Randy Green's Blog, page 348

Betwixt and Between, Part 2

HOT OFF THE PRESS!!! Romans: Volume 9  of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes is now available from CreateSpace (paperbacks) and Kindle (eBooks). Click on the link to the right of this page to go to Amazon and place your order.

What shall we say then? That Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, attained righteousness, even the righteousness which is by faith; but Israel, pursuing a law of righteousness, did not arrive at that law. Why? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as though it were by works [Romans 9:30-32].

Those words take us back to yesterday’s post. Let’s continue now with what we began then. Man thinks he is good enough to obey the Law. So God gave the Law to His chosen people back in the day to allow them all the chances they wanted at keeping it. Guess what? Nary a soul succeeded. The purpose of the Law was achieved: it showed man that he could not possibly live with God on the basis of his own merits.

This taught man that, if he was to live with God, he needed a Savior—One Who could pay the penalty for his sins and also replace the sinner living inside him with a new life of righteousness. On the one hand the penalty for sins needed to be paid, and that penalty is death. On the other hand a new life was needed, one which did not want to disobey the Word of God and also had the power to obey it.

So it is, you see, that it is a good thing we Christians are not under law but under grace (cf., Romans 6:14). The Law did NOT merely consist of a set of do’s and don’ts to be followed. The Law consisted of an indivisible set of regulations forming one single LAW, and every last regulation must perforce be obeyed perfectly at all times 24/7, or else the offender was not perfect and so was unable to live with God.

Also, the Law was NOT merely a question of morality. As we learned by the opening quotation of this post, the Law was a means for attaining righteousness. In other words to put ourselves under the Law is to attempt to be perfect, in order to earn our own way to heaven. To be under the Law is not merely to obey the Ten Commandments to the best of our ability. It is to attempt to get ourselves to heaven by our own obedience—in which case either we obey it perfectly always or else we pack the swim suits because the destination will be very hot!

Dear friends, don’t listen to well-meaning folks who quote the Law and insist we are responsible to obey it. We are NOT under law: we ARE under grace. The Apostle Paul’s words with which we began this post are meant to teach us this very point. Those Israelites who rejected Jesus as Israel’s Messiah did so because they wanted the Law, not grace. Ergo, God had the Gospel go to the Gentiles to give them the opportunity to receive Jesus as their Savior.

Which of us in our right minds wants to reject the Gospel and return to the Law? Not me! I will arise and go to Jesus. He will embrace me in His arms. Care to join me?

To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Leviticus: Volume 3 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. For more info please visit these sites to purchase my books:

http://www.amazon.com/Randy-Green/e/B00507WC86

Filed under: Church Age Tagged: Faith, righteousness, Romans 9, the Law, Torah

Betwixt and Between, Part 1

NEWS FLASH!!! Acts: Volume 8 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes is now available from CreateSpace (paperbacks) and Kindle (eBooks). Click on the link to the right of this page to go to Amazon and place your order.

What shall we say then? That Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, attained righteousness, even the righteousness which is by faith; but Israel, pursuing a law of righteousness, did not arrive at that law. Why? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as though it were by works [Romans 9:30-32].

In those verses a clear dichotomy exists, and this contrast is the point to the entire quotation. On the one hand there is the righteousness which is by faith, on the other a law of righteousness. In each case righteousness is the result. The cause is what varies between the two.

The phrase a law of righteousness is better understood when the order of the words corresponds to the phrase the righteousness which is by faith. After all, Paul is teaching the difference between the two “righteousnesses”, if you will permit me to coin a word.

So let’s change the order of the words for the phrase a law of righteousness, so that it does correspond to what it is being contrasted with. Voilà! we come up with the righteousness which is by law. For each phrase righteousness is the result, while it is achieved by means of either “law” or “faith”.

I wanted to note this contrast because by doing so we can see the purpose of the Law of Moses, dear friends. The Law was given by the Lord to the Israelites to teach them that they could not be perfect. But being perfect is the condition necessary for entrance into heaven. God is perfect and He cannot tolerate anything less. If He did then heaven would become hell pronto!

