Leviticus 6:1-7 - The need to treat others well

In Leviticus 15:14-19, we learned that there were two issues that God required them to make a guilt offering. The first was when they had unintentionally, and erroneously mishandled things dedicated to God. The second was when they had unconsciously done something which the Lord said they should not do and were convicted by their conscience. When that happened, they should present a guilt offering to God. These two had to do with how a person handled matters in regard to his relationship with God.

In Leviticus 6:1-7 we see a third area that they should offer a guilt offering. This had to do with regard to his relationship with his fellowmen. This concerns a committed action that affected another person. As a community God expected them to live harmoniously with each other. When someone had committed a wrong and caused a breach in the relationship, that person would in effect had acted unfaithfully toward the Lord.

Here in these seven verses, we see several things that a person could wrong a neighbor and would need to present a guilt offering to God. Firstly, when a person refused to return, had sold it or used it unlawfully, goods which a neighbor had entrusted to him for safekeeping. Secondly, when a person had committed fraud by deceiving a neighbor of the goods he was asked to keep on the former’s behalf. Thirdly, when he robbed his neighbor of the goods. The term used here is robbery. It meant that the person who was holding the goods in trust chose to take it by force, by duress or by threat. To God, such actions constituted robbing a brother’s goods. Fourthly, when he oppressed his neighbor through extortion and sought to take advantage of him.  Fifthly, when a person refused to return to the rightful owner, something which he had found that belonged to the owner. The guilt offering to be presented to God must be a ram without defect. Verses 6-7 say, “…he shall bring to the priest his guilt offering to the Lord, … and the priest shall make atonement for him before the Lord, and he will be forgiven for any one of the things which he may have done to incur guilt.”

From the excuse of Cain who murdered his brother Abel, we learn that God expects us to be our brother’s keeper. Christians are members of the Lord’s family and should not take advantage of each other. God views our relationship with each other seriously. For by our love and unity we demonstrate the love of God. Our love for one another is the greatest testimony of the love of God. Hence God requires that we make restitution to a brother when we have sinned against him.  Let us practice love for one another!