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Book of Leviticus - Chapter 4 - Verse 29

4:29
And he shall lay his hand upon the head of the sin offering, and slay the sin offering in the place of the burnt offering.

Meaning

In this verse, the act of laying his hand upon the head of the sin offering signifies the transfer of sins from the sinner to the innocent animal. By placing his hand on the head of the sin offering, the individual is symbolically transferring his guilt and sins onto the animal, which will then be sacrificed to atone for those sins. The act of slaying the sin offering in the place of the burnt offering further emphasizes this concept of substitution and sacrifice. The burnt offering was a voluntary sacrifice, expressing devotion and worship to God, while the sin offering was specifically for atonement and forgiveness of sins. By slaying the sin offering instead of the burnt offering, the individual is acknowledging his own sinfulness and need for repentance in order to be reconciled with God. This ritual of sacrifice and laying on of hands served as a means for the Israelites to seek forgiveness and restoration of their relationship with God. It also foreshadowed the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus Christ, who would lay down his life as the perfect sin offering to reconcile humanity with God once and for all.

Theological Overview

In this verse, the act of laying his hand upon the head of the sin offering symbolizes the transfer of guilt from the sinner to the animal being sacrificed. This ritual serves as a powerful visual representation of the atonement for sin through the shedding of blood. The slaying of the sin offering in the place of the burnt offering highlights the substitutionary nature of the sacrifice, where the innocent animal takes the place of the guilty individual. This act points to the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross, where he took upon himself the sins of humanity, offering redemption and forgiveness to all who believe in him. The theological interpretation of this verse emphasizes the necessity of a blood sacrifice for the forgiveness of sin, foreshadowing the ultimate sacrifice of Christ that brings salvation to all who accept it.

American Standard Version

And he shall lay his hand upon the head of the sin-offering, and kill the sin-offering in the place of burnt-offering.
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