The problem wasn’t with the Law. The problem was with man because man is a sinner and sinners are the opposite of perfect. Trouble is, because man is a sinner his thinking and judgment is all out of whack. Ergo, instead of looking in the mirror and seeing a sinner, he looks in the mirror and sees a saint.

This predicament leaves man betwixt and between. He is torn between Law and grace, and the sinner cannot swallow his pride enough to accept the pure Gospel without adulterating it by adding in the Law. By that means a sinner can feel that he is not perfect and needs the Gospel, but he is not really so bad after all and can do good on his own.

We will continue our flow of thought  in our next post tomorrow. For tonight let’s hie off to our prayer closet and ruminate a bit on what we have just studied.

To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Leviticus: Volume 3 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. For more info please visit these sites to purchase my books:

http://www.amazon.com/Randy-Green/e/B00507WC86

Filed under: Church Age Tagged: Faith, righteousness, Romans 9, the Law, Torah

A Frightening Number, Part 2

NEWS FLASH!!! Matthew: Volume 7 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes is now available from CreateSpace (paperbacks) and Kindle (eBooks). Click on the link to the right of this page to go to Amazon and place your order.

Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for the number is that of a man; and his number is six hundred and sixty-six [Revelation 13:18].

Man’s number is 6, while the beast’s number is 666. The two are connected in Revelation by the words “the number is that of a man”. See! The number 666 is connected with man and his number.

Okay. Now that we have that detail to go by, let’s consider two possibilities with the number of the beast. One possibility is that the number is six hundred and sixty-six. In fact the original Greek has the number written out in letters as six hundred and sixty-six.

Notwithstanding that fact, the Book of Revelation is highly symbolic, employing typology to teach future mysteries. Writing the number 666 with letters forces the reader to meditate on the text more, if he really wants to solve the mystery. Jesus spoke in parables in order to accomplish the same thing. If anyone really wanted to discover the truths of God’s Word, such a one had to search them out as if digging for buried treasure. Superficial reading of short blips and Sunday School ditties won’t suffice for us to mature spiritually, dear friends.

The clue, once more, is in the phrase “the number of a man”, and I want to correct that translation. In the Greek there is no indefinite article attached to the word for “man”. In other words it reads “man”, not “a man”. The number of man, as we’ve already noted, is the number 6.

Hurray! We’ve reached the last step of our analysis of the number 666. The number of man is 6. Now look at the number of the beast: 666. Stop reading it as six hundred sixty-six and start reading it as 6-6-6, i.e., as a triple 6.

The number for God is 3. The number 3 expresses the superlative degree. God is the MOST divine. He is the THRICE holy God. Oh, and don’t leave out that God revealed Himself to be a TRINITY.

The word Trinity is formed by combining “tri” with “unity”. “Tri” means 3 and “unity” means 1. Voilà! Trinity means 3-in-1. God is one, yet He shows Himself to be three Persons simultaneously and for all eternity. God is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—3 Persons comprising 1 God. We could easily express this by saying the number of God is 333. 3 is God’s number and there are 3 Persons in the Godhead.

Do you see what the number of the beast means now? Compare 333 with 666. No, it’s not that 666 is double 333. It’s that there are 3 beasts identified in Revelation 12-13. There is the Dragon (i.e., Satan), and there is the beast out of the sea (i.e., the antichrist), and there is the beast out of the earth (i.e., the false religious leader).

The devil will forge his own pseudo-trinity, with the devil possessing the antichrist, who is a human male. The false religious leader is also a human male, though not possessed by the devil. This is Satan’s mimicking of our precious Lord Jesus Christ, Who is God the Son taking on His own human body. The antichrist is the devil in a human body.

So the number of the beast is the number of man because the number represents who the beast is: he is a man. In fact he is 2 men and 1 devil! And since there are actually three beasts to mimic the Trinity, the number of man (“6”) becomes written as “666” to expose the beast as the devil’s human impersonation of the Trinity.

