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Text Box: The third situation dealt with sins committed against another person of the covenant community. Specifically issues of property and possessions are dealt with here. It is required that on the same day as the offering was given that this sinner would make full restitution to the offended party, adding a fifth of the value. All of this was to go directly to the owner of the property or possessions. Further, the sinner was to take a ram without defect to the priest as a guilt offering. The ram was to be of equivalent value to the offense. The priest probably did not accept the ram without having confirmed that the offended party had received their compensation, because when priest completed his part in the guilt offering the sinner was considered atoned for and forgiven. So the guilt offering had to do with restitution. First, it required replacing what was sinfully neglected, and secondly it required paying a penalty. The goal was to restore a relationship with God that was lost because of sin. In our next issue we will summarize the Levitical offerings. May God richly bless you this day. Text Box: The guilt offering is not considered an optional offering, unless one decided to purposefully break the covenant with God. In this case they had broken that covenant, yet as part of the covenant, God provided a way to restore the covenant relationship with the sinner. There were three instances of unintentional sin addressed in the instructions of guilt offering. The first instance was unintentional sin in regard to the holy things of God. The Israelites accepted that anything that God claimed as His own was holy. This included the tithe. In their mindset they did not own the first tenth, but it was considered to have belonged to the Lord and through this ownership it was therefore holy. In this instance, the offering was to be a ram without defect. This ram was to have a value that was equivalent to the estimated value of what the sinner had failed to do in regards to the holy things. For example, if it were a tithe that he failed to bring to the Lord and that tithe was a ram, then he would bring a ram that would be equal to the ram he should have brought as the tithe. Further, there was a restitution that the sinner was to pay beyond the ram. This restitution was an added fifth of the value of the offering. If the ram were valued at one hundred shekels, then the sinner would bring twenty shekels for the restitution, as well as a ram of equal value to the ram not given. Text Box: Both the ram and the restitution were to be given to the priest. By following these instructions and with the faithful handling of the offering by the priest the sinner would be atoned and forgiven. The second instance addressed by the guilt offering dealt with the breaking of any other of the Lord’s commands. This was an instance were the sin was committed unintentionally. Despite their ignorance, the Lord held the sinner responsible for their sin once they became aware of it. Like the sin against the holy things of God, this instance required that a ram without defect be presented. However, in this case there was not an ability to definitely determine a value of what was lost by the sin. The sinner is to bring a ram that is the ‘best guess’ equivalent value, but no restitution is required. Again, by following these instructions and with the faithful handling of the offering by the priest, the sinner’s sin was atoned for and he was forgiven. This was an interesting situation. You had someone who realized they had committed a sin against God. That sin did not involve a tithe or offering, or a sin against another person involving money or material matters, so a value for restitution could not be determined. Clearly the goal of this instance was to assist the sinner in living a blameless life before God. The purpose was to keep the covenant relationship open and fruitful, free from sin and its filth.

         The Guilt Offering

                                  by Pastor Dave Bassett
Text Box: Building God’s    Kingdom Together

December 8,  2007

December, 2007 — Issue #1

Building God’s Kingdom Newsletter

Special points of interest:

· The Guilt Offering

        by Pastor Dave Bassett

· The Avalanche Affect

        by Judy Bassett

· Silent Night

        by Pastor Dave Bassett

 

Rev. Dave Bassett is the pastor of Rosewood Lane Church of the Nazarene.  Click the link to see the church’s website at
 http://www.nazarene.ch/RosewoodLane
for info on the Rosewood Lane Church in Layton, Utah. 
We would love to have you visit our church!

The Avalanche Affect

by Judy Bassett

As I look out my window I see the winter wonderland that is my back yard.  Here in Layton, Utah, winter has  come to us in full force.  As Pastor Dave mentions in his article on page 2, last Saturday was our first heavy snow.  It was beautiful!  Much of the snow melted away during the week.  However, last night it started snowing and continued during the night so that everything was covered in white again this morning.

As I look out, the snow has stopped.  However, the snow that is layered on the trees is falling off, a little at a time.  As the snow falls from one branch, it often falls onto another branch and causes the snow to fall from that branch also.

 

 

This avalanche affect brings to mind the way God can work in our lives if we will let Him. 

As God fills our life with His love, that love can’t help but spill over and touch the lives of others.  Think of the awesome affect you can have on others, if you let God fill you and then that love spills over to everyone you meet. 

Your life has an affect on everyone you meet, whether you want it to or not.  What do people see when they meet you?  Do they see the great love that God has for you spilling over? Or do they see the burdens of life that you are under oozing out? 

 

 

[continued on page 2]