Leviticus 5:7-13: a reflection

7“‘If he can’t afford a lamb, then he shall bring his trespass offering for that in which he has sinned, two turtledoves, or two young pigeons, to the LORD; one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering. 8He shall bring them to the priest, who shall first offer the one which is for the sin offering. He shall wring off its head from its neck, but shall not sever it completely. 9He shall sprinkle some of the blood of the sin offering on the side of the altar; and the rest of the blood shall be drained out at the base of the altar. It is a sin offering. 10He shall offer the second for a burnt offering, according to the ordinance; and the priest shall make atonement for him concerning his sin which he has sinned, and he shall be forgiven. 11“‘But if he can’t afford two turtledoves or two young pigeons, then he shall bring as his offering for that in which he has sinned, one tenth of an ephah of fine flour for a sin offering. He shall put no oil on it, and he shall not put any frankincense on it, for it is a sin offering. 12He shall bring it to the priest, and the priest shall take his handful of it as the memorial portion, and burn it on the altar, on the offerings of the LORD made by fire. It is a sin offering. 13The priest shall make atonement for him concerning his sin that he has sinned in any of these things, and he will be forgiven; and the rest shall be the priest’s, as the meal offering.’”

In the law of the sin offering, God makes provision for those who cannot afford the usual sacrifice. If a person cannot afford a lamb, he may bring two birds; and if he cannot afford even the birds, he may bring a measure of fine flour. The offering was scaled to what each could afford, so that no one, however poor, was shut out from making atonement for sin. God did not make atonement available only to those who could afford much; he made a way for the poorest to be forgiven, scaling the offering so that none were excluded.

Notice God's provision that no one be shut out: the offering scaled to what each could afford. The one who could not afford a lamb was not therefore left in his sin, unable to make atonement; he could bring birds, or even flour. God made atonement accessible to all, from those who could afford a lamb to the poorest who could bring only a little flour; and each, bringing what he could, received the same forgiveness. God shut no one out for poverty; the way of atonement was open to all, scaled to what each could bring. The poorest could be forgiven as truly as the richest.

That is worth taking to heart, for it shows God's heart that none be shut out from his forgiveness. We can imagine that God's grace is only for those who have much to offer him, that the poor in every sense are shut out; but God scaled the offering so that even the poorest could make atonement and be forgiven. God's forgiveness is accessible to all, not only those who can offer much; and supremely, in Christ, atonement is offered freely to all, whatever we can bring. Do not think God's forgiveness is only for those with much to offer; he made a way for even the poorest to be forgiven, and offers atonement freely in Christ. Come to God for forgiveness whatever you have to bring, trusting that he shuts no one out for poverty, as he scaled the offering so the poorest could make atonement, and offers atonement freely to all in Christ; for God's heart is that none be shut out from his forgiveness, and the way of atonement is open to all.

Lord, in the law of the sin offering, you make provision for those who cannot afford the usual sacrifice. If a person cannot afford a lamb, he may bring two birds; and if he cannot afford even the birds, he may bring a measure of fine flour. The offering was scaled to what each could afford, so that no one, however poor, was shut out from making atonement for sin. You did not make atonement available only to those who could afford much; you made a way for the poorest to be forgiven. Show me your provision that no one be shut out: the offering scaled to what each could afford. The one who could not afford a lamb was not therefore left in his sin; he could bring birds, or even flour. You made atonement accessible to all, from those who could afford a lamb to the poorest who could bring only a little flour; and each received the same forgiveness. You shut no one out for poverty. Take that to my heart, for it shows your heart that none be shut out from your forgiveness. I can imagine that your grace is only for those who have much to offer you, that the poor in every sense are shut out; but you scaled the offering so that even the poorest could be forgiven. Your forgiveness is accessible to all; and supremely, in Christ, atonement is offered freely to all. Keep me from thinking your forgiveness is only for those with much to offer; you made a way for even the poorest to be forgiven, Lord. Help me come to you for forgiveness whatever I have to bring, trusting that you shut no one out, and offer atonement freely in Christ.