The Bible is unfathomable, dear people. We can never learn all it has to teach us…but we can have fun trying! Spend some time alone with the Lord now. Allow the Holy Spirit to work this teaching into your mind and down into your heart. That is the only way we can mature spiritually, so that we become all that the Lord wants us to be. To God be the glory! Amen.

To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Leviticus: Volume 3 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. For more info please visit these sites to purchase my books:

http://www.amazon.com/Randy-Green/e/B00507WC86

Filed under: Church Age Tagged: 666, antichrist, number of the beast, Revelation

A Frightening Number, Part 1

HOT OFF THE PRESS!!! Romans: Volume 9 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes is now available from CreateSpace (paperbacks) and Kindle (eBooks). Click on the link to the right of this page to go to Amazon and place your order.

Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for the number is that of a man; and his number is six hundred and sixty-six [Revelation 13:18].

If you were to do a bit of research on the numerous attempts to interpret the “number of the beast” over the centuries, you would come away knowing less about it than when you began! It is in some ways rather hilarious to read many of them.

One approach which yields the most untrustworthy results is to take the number as a man’s name. Each letter of the alphabet is assigned a number, so the letters of a person’s name add up to a total value. Find a man’s name whose letters add up to 666 and you’ve found the identity of the beast.

Sounds logical enough, doesn’t it? Uh, not so much. Here’s the problem. Which letters do we use? The Book of Revelation is written in koine Greek, which employs different letters than English. Perhaps the name should add up to 666 in Persian…or Aramaic…or Hebrew.

And then there’s the problem of which name is the correct one. In perusing the various commentaries, we discover that the letters of more than one name can be made to total 666. Do we put all those names in a hat and have a drawing? We could even sell tickets to it and award a prize to the winner!

Seriously, though, the Bible records, “the number is that of a man”. It doesn’t say “the number is that of a man’s name”, does it? No, it doesn’t. So why would we try to make a man’s name add up to 666? Duh? Go figure, why don’cha.

And right there we have Scripture’s key for interpreting the number of the beast. The number is that of a man. Man was created on Day 6 of creation week. That is why the number of a man is 6. That is the first clue we have to go by. Scripture gave it to us: let’s put it to good use. So come with me now, roll up your sleeves, put on your work gloves, and let’s work up a good sweat in solving this puzzle.

To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Leviticus: Volume 3 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. For more info please visit these sites to purchase my books:

http://www.amazon.com/Randy-Green/e/B00507WC86

Filed under: Church Age Tagged: 666, antichrist, number of the beast, Revelation

God’s Dictionary

NEWS FLASH!!! Acts: Volume 8 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes is now available from CreateSpace (paperbacks) and Kindle (eBooks). Click on the link to the right of this page to go to Amazon and place your order.

It is not as though God’s word had failed. For not all who are descended from Israel are Israel. Nor because they are his descendants are they all Abraham’s children. On the contrary, “It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.” In other words, it is not the children by physical descent who are God’s children, but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as Abraham’s offspring [Romans 9:6-8].

The Apostle Paul was a Hebrew of Hebrews. He was not ashamed of his lineage. He was, however, ashamed of the natural man, the sinner. The Lord taught him that natural birth can only breed sinners. We must be born again. This applies to Jews as well as to Gentiles (non-Jews).

Abraham had many descendants, but only those of the lineage of Isaac were incorporated in the Lord’s covenant. Abraham’s progeny had nothing to do with it either. Those in the covenant didn’t choose to be so. They were born into it. Those outside the covenant didn’t choose to be so. They were born outside of it.

This teaches us that it is all of God’s grace, not man’s goodness or worth or smarts or athleticism, or anything else in all creation. This logically raises the question, “Then why are we accountable?” We could answer it philosophically by visiting with Aristotle. No good ever came of that, though, so we pass.

God’s mysterious workings are inscrutable to us, His mere creatures. Instead of attempting to descry eternal things which are beyond our temporal abilities, we would be better served to stick with the text. So let’s return to the text now.

By His own sovereign choice God chose Abraham. By His own sovereign choice He chose Isaac. Abraham’s other kids were not included in God’s covenant with Abraham. That is the point Paul made. God created the nation of Israel to be His people and He their King. Those who submitted to Him were His people. Those who didn’t were not. That is how God’s Dictionary defines a true Israelite.

