Leviticus 6

"Once he has sinned and acknowledged his guilt - he must return what he stole or defrauded, or the deposit entrusted to him, or the lost item he found, or anything else about which he swore falsely.  He must make full restitution for it and add a fifth of its value to it."

Leviticus 6:4-5

The last chapter dealt with sins that were unknown at the time and were recognized later.  This chapter begins by discussing what should be done when a man intentionally steals and later acknowledges it.  The wording is non-specific concerning the acknowledgement of his guilt, but obviously the most common way this would be acknowledged is after a trial against the thief.

When caught in thievery, a man under the Levitical Law is required to pay back one fifth more than the value of the stolen property.  He would also be required to make a restitution offering to the Lord.  Both of these steps are necessary because stealing is a sin against God as well as an affront to the owner of the stolen property.

Question of the Day:

Have you ever taken anything that did not belong to you without the owner's permission?  To whom do you owe restitution?

Prayer of the Day:

Forgive me, for I have sinned against You and against man.  Help me to make amends for the property I have that does not belong to me.  Prevent me from taking more than my allotment in the future.  Amen.