Thank you for the theological and biblical question on forgiveness of sin, “Why was there no sacrifice for intentional sins in the Old Testament, especially in the book of Leviticus?”
In order to answer the question, one must consider the framework for the Laws of God. Here are some thoughts for one’s consideration:
A. The primary reason is that the Israelites were entering a covenantal relationship between God and themselves.
Exodus 19 says this “5 Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, 6 you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites.”
The observations one can make on this verse are that:
- They are God’s treasured possessions.
- They are to be a kingdom of priest.
- They are to be a holy nation.
In other words, the Israelites were to be God’s representative on earth. They were to reflect the character of God including his love, holiness, and righteousness.
Based on that premise, God gives the commands in Exodus, Leviticus, and Deuteronomy as to how the Israelites are to live as kingdom of priests and a holy nation. If they follow the Canaanites’ practices, their distinctiveness as worshipers of YHWH would be distorted by their compromising of their faith and their moral conduct. YHWH would be seen as one of the other deities among the Canaanites.
B. The commands and severity of the Law were the boundary to deter the Israelites from distorting their role as priest before the nations. The commands are prohibitions and permissions of God. Without consequences, the prohibitions and permissions would be flaunted by the Israelites.
Leviticus 20 says this about child sacrifice, “The LORD said to Moses, 2 “Say to the Israelites: ‘Any Israelite or any foreigner residing in Israel who sacrifices any of his children to Molek is to be put to death. The members of the community are to stone him. 3 I myself will set my face against him and will cut him off from his people; for by sacrificing his children to Molek, he has defiled my sanctuary and profaned my holy name. 4 If the members of the community close their eyes when that man sacrifices one of his children to Molek and if they fail to put him to death, 5 I myself will set my face against him and his family and will cut them off from their people together with all who follow him in prostituting themselves to Molek.”
God judged the Canaanites for their defilement of the land and of themselves. If the Israelites were to walk in the Canaanite ways, they too will defile the land and themselves. The judgment on them would be their removal from the land until they repent of their sinful ways. See the Blessings and Curses in Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 27–28.
C. The forgiveness of sins in Leviticus.
As one reads the Book of Leviticus, there is forgiveness of sins. it may appear that there is no animal sacrifice for intentional sins, but that may not be case.
I cite some Levitical call that grants forgiveness:
Leviticus 6 says this, “The LORD said to Moses: 2 “If anyone sins and is unfaithful to the LORD by deceiving a neighbor about something entrusted to them or left in their care or about something stolen, or if they cheat their neighbor, 3 or if they find lost property and lie about it, or if they swear falsely about any such sin that people may commit— 4 when they sin in any of these ways and realize their guilt, they must return what they have stolen or taken by extortion, or what was entrusted to them, or the lost property they found, 5 or whatever it was they swore falsely about. They must make restitution in full, add a fifth of the value to it and give it all to the owner on the day they present their guilt offering. 6 And as a penalty they must bring to the priest, that is, to the LORD, their guilt offering, a ram from the flock, one without defect and of the proper value. 7 In this way the priest will make atonement for them before the LORD, and they will be forgiven for any of the things they did that made them guilty.”
The Levitical Law allows for animal sacrifice as an atonement for thievery. The death penalty was not instituted for stealing even though it is one of the Ten Commandments.
In Leviticus 25, God states prohibitions but does not state the penalty for violating it. Leviticus 25 says this, “35 “‘If any of your fellow Israelites become poor and are unable to support themselves among you, help them as you would a foreigner and stranger, so they can continue to live among you. 36 Do not take interest or any profit from them, but fear your God, so that they may continue to live among you. 37 You must not lend them money at interest or sell them food at a profit. 38 I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt to give you the land of Canaan and to be your God.
39 “‘If any of your fellow Israelites become poor and sell themselves to you, do not make them work as slaves. 40 They are to be treated as hired workers or temporary residents among you; they are to work for you until the Year of Jubilee. 41 Then they and their children are to be released, and they will go back to their own clans and to the property of their ancestors. 42 Because the Israelites are my servants, whom I brought out of Egypt, they must not be sold as slaves. 43 Do not rule over them ruthlessly, but fear your God” (NIV).
God prohibited the Israelites to charge interest to a fellow Israelite or to treat that person harshly as a servant. He is to be kind and generous who becomes a slave to repay a debt. As one reads Nehemiah 5 when the rich people were possessing the land and charging interest on loan, Nehemiah had them restore their land and release them from the interest.
The text doesn’t state the death penalty, but if one’s conscience becomes guilty, then she or he was to bring the guilt offering to atone for his sins and make restitution according to the priest or to his conscience. Not all sin was subject to the death penalty for an Israelite. All sin is against God, but God has provided a way of atonement for Israel.
Leviticus 16 says this, “34 “This is to be a lasting ordinance for you: Atonement is to be made once a year for all the sins of the Israelites.”
As I read Leviticus, here is a thought for one’s consideration. there are two main categories of sins that are subject to the death penalty: idolatry and sexual immorality. Idolatry is an affront on the Name, the Personhood of God and or the Tabernacle. Israel is to have One God and no other gods before him. Sexual immorality is the affront on the image and likeness of God in man and woman. This is to prevent the perversion of the marital relationship between a man and a woman. (Lev. 20). Since the body of a man and woman are to be holy, the defilement of by another person or an animal would be subject to the death penalty. The people are to be holy for God is holy. Purity, not defilement is to be their lifestyle.
One further thought, the violation of the Law doesn’t necessarily mean the loss of salvation. The person’s salvation is not linked to their deeds. Their obedience reflects their fellowship with God, not their earning of salvation. As an Israelite, they were to be priest. That is their role in this world. God wanted the Israelites to be a holy people. Failure to obey his commands may or will bring negative consequences.
Trust that what I have written may spur your own thinking on your question.
-Kingston