Proceeding to Leviticus 4:11-12 we see a description that speaks of completeness – all, the all of it; a bit like “from top to bottom”, or “from east to west”. It’s like you stretch out your hands wide, and stretch it as long as possible – you can’t stretch your hands any further. That’s the totality of it – you are trying to say something as “all”. Fullness, completeness, totality. All.
The remains of the bull in the sacrifice in the preceding 10 verses have no further purpose there. It should not remain there, either planned or kind of “careless dumping”. It is a creation that needs some rightful treatment. There is more than this:
- There is the journey out of the camp
- And there is the idea of a place set aside for this purpose – variously described as “clean” or “ceremonially clean”
- Then the remains are burned with wood. It is disposal as complete as humanly and naturally possible
The journey speaks of a distance; the distance we should part from sin. The burning is the act of decision that this evil shall not repeat.
This completeness is further explained in the New Testament. That we are “all” forgiven in our sins, God’s plan for us is “all” complete in the person and work of Jesus, because the grace for us “all” entirely without condition, and that our placing the “all” of us to his plan is exactly that, his plan, so that we have the “all” of the fullness of life away from sin.
