Connect 1 Samuel 6:17 with other instances of offerings in the Old Testament. Setting the Scene • “These are the gold tumors that the Philistines sent as a guilt offering to the LORD—one each for Ashdod, Gaza, Ashkelon, Gath, and Ekron.” (1 Samuel 6:17) • Five Philistine cities had suffered a plague after seizing the ark. Their priests advised sending a “guilt offering” (Hebrew asham) fashioned as the very objects that symbolized the plague—golden tumors and golden mice (v. 4). • Though pagans, the Philistines recognized two key truths: they had offended the LORD, and guilt required an offering. What Is a Guilt Offering? • First spelled out in Leviticus 5–7. – “If someone acts unfaithfully and sins… he must bring his guilt offering to the LORD: an unblemished ram…” (Leviticus 5:15-16). – Purpose: atone for desecration of God’s holiness or damage done to another. • Always involved restitution plus a costly, spotless substitute—underscoring the gravity of sin and the need for satisfaction before God. • Designated “most holy” (Leviticus 7:1-2). Earlier Guilt Offerings in the Torah • Leviticus 5:17-19—sins “unintentionally” still required an asham. • Leviticus 14:12-18—a leper, once cleansed, offered an asham to restore full fellowship. • Numbers 5:6-8—wronging a neighbor demanded confession, repayment, and an asham. • Pattern: admission of guilt → restitution → representative sacrifice → forgiveness. How 1 Samuel 6 Echoes the Torah Pattern • Admission: “Why should you harden your hearts as the Egyptians did?” (1 Samuel 6:6). • Restitution: tumors/mice fashioned in gold—the most precious metal they possessed. • Representative sacrifice: objects matching the affliction pointed to substitution—plague transferred to symbolic images, wrath lifted from the people. • Result: plague ceased when the ark reached Israelite territory (6:15). Symbolic Objects in Other Offerings • Numbers 31:50—Israel’s soldiers brought “articles of gold… to make atonement for ourselves before the LORD.” • Exodus 30:12-16—half-shekel atonement money, a ransom symbol. • The Philistines followed the same idea: precious metal standing in for the offender. Fivefold Representation and Tribal Offerings • Five golden tumors matched the “five lords of the Philistines” (6:4). • Comparable OT parallels: – Numbers 7—twelve identical offerings, one for each Israelite tribe, at the tabernacle dedication. – Joshua 4—twelve stones, one per tribe, as memorial. • Principle: leaders act on behalf of their people; offerings represent entire communities. Foreigners Bringing Offerings • Numbers 22-24—Balaam sacrifices seven altars for Moab, acknowledging God’s sovereignty. • 2 Kings 5:17—Naaman vows to offer only to the LORD after healing. • 1 Samuel 6 is another moment when Gentiles give tribute, showing God’s universal rule. Plague Averted Through Sacrifice • 2 Samuel 24:25—David “offered burnt offerings and peace offerings… and the plague on Israel was halted.” • 1 Chronicles 21:26—fire from heaven confirmed acceptance. • Same pattern: wrath → altar → offering → relief. The Philistines experienced identical mercy outside Israel’s borders. Take-Home Observations • Sin—intentional or not—demands an offering; God does not sweep guilt away without satisfaction. • Substitution lies at the heart of Old Testament offerings: a spotless ram, precious metal, or symbolic object stands in the sinner’s place. • God’s standard never changes. Whether Israelite king or Philistine pirate, the only path from guilt to grace is through an acceptable offering. • Every guilt offering in the Old Testament foreshadows the once-for-all sacrifice of Christ, “who bore our sins in His body on the tree” (1 Peter 2:24), the ultimate and final asham. |
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