The Consequences of Sin

Vayikra {1:1} HaShem called to Moshe (Moses), and spoke to him out of the Tent of Meeting, saying, {1:2} "Speak to the bnei Yisrael, and tell them, 'When anyone of you offers a korban (draw near) to HaShem, you shall offer your offering of the cattle, of the herd and of the flock. {1:3} If his offering is an olah (burnt) korban of the herd, he shall offer a male without blemish. He shall offer it at the door of the Ohel Moed (Tent of Meeting / Tabernacle), that he may be accepted before HaShem. {1:4} He shall lay his hand on the head of the olah offering, and it shall be accepted for him to make kapparah (a covering) for him.

Thus begins Parsha Vayikra, as we are introduced to the sacrificial system. The Parsha then goes on to describe all the different types offerings, most of which pertained to sin. It explains the types of offerings that were required in relation to the type of sin committed and the manner in which the korban was supposed to be offered.

Sin separates the sinner from G-d. The korbanot (plural for korban) were appointed to draw the sinner back to G-d, thus, the meaning of the Hebrew word korban / draw near, has been mistranslated as sacrifice. The korban re-established the sinner's broken relationship with G-d by allowing G-d to once again draw near to him.

Remember, Yisrael (Israel) was a redeemed people. They were already saved by the blood of the Pesach (Passover) Lamb prior to leaving Mitzrayim (Egypt). Also remember Torah is not an agent of salvation, rather it is a code by which a saved person is identified and to which he identifies himself. Now granted not everyone who came out of Mitzrayim was saved, just like not everyone who attends a Messianic or another Bible believing congregation is saved today. However the majority were saved.

So, because they were already saved these korbanot were not for salvation, they accomplished forgiveness of sin in that they pointed the sinner to Mashiach. The bnei Yisrael (children of Israel), just like we, were saints that sin.

Every time someone from among this mixed multitude of Israelites sinned, they would then have to bring a korban in order to re-establish their relationship with HaShem! To an agricultural society you can imagine what kind of deterrent to sin this sacrificial system must have been. A man's herds or the lack thereof, determined his wealth. However the more you sinned the more you had to offer; the more you had to offer the more you depleted your herds and the more you depleted your assets. It takes seconds to sin but it takes months, even years to build up your herds.

Now I do not know about you but if we were living during Biblical times right now, I know of a lot of people, perhaps even myself, who would have to drastically change fast, before we would end up broke. Which would you have chosen, change or poverty? Like me, most probably, you would choose the former over the latter, it just makes sense!

So if during Biblical times, or to be even more specific during the time of this generation, the sacrificial system was a deterrent to sinning, what deters us from sinning today? You are saved, I am saved and we are both saved by the blood of the Pesach Lamb Yeshua, basically the same way the bnei Yisrael were saved, so what deters us from sinning?

Some would say the Ruach HaKodesh (Holy Spirit) deters us. After all once saved the Ruach of G-d comes to live in us and thus deters us from sinning. However, millions of saved people in congregations today around the world are filled with the Ruach HaKodesh, yet the goof HaMashiach (body of Messiah) still sins. Believers are involved in adultery, homosexuality, fornication, drugs, divorce, gambling and if I want to go on with the list I could but then I would not have any more room to answer our question. Do you get what I mean? Plus you can not be saved apart from the Ruach HaKodesh, not then and not now. The Ruach HaKodesh convicts a man of sin, He counsels a man in the way he should go, but He never acted as a deterrent! He did not act as a deterrent back then and He does not act as a deterrent now (Yochanan [John] 16. 8; 13-14). So what deters us from sinning?

Basically what deters us from sinning today, is the same thing that deterred the bnei Yisrael from sinning then; THE CONSEQUENCES OF SIN!

To an unsaved, unregenerate person the consequences of sin are attributed to the consequences of life. To them there is no relationship between consequences and G-d. In fact they do not even think they are sinners. To them consequences are just a part of life, it is how life is. So they pass consequences off, or explain them away as being related to; bad luck, the wrong karma, poor genes or just plain, "stuff happens." But to a saved person; one who knows HaShem through Mashiach (Messiah) Yeshua, one who is filled with the Ruach HaKodesh; consequences of life are always related to their relationship with G-d. Look out for G-d and He will look out for you! Is that not one of the major principles of the Torah, in fact it is a principle taught throughout the whole Bible.

As a believer in Mashiach Yeshua, our hearts' desire should be to serve HaShem. In addition part of serving is loving and part of loving is obeying (Yochanan 14.15). Obedience brings blessings whereas disobedience brings consequences (Devarim / Deuteronomy 28).

We as believers in Mashiach Yeshua have gone past the outer court of the Ohel Moed, we have gone past the Mizbayach (Brazen alter of sacrifice), past the Holy Place with its lamp stand, altar of incense and table of showbread, through the veil which has been torn, and we have entered into the Holy of Holies, by the blood of the once and for all korban, Yeshua. Yet we like bnei Yisrael of old, still sin. Sadly the consequences they suffered then, are the same consequences we as believers, suffer now. That is why obedience should always include the desire to change.

Notice the list of blessings for obedience and the list of curses for disobedience in these Scriptures, as well as their order:

Devarim {28:3} Blessed shall you be in the city, and blessed shall you be in the field. {28:4} Blessed shall be the fruit of your body, and the fruit of your ground, and the fruit of your animals, the increase of your cattle, and the young of your flock. {28:5} Blessed shall be your basket and your kneading-trough. {28:6} Blessed shall you be when you come in, and blessed shall you be when you go out.

Devarim {28:16} Cursed shall you be in the city, and cursed shall you be in the field. {28:17} Cursed shall be your basket and your kneading-trough. {28:18} Cursed shall be the fruit of your body, and the fruit of your ground, the increase of your cattle, and the young of your flock. {28:19} Cursed shall you be when you come in, and cursed shall you be when you go out.

Both the verses for blessings and the verses for curses mostly relate to economics! So are your flocks and fields increasing or are they being depleted?

Rabbi Jack "Yaacov" Farber is the spiritual leader of Congregation Melech Yisrael in Toronto, Canada.

Copyright 2005