The Old Testament is filled with stories of sin and redemption. In this blog, we’ll explore how sins were forgiven in the Old Testament and how it relates to you today. The sacrificial system, instituted under Moses, established rituals for atonement where the blood of animals would ‘cover over’ the sins of God’s people. Sins were not merely overlooked, but dealt with through substitutionary animal deaths, foreshadowing Jesus’ ultimate sacrifice.
Sins were forgiven in the Old Testament in a variety of ways. One way was through sacrifice. Sacrifices were offered at various times during worship and rituals throughout the year, such as Passover (the festival celebrating God’s deliverance of the Israelites from slavery), Pentecost (the festival celebrating when God gave his law to Moses), and Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement). In each case, an animal was offered as a sacrifice on behalf of an individual or community.
Another way sins were forgiven in the Old Testament was by repentance. This involved confessing your sins to God and asking for forgiveness. The prophet Ezekiel wrote about repentance: “If a wicked man turns away from all his sins which he has committed, keeps all my statutes, and does what is lawful and right, then he shall surely live; he shall not die.” (Ezekiel 18:21)
How Were Sins Forgiven In The Old Testament
To expiate the sin of withholding dues from God or man, the guilt offering or sacrifice of reparation was offered (Lv 5.14–26; 7.1–7; Nm 5.5–8). Annually, on the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) the covenanted people confessed their sins and atoned for them by expiatory sacrifices.
Many people have a misunderstanding of how sins were forgiven in the Old Testament. We have all heard that “God forgives sins, but you have to repent.” This sounds innocent enough, but it is actually a major error that has led many souls to ruin because they think that in order to be saved, they must repent completely (meaning they have to literally be like new again) and then ask God for forgiveness.
This is not what Judaism teaches. It is a fundamental mistake to believe this, because our Jewish tradition has always taught that there are no sins so great that God cannot forgive them. And this was true even concerning those who had done great evil—even if they committed idolatry, fornication or murdered their own parents—if they truly repented with perfect repentance, then God would forgive them on high!
This lesson is a study of forgiveness in Old Testament times up till Jesus died. We answer the question, “On what basis were people then forgiven before the cross of Christ?”
1. Animal Sacrifices
In the Old Testament, one of the main ways sins were forgiven was through animal sacrifices. The Israelites were instructed to bring animals to the altar as a sacrifice for their sins. This act symbolized the transfer of sin from the individual to the animal, with the shedding of blood serving as a cleansing agent.
2. Day of Atonement
Another important way sins were forgiven in the Old Testament was through the Day of Atonement. This was a special day set aside for the high priest to make sacrifices for the sins of the people. It was a time of repentance and seeking forgiveness from God.
3. Repentance and Confession
Repentance and confession were also essential components of forgiveness in the Old Testament. In order for sins to be forgiven, individuals had to acknowledge their wrongdoing, seek repentance, and confess their sins to God. This act of contrition was necessary for reconciliation with God.
4. Offering of Grain and Drink Offerings
In addition to animal sacrifices, the Old Testament also mentions the offering of grain and drink offerings as a way to seek forgiveness for sins. These offerings were symbolic gestures of gratitude and devotion to God, and were believed to cleanse the soul of impurities.
5. Following God’s Commandments
Lastly, following God’s commandments and living a righteous life were considered important aspects of seeking forgiveness in the Old Testament. Being obedient to God’s laws and living according to His will were seen as ways to stay in favor with God and receive forgiveness for sins.
Overall, forgiveness of sins in the Old Testament was a multi-faceted process that involved various rituals, sacrifices, and acts of devotion. It required individuals to humble themselves before God, seek repentance, and strive to live a righteous life in accordance with His commandments. Through these practices, the Israelites believed they could find forgiveness and reconciliation with God.
| Ways of forgiveness | Description |
|———————-|————————————————–|
| Animal Sacrifices | Transferring sin from individual to animal |
| Day of Atonement | Special day for high priest to make sacrifices |
| Repentance and Confession | Acknowledging wrongdoing and seeking forgiveness |
| Offering of Grain and Drink Offerings | Symbolic gestures of devotion to God |
| Following God’s Commandments | Living a righteous life in obedience to God |
Forgiveness In The Old Testament vs New Testament
1. By Faith and Not by Law
Galatians 3:6-14
Long before the old testament law was given by Moses, Abraham was justified —made right with God having his sins forgiven (Galatians 3:6-14).
