Leviticus 5:14-19, 6:1-7
And the priest shall make atonement for him for the mistake that he made unintentionally, and he shall be forgiven. It is a guilt offering; he has indeed incurred guilt before the Lord. – Leviticus 5:18b-19
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Leviticus%205%3A14-19%2C%206%3A1-7&version=ESV
The guilt offering was the fifth kind of offering God asked His people to bring. Like the sin offering, it involved the shedding of blood for forgiveness. But there was something special about this one—it focused on specific wrongs, and it came with a clear command: make things right.
In Hebrew, the word for this offering is אָשָׁם (āšām), which means legal guilt. Those who brought this offering knew they had done something wrong. Their sin had harmed someone—either God’s holy things or another person. God gave examples: when someone lied about lost property, cheated a neighbor, made a false promise, or took what wasn’t theirs (Lev 6:2–3). These weren’t just small mistakes. They were real sins—often hidden, but later brought to light by a guilty conscience.
This offering wasn’t a punishment from a court. It came from the heart of someone who realized their wrong. God asked them to return what they had taken and add an extra 20 percent to make up for it (Lev 6:4–5). Only after making things right with others could they come and offer their gift to God (Lev 6:6–7).
Jesus echoed this same truth when He said: “So when you are offering your gift at the altar, if you remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift.” （Mat 5:23–24）Jesus was teaching that getting right with others is part of getting right with God. It’s not enough to say sorry to God and ignore the damage we’ve caused to others. Love for our neighbor—the kind of love God desires—is shown when we take steps to make things right (see Leviticus 19:18, Romans 13:9).
Think of Zacchaeus, the rich tax collector. When Jesus came into his life, Zacchaeus stood up and said, “I’ll give back four times what I’ve taken!” (Luke 19:1–10). He went beyond what the law required. And Jesus said, “Salvation has come to this house.” Zacchaeus understood: real forgiveness leads to real change.
God knows we can’t undo every wrong. Sometimes the damage is too deep. But the love of Christ moves us to do as much as we can. Not to earn forgiveness, but in response to it. Restitution is not a replacement for grace; it’s a fruit of it.
The guilt offering calls us to honesty. God cares deeply about how we treat others. Our sins don’t just affect our relationship with Him—they often hurt the people around us too. It invites us to come before God—not just to be free from guilt, but to make right what we’ve done wrong. In this way, it leads us to true peace.
Reflection:
Guilt offering calls us to be honest. To look into our hearts. To ask, “Have I wronged someone? Can I take a step today to repair that?” Then come to God—not just with empty hands, but with a heart that is willing to restore, to reconcile, and to love.
Prayer:
Dear Lord Jesus, thank You for forgiving me so completely. Help me to show that same grace to others. If I’ve caused harm, give me the courage to make it right. Shape my repentance with Your love, and lead me into the peace that comes from walking in Your ways. Amen.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Leviticus%205%3A14-19%2C%206%3A1-7&version=ESV
The guilt offering was the fifth kind of offering God asked His people to bring. Like the sin offering, it involved the shedding of blood for forgiveness. But there was something special about this one—it focused on specific wrongs, and it came with a clear command: make things right.
In Hebrew, the word for this offering is אָשָׁם (āšām), which means legal guilt. Those who brought this offering knew they had done something wrong. Their sin had harmed someone—either God’s holy things or another person. God gave examples: when someone lied about lost property, cheated a neighbor, made a false promise, or took what wasn’t theirs (Lev 6:2–3). These weren’t just small mistakes. They were real sins—often hidden, but later brought to light by a guilty conscience.
This offering wasn’t a punishment from a court. It came from the heart of someone who realized their wrong. God asked them to return what they had taken and add an extra 20 percent to make up for it (Lev 6:4–5). Only after making things right with others could they come and offer their gift to God (Lev 6:6–7).
Jesus echoed this same truth when He said: “So when you are offering your gift at the altar, if you remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift.” （Mat 5:23–24）Jesus was teaching that getting right with others is part of getting right with God. It’s not enough to say sorry to God and ignore the damage we’ve caused to others. Love for our neighbor—the kind of love God desires—is shown when we take steps to make things right (see Leviticus 19:18, Romans 13:9).
Think of Zacchaeus, the rich tax collector. When Jesus came into his life, Zacchaeus stood up and said, “I’ll give back four times what I’ve taken!” (Luke 19:1–10). He went beyond what the law required. And Jesus said, “Salvation has come to this house.” Zacchaeus understood: real forgiveness leads to real change.
God knows we can’t undo every wrong. Sometimes the damage is too deep. But the love of Christ moves us to do as much as we can. Not to earn forgiveness, but in response to it. Restitution is not a replacement for grace; it’s a fruit of it.
The guilt offering calls us to honesty. God cares deeply about how we treat others. Our sins don’t just affect our relationship with Him—they often hurt the people around us too. It invites us to come before God—not just to be free from guilt, but to make right what we’ve done wrong. In this way, it leads us to true peace.
Reflection:
Guilt offering calls us to be honest. To look into our hearts. To ask, “Have I wronged someone? Can I take a step today to repair that?” Then come to God—not just with empty hands, but with a heart that is willing to restore, to reconcile, and to love.
Prayer:
Dear Lord Jesus, thank You for forgiving me so completely. Help me to show that same grace to others. If I’ve caused harm, give me the courage to make it right. Shape my repentance with Your love, and lead me into the peace that comes from walking in Your ways. Amen.