Punish Sin or Sinner?

Then the Lord said to Moses, “Give the following instructions to the people of Israel.  This is how you are to deal with those who sin unintentionally by doing anything that violates one of the Lord’s commands. [Leviticus 4.1-2]

I observed something interesting today in Leviticus 4.  In that chapter the LORD tells Moses how to deal with unintentional sin.  What is interesting is that the magnitude of the sin is not what determines the extent of the sacrifice but the role of the person.

If the High Priest sinned, it required a bull to be sacrificed.  If the  whole community sinned, it required a bull to be sacrificed.  If a single leader sinned, it required a male goat to be sacrificed.  If a common person sinned, it required a female goat to be sacrificed.

The take-away from all this is that there is a hierarchy among people as God sees it.  That hierarchy started with the High Priest, then the whole of the community (Israel) followed by those in leadership, and finally the individual person.

The particulars of the sin are not discussed in this directive from God to Moses.  Instead, the role of  person determines what sacrifice is required.

This really is interesting.  Not too many days ago, I wrote about some sins so bad they are deserving of death.  It will be worth paying attention in days to come to see what differentiates between the sin being punished (based on the extent of the sin) of the sinner being punished (based on the role of the sinner).

Father, help me to learn increasingly more about You and Your Story.  I want to have a greater understanding that will help me be more effective in my ambassadorship for You.