利未记第4章: 《机会：回到神面前》




GK611晨祷生命读经
03.07.2026
主讲：郑伟健传道

一、犯罪的人仍有回转的机会 （利4:1–3、13–14、22–24、27–29）

1. 人人都需要机会
利未记第四章一开始说：“若有人在耶和华所吩咐不可行的什么事上误犯了一件……”这里的“误犯”，不是故意抵挡神，而是人在软弱、无知、疏忽中犯了罪。可能当下不知道，别人也看不出来，是隐而未现的罪。但这一章很特别，神提到受膏的祭司、全会众、官长、普通百姓都会犯罪。祭司会犯罪，会众会犯罪，官长会犯罪，百姓也会犯罪。换句话说，没有一个人可以说自己不会犯罪。


2. 神给人回转机会
赎罪祭的设立，说明神知道人会软弱，但祂没有立刻丢弃人。神给人一条回转的路。人一知道自己的罪，就要牵祭牲来，按手在祭牲头上，承认自己的罪，并让祭牲代替自己承担罪的代价。所以，神给机会不是因为罪不严重，而是因为祂愿意人归回。罪必须被处理，但罪人仍可以回到神面前。

罪不是终点，隐藏才危险；失败不是终点，不回转才危险。


二、被托付的人要承担责任（利 4:3、13、22、27）

1. 神看重人的职分
利未记第四章不是笼统地说“有人犯罪”，而是清楚分出不同身份的人。祭司犯罪，要献公牛；全会众犯罪，也要献公牛；官长犯罪，要献公山羊；普通百姓犯罪，要献母山羊或母羊羔。

这不是神偏待人，而是神看重人所站的位置。不同位置的人犯罪，带来的影响不一样。位置越重，影响越广；托付越大，责任越大。


2. 领袖具有影响力
祭司是带领百姓敬拜、亲近神的人；官长是有权柄、有决定权的人。所以他们的罪，不只是个人的事，也会影响群体。领袖的生命，从来不是私人问题。领袖的态度会影响跟随的人，领袖的选择会影响方向，领袖的软弱若不处理，也可能成为群体的破口。神给人位置，不只是荣耀，更是责任。被托付的人，要在神面前承担责任。


三、看见罪的人要站在破口（经文：利未记 4:13–21、27–31）

1. 不是论断，乃是代祷
当全会众犯罪，圣经说：“会中的长老就要在耶和华面前按手在牛的头上。”长老不是站在旁边批评会众，而是代表会众来到神面前。这提醒我们：看见罪的人，不应该只是成为评论的人，而应该成为代祷的人。属灵的人不是只会看见问题，属灵的人是愿意把问题带到神面前。


2. 为众人赎罪祷告
利未记第四章也提到普通百姓犯罪，祭司要为他赎罪，他必蒙赦免。神不轻看任何一个人的罪，也不轻看任何一个人的回转。我们不能替别人悔改，但我们可以为别人代祷；我们不能替别人作决定，但我们可以把人带到神面前。看见罪，不是让我们比别人更骄傲；看见罪，是神给我们一个站在破口的机会。


四、人人都需要真正的赎罪祭（利4:20、26、31、35）

1. 罪一定要处理
利未记第四章不断重复：“他必蒙赦免。”这是很大的安慰。但每一次“必蒙赦免”之前，都有赎罪的过程。人要知道自己的罪，要牵祭牲来，要按手，要宰杀，要流血，要由祭司献上赎罪祭。这说明神愿意赦免罪人，但神不轻看罪。罪不能只是隐藏，不能只是解释，不能只是拖延，也不能只是说一句“我不是故意的”就过去。


2. 罪的唯一出路
旧约的赎罪祭不是最终答案。公牛、山羊、绵羊不能真正彻底除去人的罪，这些祭物一次又一次被献上，是在指向真正、完全、最终的赎罪祭——耶稣基督。希伯来书说：“若不流血，罪就不得赦免了。” 耶稣不是带着牛羊的血，乃是带着自己的血，为我们成就永远的救赎。


总结: 
神是圣洁的，所以罪必须被处理；神也是怜悯的，所以罪人仍有机会。
这机会不是让人继续停留在罪中，而是让人回转、承担、代祷，并来到耶稣面前。
在耶稣里，罪人仍有机会、失败不是终点、我们可以重新回到神面前。



  
 Leviticus 4: An Opportunity: Returning to God

 
 
GK611Morning Devotion
03.07.2026
Speaker: Ps Asher Chang

I. Those Who Have Sinned Still Have the Opportunity to Repent (Leviticus 4:1–3, 13–14, 22–24, 27–29)

1. Everyone Needs an Opportunity
The beginning of Leviticus 4 states: ‘If a person sins unintentionally against any of the commandments of the Lord in anything which ought not to be done, …’ The term ‘unintentionally’ here does not refer to deliberate defiance of God, but rather to sin committed out of weakness, ignorance or carelessness. It may be a sin of which the person is unaware at the time, and which others cannot detect—a hidden sin. Yet this chapter is remarkable in that God mentions that the anointed priests, the whole congregation, the officials and the common people all sin. Priests sin, the congregation sins, officials sin, and the people sin. In other words, no one can claim to be sinless.


