Worship in the Wilderness #5: Guilt or Trespass Offering

 Read Leviticus 5

Background: Many of the details of this offering will seem similar to those of the previous ones discussed: bringing the offering to the priest; having different prescribed offerings depending on financial circumstance; the promise of forgiveness, etc.  There are some distinct differences, however, especially in that the person can identify a specific sin that has been committed which God has clearly identified: not speaking up and telling the truth; not returning a lost article when one knows who it belongs to; oppressing one's neighbor - these are not the "unintentional" variety of sins covered by the sin offering.

Key verses: “If anyone sins in that he hears a public adjuration to testify, and though he is a witness, whether he has seen or come to know the matter, yet does not speak, he shall bear his iniquity; 2 or if anyone touches an unclean thing, whether a carcass of an unclean wild animal or a carcass of unclean livestock or a carcass of unclean swarming things, and it is hidden from him and he has become unclean, and he realizes his guilt; 3 or if he touches human uncleanness, of whatever sort the uncleanness may be with which one becomes unclean, and it is hidden from him, when he comes to know it, and realizes his guilt; 4 or if anyone utters with his lips a rash oath to do evil or to do good, any sort of rash oath that people swear, and it is hidden from him, when he comes to know it, and he realizes his guilt in any of these; 5 when he realizes his guilt in any of these and confesses the sin he has committed, 6 he shall bring to the Lord as his compensation for the sin that he has committed, a female from the flock, a lamb or a goat, for a sin offering. And the priest shall make atonement for him for his sin.

Thoughts: One key ingredient of this offering is "compensation" (see verse 6, 16), restitution, reparation for the injury caused either to one's neighbor or against the tabernacle itself.  It goes beyond admitting guilt to seeking to make restoration for any harm caused.

We often are so quick to forgive ourselves and excuse our actions, when it would be much more beneficial to us and glorifying to God to admit our guilt, come to Him, and make it right with others.