Numbers 5.6-7
"The man or woman who sins against his neighbor, betrays the Lord and will have to answer for it, must confess his sin and pay the injured person a compensation for the damage caused, with a surcharge of twenty percent"
Many of us have experienced the pain of having suffered damage at some time in our lives. It may be that our personal possessions have been damaged or stolen. Worse still, we may have lost loved ones due to the irresponsibility and carelessness of other people
For these losses, there is no adequate compensation, but this passage tells us about God's provision of the concept of restitution as part of his law for his people of Israel. "Making restitution means providing compensation or compensation for the losses that some people due to the actions of others.
This passage makes it very clear that simply saying "I'm sorry"; please, forgive me, it was not enough. Therefore, God stipulated that the guilty party would not only have to replenish what had been taken or damaged, but, in addition, pay a penalty with interest. So the confession included restitution.
We have to accept the fact that justice is not always done in our imperfect world. For example, many crimes are committed for which adequate compensation is impossible.
It is not regularly in our power to demand and receive compensation for damages suffered at the hands of another person.
However, an avenue of justice opens for every person; a heavenly father who sees every harmful act that is done here on earth. In the life to come we will experience perfect justice, and in the words of Isaiah, "Let all the valleys rise, and all the mountains and hills be leveled, let the rough ground be leveled and the streams alighted" (Isaiah 40.4).
Until that day arrives, we need to be sure that we have not hurt anyone intentionally, ask the Lord if he has to apologize and make restitution of something in the past, the joy and freedom that arise from a clean conscience will lead him to a new level of intimacy with God, do not postpone it anymore, from that first step today.
