Shemini 26-5

Eighth

Leviticus 10:16-20

Lev. 10:17 NIV

Can sin be eaten?

Priests were established to help the people live in an intimate relationship with the Eternal. Many times people would, by mistake, enter the sanctuary being impure which generated guilt among the people. That guilt had to be removed in order for the people to keep enjoying the Eternal's presence without being exposed to the danger of His anger against sin.

In order to eliminate that guilt, they had to burn on the altar part of the animals destined for this purpose and then eat the rest. So, on the one hand, part of the sin that was transmitted to the animal that bore the guilt of the people was burnt on the altar; and on the other hand the priests ate the rest of the animal and the sin within it. Through these two ways of consuming the animal, sin was removed from the people who, thus, were atoned before the Eternal.  

In the Torah this offering is not called "sin offering" but just "sin" chatat – חטאת. In other words, it is written in this verse that the priests had to eat the sin. Since the people's sin was transmitted to the animal through hand imposition, sin was in the sacrifice itself, so it is then called "sin". So when the priests ate from the sacrifice, sin entered in them, and in that way it decomposed in their intestines in the natural way and then got disposed of.

This teaches us that a priest may introduce the sin of the people in his own body, in the form of meat. This makes us think of Yeshua who took the sin of the people of Israel and the world in his body so the Eternal could forgive our sins and cleanse us to be sacred dwellings for Him and also to be able to enter the heavenly tabernacle without danger.

"...who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed." (1 Peter. 2:24 NKJV)

"In a loud voice they sang: Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honour and glory and praise!" (Rev. 5:12 NIVUK)

Blessed be the Eternal for having given us Yeshua as heavenly priest who took our sins in his body and eliminated them! And blessed be Yeshua for his faithfulness as priest becoming responsible for our sins and taking them away to give us everlasting hope! And blessed are those who believe in the Messiah's sacrifice!

Ketriel