Leviticus 5 GUILT OFFERING In watching the people of God in the past through my mind's eye as I read the scriptures and see those people coming with their offerings, I wonder at the way God sees and knows each person, and the reason they are coming to the Tabernacle. As an observer I cannot discern whether one leading an animal has the same objective as the rest. But I know that man looks on the "outward appearance, but God looketh on the heart." Some would have sweet savor offerings as they are enjoying God, and His grace and mercy toward them. Others becoming conscious of the fact of the sin principle in them, are bringing the sin offering. The degree to which they realize their need of being righteous before God determined whether they brought a bullock, female goat or lamb for the sin offering. To the careful observer there were those with downcast eyes and a sad countenance who were coming to the Tabernacle. He may have heard an oath and said nothing. He may have touched the carcass of an unclean animal or some uncleanness of a man. For some reason he may have lost his temper and said a lot of things he should not have said. He is bringing the trespass offering (guilt offering) because he has gone too far in sinning. He may not have known it was wrong or maybe did know that. Either way he had to bring a trespass offering. Ignorance was no excuse. Specific sin that can be named, whether against God or man, had to be dealt with by the trespass offering.
The concealment of evil is sin. Association with evil that has been committed in any way, is sin. Wrong speech is sin. The effect of sin can hinder the work of God and man. Therefore, it has to be dealt with. A casual overlooking of sin on our part is not acceptable. We are plainly told, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." Missing the mark is one thing. That is dealt with in the sin offering. We may have not grasped the damage done by some sin done in ignorance until we have been taught specifically. Whenever sin is committed our conscience makes us conscious of the fact that we are guilty of something that condemns our heart. To sin against holy things to some doesn't seem so very serious that we stop to face it, deal with it and forsake it. Atonement is one part of the trespass offering that was directed God-ward. Restitution is another part of the trespass that is directed man-ward.
Innocence is not a reason for pardon. Wrong is still wrong whether we know it or not. Our heart may plan guilt. Our conscience senses guilt. God knows when there is guilt and does not deal with it just any way. "There is a way back to God..." He does not ignore sin because what we do to others, deliberately or not deliberately, still affects them and our relationship with God. As I watched I could see the trespass wasn't measured against a scale. It wasn't the kind of sin or the degree of sin as to its effect - it was the act. Those bringing the guilt offering were not measuring the amount of guilt. Guilt is the result of sin no matter how great or small we may think it is.
The offeror who came and knew what was wrong, brought a female lamb or goat to the priest to be offered. The poor person who had realized what he did was wrong, could bring two doves or pigeons; one for the sin committed and one for a burnt offering. If he had no access to even two birds, he could bring unmixed flour to offer for his sin. Nobody could be excused for not facing sin and dealing with it. The offeror who had sinned against holy things had to bring a ram without anything at all wrong with it. It had to be absolutely perfect. Atonement had to be made to cover that sin so that trespass would not be charged to them. Christ provided that redemption for us. God is glorified by who Christ is, by what He has done in creation, in His life and now by what He did when He died on the cross redeeming what was lost and bringing it to God. Now those trespasses are not imputed to us. The atonement Christ made has satisfied God. The person who brought the ram would see that judgment is now past. The rights that were once his were restored. But that was not all that was involved.
In the trespass offering, restitution must be made beside the guilt offering to be burned. There are consequences to sin that cannot be avoided. They must be faced. The ram was a type of Christ in His testimony and death for sin. The transgressor brought that offering. The priest took that and by it, atonement was made for the transgressor. God was satisfied and now able justly to grant forgiveness. But there were others affected whose claims had to be satisfied. For the harm that was done by that act of sin, it had to be fully paid for by the transgressor. That amount was determined by the value of money that was used to measure the worth of a thing, a service or an event. Added to restoring that full amount there was another twenty percent put on to what had to be restored. In type the Lord Jesus added way more on our behalf when He redeemed us to God.
We have to face the same thing in our day. Specific sin has to be faced and confessed before God. How thankful we are that "The blood of Jesus Christ, His Son, cleanseth us from all sin." It is important for us to make amends for all that has happened because of our sin whether we were aware of it or not. There is fall- out of one kind or another to every action we do. A ram had to be given to make atonement in the holy things. A ram also had to be given to atone for those things that were not known. I may think something is okay because I make that decision, but that may not be acceptable at all. It is important that one does not act without carefully determining if this is what God wants, and is the way He wants me to do this. Other people may be adversely affected by what seemed to be of no importance to me.
How thankful we can be for the sacrifice of Christ for us! His atoning work deals with the problem. I avail myself of that benefit when I face the problem and confess my sin and trust in Him to forgive and cleanse me. Any offense that results from what I have done, by responding to those who have been affected, and going beyond merely repaying, I am able to make full restitution and the trespass offering is effective.