But I didn't know.

Leviticus 5:18
And he shall bring to the priest a ram without blemish from the flock, with your valuation, as a trespass offering. So the priest shall make atonement for him regarding his ignorance in which he erred and did not know it, and it shall be forgiven him.

In every passage, every word, every bit of punctuation found in the Bible, there is Jesus. The Old Testament is filled with hidden references to the King. From the obvious Melchizedek to the subtleties of manna raining down from Heaven; from the image of a sacrificial lamb to the very garments worn by the high priest; Jesus is in it all. This because He is all of it! He’s concealed in the wisdom of God’s law and provision for His people.

In the New Testament we find Christ revealed. Every word spoken by Christ prior to His crucifixion, was a perfect representation of living into and fulfilling the law given to Moses by God the Father. He never violated a single statute. He never missed a single requirement. He lived and taught, perfectly, under the law. He did what no man had ever been able to do. He completely fulfilled the requirements of a just and holy God.

In Leviticus God made it clear that even if a person was to sin unintentionally or unaware of the law, he was guilty of violating the law. We hold true to this basic principle even today in our justice system here in America. Ignorance of the law is not a valid defense. But even in ignorance, God provided a way for His people. He left a provision wherein the priest was to make atonement for a man who committed an offense in ignorance; that man would then be forgiven. It was still the responsibility of the offender to bring a ram, but the priest would make the sacrifice. The priest would make atonement for the sinner. For every other sin the offender would kill the sacrifice, but for the sin committed in ignorance the priest would make the offering.

Travel with me if you would back to the New Testament, where Jesus is about to die. He’s been nailed to a cross and lifted up between two criminals. It is at this point that He says, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” Luke 23:34 Even though He was suffering and ready to die, Jesus remembered the law and the words of His Father. He remembered that they, the religious leaders who brought Him to Pilate, were ignorant of their sin. They were still guilty, but it was the High Priest’s responsibility to make atonement for them. In ignorance they denied that Christ was the Messiah. In ignorance, because they thought they were killing a troublemaker, they brought the sacrificial Ram to the altar. As the High Priest, Jesus made a request to the Father for their forgiveness, on their behalf. Shortly thereafter Jesus, acting as High Priest, gave up His Spirit and died.

At that point in time the sins of all mankind, past, present and future, were punished in His body. The premeditated crimes, the acts of passion, and the ignorant violations were all nailed to the cross with Jesus. We can now rejoice in the gift forgiveness and eternal life found only through Jesus Christ!