Thursday, October 6, 2011

Laying on of Hands and Sprinkling of Blood

Leviticus 4

This whole ritual of laying on of hands on the sacrifice and sprinkling blood on the altar is a mystery to me.  Lots of questions about details arise here for me... So today I am doing a lot of pondering, which really amounts to a lot of guessing.  Bear with me, please. 

The sinner would lay his hand upon the head of the sacrifice he has brought to offer to the Lord and it appears the sinner is imputing his own sin upon that sacrifice.  The blood of the animal is then drained - that includes the life which is in the blood (Gen 9:4; Lev 17:11; Deut 12:23) - and the animals blood is sprinkled on the altar or poured at its base, along with the burning of the fat.  This is how the priest would make atonement on the behalf of others for the sins they had committed.  And... they were forgiven. 

Our sin offering, was/is Jesus Christ.  He is the unblemished sacrificial lamb.  Humankind took hold of him and offered him up on the cross.  What a sad story of human nature that we should be willing to suffer an innocent man to die.  But, that is what happened and it happened because he was willing to die for us.  He was willing to bear our sin as the sacrificial lamb.  And... we are forgiven. 

I have a lot more questions running through my mind this morning about this laying on of hands.  So some things to think about...  Were the sins actually imputed to the animal?  When we lay hands on others do they receive ours?  Do we receive theirs?  Maybe we are simply reconciled in peace - God's peace. What actually happens when two people make physical contact in this way?  Is there something more than just greeting one another?  When I served in the youth correctional facility there were some young men who thought they were pretty tough.  Some of them really were :) I was advised not to make physical contact with them except for the occasional restraint I might have to be involved in.  I didn't listen.  I found that when someone is trying to intimidate me, one of the quickest ways to break down the wall that they are trying to build between us is to reach out and shake their hands.  I found that if I took the initiative and reached out in peace, then there was peace.   

How about when we lay hands on someone to pray with them or to absolve them of their sins or in baptism, or confirmation, or ordination?  What exactly takes place when we lay hands on another, when we reach out in in peace, with words of forgiveness, when we pray for healing?  What miracles are possible when we lay hands on them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit?

No comments: