RPG Adults
TRESPASS OFFERING – FOR THE HARM DONE
THURSDAY, APRIL 18
Leviticus 5
Psalm 147:5-9
“And he shall make amends
for the harm that he hath done
in the holy thing…”
TRESPASS OFFERING – FOR THE HARM DONE
When the sin of ignorance was committed against the LORD in a holy thing, a trespass offering must be offered for the cleansing of his sin. Leviticus 5:16: “And he shall make amends for the harm that he hath done in the holy thing, and shall add the fifth part thereto, and give it unto the priest: and the priest shall make an atonement for him with the ram of the trespass offering, and it shall be forgiven him.” But how could a sin be called “harm… done in the holy thing”? The word “harm” is usually translated as “to sin.” But one cannot sin against a thing, thus “harm” is a correct translation based upon its context. The harm is the failure to do what is right in the eyes of God. The sinner might have misunderstood, or had not been taught correctly, or inadvertently transgressed in that “holy thing.” After he realised it, it was still a sin and he must be cleansed from it. This was God’s standard of holiness. This was to teach His people that ignorance was no justifiable excuse for sin.
These “holy things” included tithes and offerings that belonged to God. If a man made a vow and forgot to pay his vow, and then was reminded of it, he had trespassed against the LORD. It could be that the tithe was not given because one family thought that the other would give it and so no one gave the month’s tithe to feed the Levites; they found out later and had to make amends by paying an extra one fifth. It could also be a promised freewill offering that was not given. And if the ordinary Jews ate what had been set aside as a tithe for the LORD, it was a trespass against the LORD. They would need to pay one fifth extra on top of what they had eaten and bring an animal sacrifice to the LORD for the cleansing of their sin. The trespass offering was to teach God’s people the importance of being sensitive to the presence of the LORD in their lives. Everything they possessed belonged to the LORD. Having to devote a portion of it to the LORD was God’s way of teaching His people this truth.
Our giving to the LORD reminds us of this truth as well.
MEMORISATION: Leviticus 5:17
PRAYER: I thank Thee, Father, that I am able to tithe, for it is acknowledgment that all that I have belong to Thee, in Jesus’ Name.