, for their error. 26All the congregation of the children of Israel shall be forgiven, as well as the stranger who lives as a foreigner among them; for with regard to all the people, it was done unwittingly.

God makes provision here for a particular kind of sin: sins committed unwittingly, without the people even realizing they had transgressed. When you err, and don't observe all these commandments, if it was done unwittingly, God provides a way for atonement to be made and the congregation to be forgiven. Even sins the people did not know they had committed were not left uncovered; God provided atonement for them, so that they might be forgiven. His provision reached even the sins done in ignorance.

Notice that God provided forgiveness even for sins committed unknowingly. There are sins we commit without realizing it, transgressions we are not even aware of; and God did not leave these uncovered, but provided atonement for them, so that even the sins done unwittingly might be forgiven. He did not treat only the sins the people knew about; his provision reached even those they did not know they had committed. God's provision of forgiveness was thorough, covering even the sins hidden from the people's own awareness.

That is a comfort, for we too commit sins we are not even aware of, and need forgiveness for them. There are surely sins in us that we do not recognize, transgressions hidden even from our own awareness; and we might worry that these go uncovered, unforgiven. But God provided atonement even for unwitting sins, and in Christ his provision covers even the sins we do not know we have committed. Do not despair over the sins you cannot even see in yourself, as though they left you uncovered; God's provision of forgiveness in Christ reaches even the sins done unknowingly, hidden from your own awareness. Trust that God's forgiveness in Christ is thorough, covering not only the sins you know and confess, but even those hidden from you, as God provided atonement for even the unwitting sins of Israel; his cleansing reaches even what you cannot see, and you may rest in a forgiveness that covers even the sins you do not know you have committed.

Lord, you make provision here for a particular kind of sin: sins committed unwittingly, without the people even realizing they had transgressed. When you err, and don't observe all these commandments, if it was done unwittingly, you provide a way for atonement to be made and the congregation to be forgiven. Even sins the people did not know they had committed were not left uncovered; you provided atonement for them. Your provision reached even the sins done in ignorance. Show me that you provided forgiveness even for sins committed unknowingly. There are sins I commit without realizing it, transgressions I am not even aware of; and you did not leave these uncovered, but provided atonement for them. You did not treat only the sins the people knew about; your provision reached even those they did not know they had committed. Your provision of forgiveness was thorough. Give me the comfort of that, for I too commit sins I am not even aware of, and need forgiveness for them. There are surely sins in me that I do not recognize, hidden even from my own awareness; and I might worry that these go unforgiven. But you provided atonement even for unwitting sins, and in Christ your provision covers even the sins I do not know I have committed. Keep me from despairing over the sins I cannot even see in myself; your provision of forgiveness in Christ reaches even the sins done unknowingly. Help me trust that your forgiveness in Christ is thorough, Lord, covering not only the sins I know and confess, but even those hidden from me.