Not only was Abraham forgiven before the law existed, but he was not yet even circumcised. Abraham was granted forgiveness and justification because he believed God. God counted Abraham’s faith as righteousness.
Now Moses did not improve on this by bringing in the law. For (hypothetically) to be justified by the law without faith you would have to keep the law perfectly without a single fault. One transgression and the law would condemn you without providing a remedy.
So people still relied on a faith like Abraham’s. Without that faith they would be cursed by the law. Certainly the law was a good thing. However any transgression of that law was sin, and that law within itself provided no means of forgiveness.
People had to have faith in a means of forgiveness beyond that law, namely the death of Christ. The law foreshadowed this means of forgiveness, but lacked a means of its own.
2. By God’s Servant and Not by Self
Isaiah 53:1-12
In Old Testament times, prophecy looked forward to the suffering servant whom God would exalt because by his death he would justify many (Isaiah 53:1-12).
The people of the Mosaic age could do nothing on their own to remove their guilt. They transgressed, the punishing stroke was due them, and they had no recourse except this promise of God’s servant, who would be punished in their stead. This was true not only for them but for people in every age.
Because the Lamb would be led to the slaughter, people of faith could sing, “You forgave the iniquity of your people; you covered all their sin… Lovingkindness and truth have met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other” (Psalms 85:2, 10)
3. By God’s Guarantee and Not by Goats
Hebrews 10:1-18
The sacrifices made under the law could not take away sins; it was impossible, and those sacrifices only pointed to the offering of Jesus’s body and blood (Hebrews 10:1–18). Once he made that sacrifice, there was no longer any need of further sacrifices. Sins could now be remembered no more.
God never took pleasure in the sacrifice of animals for the sins of the people who were under the law. These sacrifices could not make the sinner seeking forgiveness perfect.
Those sacrifices did have a purpose. They served as a constant reminder of sins, and they pointed symbolically to the coming sacrifice that could take away sins. People who believed in that sacrifice would be assured that when that sacrifice came, their sins would be forgiven.
The death of Jesus enabled “the redemption of the transgressions that were committed under the first covenant” (Hebrews 9:15). This was their faith and hope.
So their justification and forgiveness of sin rested on the promised Christ. They knew that goats couldn’t take away their sins, but by faith in Christ, they could have their sins provisionally forgiven on the day that Christ would bring redemption.
In the story of the good Samaritan (Luke 10:30–37), The Samaritan took the wounded victim of the robbers to an inn. He said to the innkeeper, “Take care of him, and when I return, I will repay all expenses.”
So, although the account had not yet been settled, the victim received all the benefits of the innkeeper’s care—based on the guarantee that redemption would be made later on. That is similar to the manner in which God dealt with people in Old Testament times.
How Were Sins Forgiven In The Old Testament?
God preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying, “In you all the nations shall be blessed.”
Galatians 3:8
The words, “In you all the nations shall be blessed” do not sound like a gospel presentation to us because there is no mention of Jesus’ name, death, burial, or resurrection. But God’s promise allowed Abraham to be saved by grace when he looked forward in faith to the Seed that would bless all nations. Genesis 15:6 says Abraham “believed in the Lord, and He accounted it to him for righteousness.”
Similarly, God preached the gospel to Israel:
The gospel was preached to Israel in the wilderness.
Hebrews 4:2
God made numerous prophecies that a Messiah would come into the world. If people had believed those prophecies, they would have received salvation through grace and faith. They looked forward in faith to the Messiah coming, and as we look back in faith, He came. Old and New Testament believers are both saved by looking to Christ in faith, but from opposite sides of the cross. People in the Old Testament were saved by believing Jesus would come, just as we’re saved by believing Jesus came.
