Journal Through the Bible: Week 20 Friday

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Leviticus chapter 27

The school year around Mount Sinai is coming to an end. God has given them physical, mental, and spiritual instructions as well as those necessary for setting up their government including the executive branch (God Himself), the legislative code, and the judicial system. The last chapter concerns evaluating the worth of property and individuals dedicated to God's use, probably in the care and upkeep of the tabernacle and the priests. There were also instructions concerning what could be redeemed and what could not.

Does God make any promises in this chapter?

• None specified, but the implication was the same as in previous chapters: do good and be blessed; do bad and be punished.

Does this chapter teach anything about Jesus?

• Jesus redeemed us. It is He that gives us value in the sight of God.
• Before His crucifixion Jesus told His disciples in John chapter 14 that He was preparing a place for them. "Place" might mean legal standing (as in status) as well as the inheritance that He provides for us as the Children of God. Both ideas are relevant when compared to this chapter.

Does this chapter teach anything about yet-future events?

• Because Jesus has gone to prepare a "place" for us we have high value in status, or legal standing, before the Holy God and we have a "place," or dwelling, as our inheritance which God will give to us for our eternal possession because Jesus redeemed it for us.

Does God issue any commands?

• God gave instructions for placing value upon consecrated individuals according to gender and age.
• God gave instructions for valuing an animal given to the Lord's work.
• God gave instructions for valuing a house set apart for the Lord's service. If the owner wished to redeem it back for his own use he had to add 20% to the original appraisal.
• God gave instructions for placing value upon fields given for the Lord's work based upon how much seed could be sown upon it and how long it was until the next Jubilee. If the owner wished to redeem it for personal use he had to add 20% to the original appraisal. If the original owner sold the rights of redemption to another he could not redeem it again for himself but at the Jubilee it became the permanent possession of the priests for their use. If the rights were not sold to another it would revert back to the original owner at the Jubilee.
• The firstborn of clean beasts were to belong to God but the firstborn of unclean beasts were to be redeemed by estimation with 20% added. If the owner did not want to redeem it then it must be sold for its value.
• Nothing that was devoted to the work of the LORD could be sold or redeemed.
• The tithe (firstfruits) of the land: seed and fruit, were the LORD's. If a man wanted to redeem them (perhaps he needed them to feed his family?) then he must buy them back with hard currency and add 20% to the payment.
• 10% of the flocks belonged to the LORD whether the animals were of good or bad stock.