2. God offers people a chance to turn back
The institution of the sin offering demonstrates that God knows human weakness, yet He does not immediately cast people aside. God provides a path for repentance. As soon as a person becomes aware of their sin, they are to bring a sacrificial animal, lay their hand upon its head, confess their sin, and allow the animal to bear the penalty for their sin in their stead. Therefore, God grants this opportunity not because sin is insignificant, but because He desires people to return to Him. Sin must be dealt with, yet the sinner is still welcomed to return to God’s presence.

Sin is not the end; it is concealment that is dangerous. Failure is not the end; it is a lack of repentance that is dangerous.


II. Those Entrusted with Responsibility Must be Accountable (Leviticus 4:3, 13, 22, 27)

1. God Values the Position We Hold
Leviticus chapter 4 does not speak in general terms of ‘someone committing a sin’, but clearly distinguishes between people of different statuses. If a priest sins, he must offer a bull; if the whole congregation sins, they must also offer a bull; if a leader sins, he must offer a male goat; if an ordinary person sins, he must offer a female goat or a female lamb.

This is not a matter of God showing favour to certain individuals, but rather of God attaching great importance to the position a person holds. The consequences of sin differ according to one's responsibility. The greater the position, the wider the influence. The greater the trust, the greater the accountability.


2. Leaders Influence Others
Priests are those who lead the people in worship and draw them closer to God; leaders are those who hold authority and decision-making power. Therefore, their sins are not merely personal matters; they also impacted the entire community. A leader’s life is never a private matter. A leader’s attitude influences those who follow them; a leader’s choices determine the direction; and if a leader’s weaknesses are left unaddressed, they may become a breach in the community. God grants people positions not merely for glory, but above all for responsibility. Those entrusted with such roles must bear that responsibility before God.


III. Those Who Recognise Sin Must Stand in the Gap (Scripture: Leviticus 4:13–21, 27–31)

1.Not Judgement, but Intercession
When the whole congregation sins, the Bible states: ‘the elders of the congregation shall lay their hands on the head of the bull before the Lord. ’ The elders did not stand at a distance criticizing the people. Instead, they represented the people before God. 
This reminds us that when we see sin, we should not become merely critics—we should become intercessors. Spiritual maturity is not simply identifying problems; it is bringing those problems before God.


2. Praying for the Atonement of All
Leviticus chapter 4 also mentions that when an ordinary person sins, the priest is to make atonement for him, and he shall be forgiven. God does not take the sin of any person lightly, nor does He take the repentance of any person lightly. We cannot repent on behalf of others, but we can intercede for them; we cannot make decisions for others, but we can bring people before God. Seeing sin is not meant to make us more proud than others; seeing sin is God giving us an opportunity to stand in the breach.


IV. Everyone Needs a True Sacrifice of Atonement (Leviticus 4:20, 26, 31, 35)

1. Sin Must Be Dealt With
Leviticus chapter 4 repeatedly states: ‘He shall be forgiven.’ This is a great comfort. Yet before every instance of ‘he shall be forgiven’, there is a process of atonement. A person must acknowledge their sin, bring a sacrificial animal, lay their hands upon it, slaughter it, shed its blood, and have the priest offer the sin offering. This demonstrates that whilst God is willing to forgive sinners, He does not take sin lightly. Sin cannot simply be concealed, explained away, or put off; nor can it be dismissed with a mere ‘I didn’t mean to’.


2. The Only Way Out of Sin
The Old Testament sin offering was not the final answer. Bulls, goats and sheep could not truly and completely remove human sin; these sacrifices, offered time and again, pointed to the true, perfect and final sacrifice for sin—Jesus Christ. The Epistle to the Hebrews states: ‘Without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness of sins.’ Jesus did not come bearing the blood of bulls and sheep, but His own blood, to accomplish eternal redemption for us.


Conclusion：
God is holy, and so sin must be dealt with; God is also merciful, and so there is still hope for sinners.
This hope does not mean that people should continue to remain in sin, but rather that they should turn back, take responsibility, intercede, and come before Jesus.

In  Christ, there is still hope for sinners; failure is not the end; we can return to God’s presence.