Every trespass was a sin, but not every sin was a trespass. Not every sin required a trespass offering, better said.
So … what kinds of sins did necessitate the trespass offering? (And this was NOT a voluntary act of worship, but mandatory!)
Leviticus 6, its first few verses supplies us a few typical situations needing a trespass offering. “And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, If a soul sin, and commit a trespass against the LORD, and lie unto his neighbour in that which was delivered him to keep …” Verses 1 and 2.
If an Israelite borrowed an item from his neighbor (or that neighbor just placed it in the Jew’s hands for safekeeping) … and, somehow, that item got lost or broken or died (if an animal) … and the trustee subsequently lied to the neighbor about what happened (out of embarrassment or greed, or whatever) … then the law of the trespass offering certainly would apply!
The person keeping the thing might have even sold it for profit! Then tried to “cover” his wrongdoing.
Anyway, a “trespass” has been committed and restitution must be paid! (To stay in good standing with Almighty God, anyway … not to mention the neighbor!)
Back to Leviticus 6 … “If a soul sin, and commit a trespass against the LORD, and lie unto his neighbour … in a thing taken away by violence.” Still verse 2. (“Violence” translating “gazel,” meaning “robbery!”) In other words, when something was forcefully stolen! Seized or plundered! Reparation is in order! (Here it is an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth … plus 20% more!)
Wow!
Then Leviticus 6:2, the end of the verse … “Or hath deceived his neighbor.” Where “hath deceived” is “ashaq,” meaning “to defraud of wages!” (Here’s a classic example: “Thou shalt not defraud thy neighbour, neither rob him: the WAGES of him that is hired shall not abide with thee all night until the morning.” Leviticus 19:13) Do not fail to pay your employees! Or underpay them!
Maybe one more example … “Or have found that which was lost, and lieth concerning it, and sweareth falsely.” Leviticus 6:3, self explanatory. “Finders keepers,” does not apply! If the real owner comes around, or advertises the loss … and you have his possession … give it back to him! If not you have sinned, trespassed!
Then a summary statement: “In any of all these that a man doeth, sinning therein: then it shall be, because he hath sinned, and is guilty, that HE SHALL RESTORE that which he took violently away, or the thing which he hath deceitfully gotten, or that which was delivered him to keep, or the lost thing which he found, or all that about which he hath sworn falsely; he shall even RESTORE IT IN THE PRINCIPAL, and shall ADD THE FIFTH PART MORE thereto, and give it unto him to whom it appertaineth, in the day of his TRESPASS OFFERING.” Leviticus 6:3-5
God indeed wants us to “love one another!”
Another way of saying it: to be right with God, looks like one must also be right with his/her fellow human beings! (The New Testament idea of a “clear conscience” is probably inherent here.)
Remember yesterday’s Lesson too … Jesus is prefigured in this trespass offering. Jesus (the “Last Adam,” Paul says) Who on the Cross “repaid” more than Adam (the “first Adam”) ever stole, ever defrauded from humanity!
He, Christ Jesus … even more so, repaid Almighty God (the Father) more (a whole lot more) than Adam ever robbed from the God the Father as well!
What a View of Calvary!
What a View of our Saviour!
— Dr. Mike Bagwell
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