Expert: Todd Tyszka - 2/8/2011

Question
Hi there i resently came across a web site on the internet in which you answer a question about blood sacrifice being neccasery for the forgigvness and atonment of sin.here is the link.
http://en.allexperts.com/q/Bible-Studies-1654/2010/11/Bible-42.htm
The bit i am interested in is the 15th sentence down where you say.""Clearly defined?" Really? Well he is right about the sin sacrifice/offering but he only provides one Scripture when there are many (e.g. Lev. 4:1-5:13; 6:24-30;8:14-17;16:3-22).What i would like to know is where you mention the sin sacrifice offering.Is blood sacrifice required for the sin/sacrifice offering. And are there certian sins where burnt offerings where meant for forgivness of sins.if so what exactly is a burnt offering sacrifice? thank you and like the last question i to am sorry if this question is some what complexed. thank you tod.

Answer
Hi Jack,
Thank you for the excellent question and I would be happy to expound upon this other answer and answer your three questions.

First of all, you ask, "is blood sacrifice required for the sin/sacrifice offering." I actually answered this previously when I said, "All of these sacrifices required blood and the sacrifices that didn't require blood, like the grain offering, were done as worship and not for sins."

Secondly, you ask, "Are there certain sins where burnt offerings were meant for forgiveness of sins?" Burnt offerings were voluntary and done for worship or for atonement of unintentional sins. You can find all of this laid out for you in detail throughout the Book of Leviticus, starting in Chapter 1. Burnt offerings are found throughout the Old Testament, which brings me to your third question, "what exactly is a burnt offering sacrifice?" A burnt offering sacrifice was an animal sacrifice. Depending on what it was for, it was either a bull, ram or male bird. A dove or pigeon was used by the poor. These animals couldn't have defects and had to be wholly consumed. We see an example of this in Leviticus 16 with the Day of Atonement. The Lord tells Moses that Aaron was to "sacrifice the burnt offering for himself and the burnt offering for the people, to make atonement for himself and for the people." The Bible is very clear on these points, and the symbolism pointing to Jesus Christ and His ultimate sacrifice, is amazing to anyone who examines it from both points of view.

I hope this helps and if you have any other questions, please let me know.

Todd