Skip to main content

RESTITUTION

THE DAILY FOUNTAIN DAILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE OF THE CHURCH OF NIGERIA (ANGLICAN COMMUNION)


DATE: MONDAY, 19TH SEPTEMBER, 2022 


TOPIC: RESTITUTION


TEXT: EXODUS 22:1-15


1. "If a man steals an ox or a sheep, and slaughters it or sells it, he shall restore five oxen for an ox and four sheep for a sheep.

2. "If the thief is found breaking in, and he is struck so that he dies, [there shall be] no guilt for his bloodshed.

3. "If the sun has risen on him, [there shall be] guilt for his bloodshed. He should make full restitution; if he has nothing, then he shall be sold for his theft.

4. "If the theft is certainly found alive in his hand, whether it is an ox or donkey or sheep, he shall restore double.

5.  " If a man causes a field or vineyard to be grazed, and lets loose his animal, and it feeds in another man's field, he shall make restitution from the best of his own field and the best of his own vineyard.

6.  " If fire breaks out and catches in thorns, so that stacked grain, standing grain, or the field is consumed, he who kindled the fire shall surely make restitution.

7.  " If a man delivers to his neighbor money or articles to keep, and it is stolen out of the man's house, if the thief is found, he shall pay double.

8.  "If the thief is not found, then the master of the house shall be brought to the judges [to see] whether he has put his hand into his neighbor's goods.

9.  "For any kind of trespass, [whether it concerns] an ox, a donkey, a sheep, or clothing, [or] for any kind of lost thing which [another] claims to be his, the cause of both parties shall come before the judges; [and] whomever the judges condemn shall pay double to his neighbor.

10.  "If a man delivers to his neighbor a donkey, an ox, a sheep, or any animal to keep, and it dies, is hurt, or driven away, no one seeing [it,]

11.  "[then] an oath of the0 LORD shall be between them both, that he has not put his hand into his neighbor's goods; and the owner of it shall accept [that,] and he shall not make [it] good.

12.  "But if, in fact, it is stolen from him, he shall make restitution to the owner of it.

13.  "If it is torn to pieces [by a beast, then] he shall bring it as evidence, [and] he shall not make good what was torn.

14.  "And if a man borrows [anything] from his neighbor, and it becomes injured or dies, the owner of it not [being] with it, he shall surely make [it] good.

15.  "If its owner [was] with it, he shall not make [it] good; if it [was] hired, it came for its hire.


MESSAGE: 

Restitution is the act of returning what has wrongfully been taken or replacing what has been lost or damaged. From our reading today, Moses dealt with several kinds of thievery, and stated that the thief must make compensation to those who are wronged (v.3). Atonement and forgiveness of the sin is received after restitution had been made to the victim (compare with Neh. 5:10-1. Moses also dealt with property damage caused by animals who eat in a field other than their master's (v.5) or by uncontrolled fire (v.6), and with loss of property entrusted to others (vs. 7-15). From these specific instances, the judges could derive principles that would help them decide cases (Read Luke 19:8).

    

The above teach us that we ought to be careful in all our dealings. We must be aware that what we deliberately or wrongfully damage may require restitution. We must also be aware that there are things that are irreplaceable when damaged such as virginity, loss of lives, etc. Knowing this, we must learn how to live peacefully with one another and ask the Holy Spirit for self-control so as to avoid causing harm and losses to our neighbours.


PRAYER: 

O Lord, help me to return all things that do not belong to me and to live in self-control in Jesus’ name. Amen

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

CHURCH OF NIGERIA ELECTS NEW BISHOPS AND ONE ARCHBISHOP

The Episcopal synod of the church of Nigeria Anglican Communion has elected six new Bishops, and one Archbishop. The election which took place at the Basilica of Grace Apo, Gudu district in the Diocese of Abuja on Thursday October 29, 2009 has the following:- The Rt. Rev. Friday John Imaekhai Bishop, Diocese of Esan, Elected: - Archbishop of Bendel to replace The Primate elect, The Most Rev. Nicholas Okoh The very Rev. Ralph Ebirien of St Stephen’s Cathedral Bonny Elected: - Bishop of Niger Delta Diocese The Venerable Ezekiel Bolarinde Dahunsi of Church of Pentecost FESTAC Lagos Elected: - Bishop Diocese of Ido- Ani The Rev. Canon Justus Emeka Mogekwu of St. Paul’s Kakuri, Kaduna Elected:-Bishop Diocese of Asaba to replace Most Rev. Nicholas Okoh. The Venerable (Prof.) Dapo Folorunso Asaju of the chapel of Light, Lagos (LASU) Elected:-Bishop for Theological Education in the office of the Primate The Venerable James Olaoti Akinola of St. James Iludun Oro, Kwara S...
Post a Comment
Read more

EXCERPTS FROM: 24/7 WARFARE PRAYERS AND SUPERNATURAL BREAKTHROUGH MANUAL

INTRODUCTION Right from childhood, the number “SEVEN” has always been an intrigue, an interesting puzzle, a fascination, and a great phenomenon to me. I was actually born on the seventh day of the month; perhaps this was one of the reasons why something leaps inside of me whenever I see the number. But as I grew up in the Christian faith I began to see a regular reference to it the scriptures. I was kind of saying, whoa! Holy bliss! Seven occurs 257 times, or 7 × 41 Seventh, the fractional part occurs 98 times or 7× 14 Seven –fold occurs 7 times. Seventy occurs 56 times or 7× 8 “Seventy” in combination with other numbers occurs 35 times or 7× 5. God is pleased to stamp the number “Seven” with the seal of perfection and completeness. God never down played the importance of the number, because it was the number of God. It is a carrier of God’s mysteries. It pleased God that, the Seventh man from Adam – Enoch sh...
Post a Comment
Read more

FIVE NEW FULL FLEDGED ANGLICAN DIOCESES

Five new Dioceses have been created in the Church of Nigeria Anglican Communion. The Church's official website - http://www.anglican-nig.org/main.php?k_j=12&d=352&p_t=index.php? posted the information thus: The Standing Committee Meeting of Church of Nigeria Anglican Communion has approved the creation of five new full fledged Dioceses at their meeting at the Cathedral Church of St. Stephen’s Umuahia, Abia State. They are Shendam Diocese carved out of Langtang Diocese, Plateau state, Ido-Ani Diocese from present Owo Diocese, in Ondo state, Igbomina West from Igbomina Diocese,Kwara state, Ilesha North East from Ilesha in Osun state and Ijebu South West from Ijebu Diocese in Ogun state. At the presentation, the head of the Committee responsible for creation of new Dioceses, the most Rev. Joseph Akinfenwa Archbishop Ibadan Province and Bishop of Ibadan who led a team of four assured the house that the stage is set and the New Dioceses have met all the requirements for creation...
Post a Comment
Read more