Old Testament Saints Looked Forward to “The Seed of the Woman”
And I will put enmity
Between you and the woman,
And between your seed and her Seed;
He shall bruise your head,
And you shall bruise His heel.”
Genesis 3:15
This prophecy is part of the curse, and it allowed Adam, Eve, and their descendants to look forward to she “Seed of the Woman,” capitalized, because it’s referring to Jesus. When sin came into the world, so too did the opportunity for people to be saved by grace through faith. Just as we pass along to our children what we know about Christ, this prophecy would’ve been passed along to Adam and Eve’s descendants, allowing them to be saved by grace through faith.
The basis for salvation in every age is the death of Christ; the requirement for salvation in every age is faith; the object of faith in every age is God; the content of faith changes in the various ages.
Charles C. Ryrie, Dispensationalism Today, 1965
Unfortunately, people think of the Gospel as a New Testament invention, but Paul uses the Old Testament to present the Gospel. He explains justification by faith apart from the law and works in Romans 3:21-28. Then he discusses two prominent Old Testament men to have credibility with his Jewish readers. In the process he shows people were forgiven (or saved) in the Old Testament, just as believers are in the New Testament.
Paul’s First Example of Old Testament Salvation: Abraham—The Father of the Jewish People
Although Abraham was well-respected, he committed well-known sins:
- God commanded Abraham to leave his family behind. He failed by bringing his nephew Lot (Genesis 12:1-4).
- Abraham failed when he left Canaan, went to Egypt, and tried to protect himself by telling Sarah to say she was his sister (Genesis 12:10-20).
- Sarah told Abraham to have a child with Hagar, and he obeyed her (Genesis 16:1-2).
- Abraham lied about Sarah being his sister (Genesis 20:2).
What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather, discovered in this matter? If, in fact, Abraham was justified by works, he had something to boast about—but not before God.
Romans 4:1-2
We can boast if we’re justified by works, “but not before God,” because it wouldn’t impress him.
What does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”
Romans 4:3
Paul quotes Genesis 15:6, which summarizes the Gospel. Abraham was justified by faith. He was saved by believing God.
Now when a man works, his wages are not credited to him as a gift, but as an obligation.
Romans 4:4
When your boss gives you a paycheck you’d be offended if he said, “This is a gift.” You worked for it; therefore, you earned it. A system of works makes God “obligated” to us.
However, to the man who does not work but trusts God who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited as righteousness.
Romans 4:5
The man who attempts to be justified – or saved – by works is not trusting God. He’s trusting himself. The man who trusts God finds his faith credited – or given to him – as righteousness. His faith was shown to be genuine when he was willing to sacrifice his son, Isaac.
The Seed of Abraham
In Genesis 12:3 God told Abraham: “In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed.” Abraham’s seed is Isaac, but God’s words look past him to Jesus, the true and greater “Son of Abraham” (Matthew 1:1). Peter identified Jesus as the Seed when he quoted Genesis 12:3 while preaching:
You are sons of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying to Abraham, “And in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” To you first, God, having raised up His Servant Jesus, sent Him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from your iniquities.
Acts 3:25–26
Paul also referred to Jesus as the Seed when he quoted Genesis 12:3:
And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying, “In you all the nations shall be blessed.” Now to Abraham and his Seed were the promises made. He does not say, “And to seeds,” as of many, but as of one, “And to your Seed,” Who is Christ.
Galatians 3:8 and 16
Although God promised Abraham countless descendants, He spoke of one specific Seed “Who is Christ.” All the descendants of Abraham—Moses, David, Solomon, Isaiah, or any others—pale in comparison to Jesus because only through Him would “all the nations of the earth be blessed.” Abraham spent years looking forward in faith to the birth of his son, Isaac, but Jesus is the only Son he could look forward to in faith for salvation.
To learn more about Old Testament forgiveness and salvation, listen to this sermon I preached on the topic…
Paul’s Second Example of Old Testament Salvation: David—The King of the Jewish People
According to God’s Law, David committed two sins that should’ve resulted in death: adultery and murder (2 Samuel 11). A few things made David’s terrible sins even worse:
- David’s accountability—He knew God’s Law well.