He made this point to note that natural birth does not make anyone a child of God. The context for Paul’s words in Romans 9-11 had to do with the Hebrews, not the Gentiles. Yes, we Gentiles also must be born again, but that isn’t Paul’s subject matter here.

Paul taught the Gentile Christians in Rome how they should understand the situation with the Jewish people. Just because someone was born of Abraham did not make them God’s kid. Some of the Hebrews received Jesus and so they were God’s kids. Others didn’t, so they were not God’s kids. Their natural birth did not determine it. Their acceptance of Jesus as their Messiah did.

Back in Paul’s day the Jewish authorities, who controlled the Jewish communities throughout the world, violently rejected Jesus as the Messiah. They persecuted those Jews who accepted Him. Those Gentile Christians in Rome were hated by the Jewish leaders because they promoted what the Jewish leaders considered to be heresy.

Paul wanted them to understand that salvation was an individual matter, not an ethnic one. Yes, the Jewish communities overall made life difficult for Christianity because their leadership instigated it. Nonetheless, many Jews did receive Jesus and were born again. Ergo, the Christians should not see people as their enemies based on ethnicity—in Paul’s case because they were Jews—but they should share Jesus with everyone, including the Jews.

This is not much understood today. There is no way to the Father but through Jesus (John 14:6). Culture isn’t the issue. Ethnicity isn’t the issue. Christianity is hated because the Word of God denies that all religions are different approaches for getting into heaven. Every person MUST be born again, and Jesus is the only way to reach that destination. Hard words, these. But we dare not deny them!

To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Leviticus: Volume 3 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. For more info please visit these sites to purchase my books:

http://www.amazon.com/Randy-Green/e/B00507WC86

Filed under: Church Age Tagged: born again, Israel, new life, old life, rebirth, Romans 9

Paul the Circumcised

NEWS FLASH!!! Matthew: Volume 7 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes is now available from CreateSpace (paperbacks) and Kindle (eBooks). Click on the link to the right of this page to go to Amazon and place your order.

If anyone else has a mind to put confidence in the flesh, I far more: circumcised the eighth day, of the nation of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the Law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to the righteousness which is in the Law, found blameless. But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ [Philippians 3:4-7].

If Christians were polled on who they considered the Numero Uno man of all time, the answer would invariably be, “Jesus!” Probably most often their second choice would be, “The Apostle Paul!” Yes, Paul impacted the Church more than any other man, Jesus excepted. He planted more churches than anyone else, and he was used by the Holy Spirit to write New Testament Scripture to a greater extent than anyone else was. Paul was indeed a giant among Christians.

We began this post with a the quote from Philippians. In those verses Paul presented the Christians of Philippi with his job résumé. His credentials as a Hebrew, who were the people of God back in the day, were quite impressive. Paul was a giant among the Hebrews as well.

The sign of the covenant for the Hebrews was circumcision. It is not surprising to read, then, that the first credential Paul presented in his list was circumcision. Paul stated that he was circumcised the eighth day. The Law of Moses required circumcision to be done on the eighth day (cf., Leviticus 12:3). You see, Paul obeyed the Law meticulously, as a good Hebrew was expected to do.

Notwithstanding all this—or rather because of it—once he was born again, Paul was just as gung-ho for the Gospel as he was for the Law earlier in his life. Hence his words to the Philippian Christians,

But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ.

We Christians can learn a good deal from Brother Paul. Once the light of the Gospel of Jesus Christ invades the darkness of our lives, we too count as loss all the vain conceits for which we have a predilection to boast. We do an about face (i.e., repent). We cease from playing the trumpet and clashing the cymbals, while singing our own praises. We replace it with singing Jesus’ praises.

So how am I doing in this department? Am I proud of what I’ve accomplished? Do I look in the mirror and tell myself I’ve reached the big time now? Or do I see the Lord Jesus and recognize my own unworthiness? He alone is worthy, Christ the Lord!

