Leviticus (8) Decontamination Offering (hattat)

Leviticus 4 describes a third type of offering. The Decontamination Offering was to be used when someone strays from God’s way unintentionally, inadvertently, or by mistake, and their sin becomes known to them.

Different animals are specified depending on who has sinned and the seriousness of their sinning, the sins of anointed priest, the entire community of Israel, a leader, or an ordinary person have different consequences. The sins of a high priest or a leader do more harm than those of ordinary people, so a more costly sacrifice is required when they sin.

The Decontamination Offering is for unintentional sins only. These are sins that are done by mistake. The person does something without realising what they are doing is wrong. They have gone astray and made a mistake. Perhaps they did not know their action was prohibited by the Torah. Perhaps they did not understand the consequences of their actions. The offering is made when the sin is made known to them.

These sins are deliberate actions, but the person did not realise they are sinning. Leviticus 5 and 6 gives a list of unintentional sins. The Decontamination Offering applies to a very limited range of sins, as there are few that would be genuinely unintentional.

When the Decontamination Offering is brought by an Anointed Priest who has sinned, or on behalf of the entire community of Israel for a common sin, the form of offering is different as some blood is taken into the Holy of Holies.

This practice suggests that the sin of the anointed priest and a common sin committed by the entire community are far more serious than those of the ordinary people, and even leaders.

• The anointed priest has authority over the Tabernacle. If the spiritual powers of evil can persuade the priest to sin, they gain some authority over him and over the Tabernacle. Authority for evil spirits to intervene within the Tabernacle would be a serious setback in the spiritual battle taking place where the Tabernacle stands.

• The Tabernacle belonged to the entire community of the Israelites. They camped around the Tabernacle on all sides. If the entire community sinned and came under the influence of the spiritual powers of evil, they would have authority to interfere in the Tabernacle. If they gained a stronghold there, the spiritual protection that the Israelites gained through the Tabernacle system would be severely weakened.

• The people have an obligation to keep the tabernacle pure.

• God dwells in the Holy of Holies of the Tabernacle, but he does not stay where he is not welcome. If the priests or the Israelites allow the powers of evil into the Tabernacle, he will withdraw. This would be really dangerous for the Israelites.

• The blood sprinkled on the gold altar and on the ground in front of the tabernacle curtain is a sign to the spiritual powers of evil that they should keep out of the Tabernacle because it belongs to God.

• The blood on the altar parallels the blood on the doorpost during the first Passover, which warned the angel of death to stay away from the homes of the Israelites and allow their firstborn sons to live.

• The blood was taken into the Holy Place and sprinkled on the horns of the altar to restore the spiritual protection back to the level that prevailed before the priest or the people fell into sin. Horns are a symbol of power. The sprinkling of the blood on the horns reminds the spiritual powers of evil that Yahweh’s power is greater than theirs.

• The blood on the ground in front of the curtain is a warning to the spiritual powers of evil that they should not attempt to enter the Holy of Holies.

• The remaining blood from the bull is sprinkled on the ground beside the bronze altar at the entry to the tabernacle entrance.

• The “hattat” blood is always applied in the tabernacle. It is never applied to a person to cleanse them. A situation where these offerings are necessary should be rare.

• The offering does not decontaminate the offerer’s body. It cleanses the tabernacle and its furniture and implements.

• The blood poured out on the ground by the altar provides spiritual protection against the spiritual powers of evil.

• The Decontamination Offering cleanses the tabernacle, removing the impurity that contaminates if when a person has been attacked by evil powers.

• The decontamination offering does not deal with all sins, but only those that contaminate the tabernacle. The reasons behind this are explained in my next post called “Pure and Impure”.