- David was blessed—God brought him of that shepherd’s field where he was a nobody born to a no-name family. Then God turned him into the rich and powerful king of Israel.
- David’s sins were premeditated—He planned out all the details, even writing a letter to Joab that he had Uriah himself carry. It was one of the darkest moments in the Old Testament.
If David had to be justified, or declared righteous by works, he’d stand condemned before God. Since justification is by faith, he felt very blessed…
David says the same thing when he speaks of the blessedness of the man to whom God credits righteousness apart from works:
Romans 4:6
David agreed with Abraham about justification by faith, and he wrote about his thankfulness:
“Blessed are they
whose transgressions are forgiven,
whose sins are covered.
Blessed is the man
whose sin the Lord will never count against him.”
Psalm 32:1-2 which Paul quoted in Romans 4:7-8
When you’ve sinned like David did, you’re very thankful when God doesn’t “count” those sins against you, but instead “counts” or “credits” righteousness to you.
Is this blessedness only for the circumcised, or also for the uncircumcised? We have been saying that Abraham’s faith was credited to him as righteousness. Under what circumstances was it credited? Was it after he was circumcised, or before? It was not after, but before!
Romans 4:9-10
Abraham was declared righteous by God in Genesis 15:6 when he “believed God” at 86 years old. He wasn’t circumcised until Genesis 17:24, when he 99. Since he was declared righteous 13 years before he was circumcised, he had to be justified by faith and not works.
David’s Sins Should not Have Received Forgiveness
If anyone deserved death it was David, but this is also why David’s situation provides one of the greatest examples of God’s grace and mercy in all of Scripture. Nathan the Prophet confronted David, and he responded:
“I have sinned against the Lord.”
2 Samuel 12:13a
This is how we should respond when we sin. In these few words David provides a number of lessons:
- Take ownership: “I have…”
- Call it what it is: “sin.”
- Acknowledge the sin was “against the Lord”
- Avoid excuses and blame shifting.
Then Nathan said:
“The Lord also has taken away your sin.”
2 Sam 12:13b
These are some of the most amazing words in the Old Testament. Despite the enormity and wickedness of David’s sin, it was “taken away”:
“It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.”
Hebrews 10:4 and 11
Sacrifices couldn’t forgive sins, say nothing of take them away. How could Nathan say this to David? His sins were taken away the same way ours are taken away:
- When John the Baptist saw Jesus he said, “The Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world” (John 1:29).
- 1 John 3:5 says “[Jesus] was manifested to take away our sins.”
If any Old Testament sacrifices could take away sins, Jesus’s sacrifice would’ve been unnecessary. David looked forward in faith to Jesus the way we look backward in faith to our Savior.
The New Covenant Foreshadowed in the Old Covenant
The grace and mercy David received provide a beautiful glimpse of the New Covenant under the Old Covenant. What did David do to receive this forgiveness?
For You do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give it;
You do not delight in burnt offering.
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit,
A broken and a contrite heart—
These, O God, You will not despise.
Psalm 51:16-17
David didn’t offer any sacrifices. He had a spiritual insight that was tremendous. He knew parts of the New Testament before they were written, and he knew no Old Testament sacrifices could make up for his sins.
But he did know there was a “sacrifice” he could “give”; he knew there was an “offering” God “desired”: “a broken spirit, a broken and a contrite heart.”
David Confess his sin and it “took away” evil sins he committed. This is without personal merit, human effort, or penance. This is New Covenant forgiveness by grace; justification by faith.
Forgiveness that Provided Life Instead of Death
David’s sins demanded death, but he found: life. Nathan also said:
“You shall not die.”
2 Samuel 12:13c
These words mean David was going to die. The Old Covenant (the Law) demanded what it always demands: death. But David was able to find life. He recognized the greatness of what took place, which led him to write Psalm 32. Paul quoted this in Romans 4, showing forgiveness and salvation took place the same way in the Old and New Testaments.