We cannot attain to such a desirable haven apart from daily quiet time alone with Jesus, dear friends. I think I’ll enter my prayer closet now, bow low, open my Bible, and allow my Savior to speak His Word directly to my heart. Would anyone like to join me?

To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Leviticus: Volume 3 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. For more info please visit these sites to purchase my books:

http://www.amazon.com/Randy-Green/e/B00507WC86

Filed under: Church Age Tagged: Apostle Paul, circumcision, the Law, Torah

Golden Calves for All!

HOT OFF THE PRESS!!! Romans: Volume 9  of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes is now available from CreateSpace (paperbacks) and Kindle (eBooks). Click on the link to the right of this page to go to Amazon and place your order.

All the people tore off the gold rings which were in their ears and brought them to Aaron. He took this from their hand, and fashioned it with a graving tool and made it into a molten calf; and they said, “This is your god, O Israel, who brought you up from the land of Egypt.” Now when Aaron saw this, he built an altar before it; and Aaron made a proclamation and said, “Tomorrow shall be a feast to the LORD.” So the next day they rose early and offered burnt offerings, and brought peace offerings; and the people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to play [Exodus 32:3-6].

Egads! What were those nincompoops thinking? They witnessed the Lord’s power against the world’s power of that day, Egypt and Pharaoh. They witnessed the dividing of the waters at the Red Sea, and they crossed the sea on dry ground. They saw Mount Sinai ablaze with fire and billowing smoke, the earthquake and thunderous voice of the Lord. Those stupendous miracles occurred only a matter of days and weeks before. They couldn’t have forgotten so quickly.

Alas, but such is the framework of sinful man, and all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). We’re all sinful man!

Sin began in a beautiful garden, where all man’s needs were readily provided for. Even his work of tending the garden was more like a hobby than strenuous exertion. The fruit of every last tree was available for him to eat…all, that is, except one measly tree.

Man was created in the image of God and, along with all creation, was “very good”. No sin existed in man to incline him to disobey God. By nature man did not want to eat of the forbidden fruit because the Lord God told him not to. This was the exact opposite of man’s penchant to sin nowadays.

The forbidden tree symbolized living for self according to one’s own lusts and viewpoint. It typified man being lord of his own life, rather than as children of the Lord. There was nothing wrong with the tree or its fruit per se. It wasn’t poisonous because everything God created was “very good”. The interdiction on eating its fruit was given simply to test man. If man obeyed the Word of God, he would mature spiritually. If he disobeyed and did his own thing, he would die spiritually (and physically).

Man disobeyed because he listened to a voice other than the voice of the Lord God. He obeyed words other than the Word of God. The inclination to sin came from outside man back then in the garden. Once man disobeyed, however, the inclination to sin was inside man. It formed the core of his nature, a sin nature which wants to live for self.

This was at the root of the Israelites fiasco of worshiping a golden calf and committing lewd acts during their bacchanalia. Will we dare say we haven’t the same sin nature today? Will we be so blind as to say we can see, while all along we are strangers to the Word of God and to knowing Him personally? Will we insist we do have a personal relationship with Him, but not spend time alone with Him daily in prayer and Bible?

O Christians, for Christmas let there be golden calves for all! The gewgaws and baubles of the world claim our hearts, in much the same way a golden calf owned the hearts of those Israelites back in the day. We should assemble our worldly toys as a right fine display atop a stage. Then we can worship our gods in bacchanalian trysts before all the world.

Wait! We are already doing that… May this Christmas season serve as a call to repentance. Let us confess our sins, return to the Lord with our whole hearts, and be a cleansed people fit for the Master’s use. Make it so, Lord Jesus. Make it so, we pray.

To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Exodus: Volume 2 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. For more info please visit these sites to purchase my books:

http://www.amazon.com/Randy-Green/e/B00507WC86

Filed under: Church Age Tagged: Christian living, golden calf, idolatry, sinners and saints

Turkey or Jerkey?

NEWS FLASH!!! Acts: Volume 8 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes is now available from CreateSpace (paperbacks) and Kindle (eBooks). Click on the link to the right of this page to go to Amazon and place your order.

Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift [2 Corinthians 9:15].

Seems a fitting thought in the Thanksgiving season, does it not? God’s “gift” is His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. For God so loved the world that He GAVE. Something “given” is a “gift”.

This gift is “indescribable”. It cannot be described. It cannot be put into words suitable to depict it. While we were still sinners—that is, while we hated God, shook our fist at him in rage, and bellicosely blurted anathemas at Him, saying, “We won’t have this man Jesus to reign over us!”—while we were content to be like that, God gave His only Son to die as a sin offering in our stead. Yes, indescribable.

“Thanks be to God”. It was God Who did this, so our thanksgiving belongs to Him. Yes, thanks should ring out for His indescribable gift of Jesus the Son of God.

So then why am I not feeling particularly thankful at this time? Go figure. Perhaps I had too much turkey…or was that too much beef jerky? Turkey. That is soft and edible, and usually quite tasty. It should evoke thanksgiving from us.

I can’t speak for you, but beef jerky? That is another matter altogether! Can you imagine sitting around the family table for Thanksgiving, the full course meal spread out in decorative fashion, and there in the center is the turkey? Scratch that, it’s not turkey at all. It’s beef jerky!

Didn’t think so. I can’t imagine that either. Turkey is appreciated on Thanksgiving by most folks, but beef jerky only appeals to a select bunch. And no one wants it on Thanksgiving in place of the turkey! Maybe that’s it. Maybe, just maybe, I’ve been indulging myself with beef jerky. Think I better switch to the turkey because Thanksgiving is not for crab apple faints: it’s for cranberry saints.

Lord, You are worthy of all praise and thanksgiving. Forgive me, please, and fill my heart with Your joy. I want to be filled with thanksgiving for You on Thanksgiving Day and always. Amen.

To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Genesis: Volume 1 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:

http://www.amazon.com/Randy-Green/e/B00507WC86

Filed under: Church Age Tagged: Jesus, new life, old life, Salvation, sanctification, thanksgiving

Benedictions for all!

NEWS FLASH!!! Matthew: Volume 7 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes is now available from CreateSpace (paperbacks) and Kindle (eBooks). Click on the link to the right of this page to go to Amazon and place your order.

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit [Romans 15:13].

To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Genesis: Volume 1 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:

http://www.amazon.com/Randy-Green/e/B00507WC86

Filed under: Church Age Tagged: benediction, blessing

What’s the difference?

HOT OFF THE PRESS!!! Romans: Volume 9  of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes is now available from CreateSpace (paperbacks) and Kindle (eBooks). Click on the link to the right of this page to go to Amazon and place your order.

Then beginning with Moses and with all the prophets, (Jesus) explained to them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures [Luke 24:27].

“All the Scriptures” teach about Jesus in some capacity, whether about His Person or about His ministry. This is infinitely so when it comes to the various offerings in the Law of Moses. For our purposes today we will limit our discussion to the sin offering and the guilt offering.

The question at hand, then, is what’s the difference between sin and guilt? Since these were two different offerings, a difference must needs exist to mandate two different offerings. In seeking an answer, we mustn’t forget Jesus’ words quoted at the start of this post. These two offerings, as well as all the offerings, were picture stories to teach aspects of Jesus’ Person and/or ministry.

Over the centuries many varying attempts have been made to define this difference. For instance, some folks thought the sin offering was directed toward God, while the guilt offering was directed toward man. But a cursory reading of Scripture reveals that some of the sins which required the guilt offering had to do solely with God. Man had no part in the matter.

Several other theories also exist. This issue is a deep one, requiring much thought and prayer for an answer. I believe I have the correct understanding, and I share it in detail in my book on Leviticus. A full vetting of the various theories, as well as a presentation of my explanation, requires considerable space, more than is available in this post.

To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Genesis: Volume 1 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:

http://www.amazon.com/Randy-Green/e/B00507WC86

Filed under: Church Age Tagged: guilt, guilt offering, Leviticus, Moses, sin, sin offering, the Law, Torah