Day 45 —  We are in the second month! We’ve been reading for over a 1/12 of a year! Praise God! I hope that it’s become a GOOD habit that will continue.

   Day 45 – Leviticus 5 – 7  (LAWS requiring penitence, compensation, and restoration)

In chapter 5, God continues to speak to Moses about “rules and regulations” for His own people.  He covers sins of omission, uncleanness, and a person’s financial means and limitations to provide for atonement. (An offering of a female lamb or goat, or two doves/pigeons, or even (2 liters) of fine flour.)

And any who don’t realize they are sinning but are then made aware of it, he should bring in a guilt offering.  God always wants the sinner to COME TO HIM in repentance, NOT to run away from Him.

Leviticus 6:4-5 – “If anyone has sinned and has realized his guilt and will restore what he;

1) took by robbery,

2) or got by oppression,

3) or the deposit that was committed to him,

4) or the lost thing that he found (finders keepers attitude),

5) or anything about which he has sworn falsely —

He shall restore it in full and shall add a fifth (20%) and give it to whom it belongs ON THE DAY he realizes his guilt.”  And also bring an offering to the priest to make atonement. “And he shall be forgiven for any of the things that one may do and thereby  become guilty.” 6:7b

(Doesn’t this remind you of the repentant Zacchaeus?)

An interesting note in verses 6:12-13, is that the fire on the bronze alter should be kept burning continually, day and night. (Perhaps so there would be no delay when the people brought their sacrifices? Or probably it was God showing that a person could come to Him in repentance any time and have their sins atoned for and forgiven.)

The rest of chapter 6 and chapter 7 cover the various offering in detail — grain offerings, sin offerings, guilt offerings, peace offerings, ordination, thanksgiving, vow, and freewill offerings — and which of the animals (or their parts) were to be given to the priests & families to eat.

And again God reminds them what is unclean to the people and which must be atoned for — touching dead bodies or infectious people, eating old meat, fat, or blood.

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All these details in Leviticus may seem tedious today, but I wonder how many of us (Americans) have recently read the Constitution of the United States, or us (Christians) the Apostle’s Creed or the Westminster’s Catechism in detail. OR THE ENTIRE BIBLE for that matter!! It might be a worthwhile way to pass some time.