Leviticus 27: Dedication of Our Assets To God

 v1-8; 28-29:  Dedication of a Person

God told the people that if anyone makes a special vow to the Lord to dedicate a person to the Lord, he has to set the value of person, male between 20 to 60, at fifty shekels of silver, according to the sanctuary shekel.  For a female, her value will be thirty shekels. 

The "sanctuary shekel" refers to a standard unit of weight used in the tabernacle (and later the temple) for religious purposes. It was a specific measure of silver used to ensure consistency and fairness in offerings and valuations. According to Leviticus 27:25, the sanctuary shekel is equivalent to twenty gerahs. Estimates suggest a shekel was equivalent to about 10-16 grams of silver. (v1-7)

It continues to value the persons of ages 5 and 20, and ages between one month and 5 years, and ages 60 years of more. The females are valued lower than the men. Those between 5 to 60, the value is higher then those who are over 60 and those who are under 5 years old. 

Dedication to the Lord can be paid by money, or in some cases by service. For instances, Samuel, who was dedicated by his mother, Hannah, was given to serve the temple. (1 Sam 1:11, 27-28)

If anyone who cannot afford the specified amount, the priest can decide the value according to the one making the vow can afford. (v8)

In verse 28, it explains that anything specifically set apart for the Lord - whether a person, animal, or family properties cannot be sold or bought back. The Hebrew word uses is "herem" or "cherem".  Anything devoted in this way belongs to the Lord. In v29, an example was given - that individuals who are "devoted to destruction" and cannot be ransomed; they must be put to death. They must be completely destroyed as an act of divine judgment. This type of persons cannot be generally "dedicated" to the Lord, as what we read in verses 1-8. 

v9-13; v26-27; v32-33:  Dedication of an Animal

Any gift to the Lord is considered holy, if they gave what is acceptable to the Lord. It should not be exchanged for a bad animal or a good animal. If the person tries to exchange one, then both animals are now dedicated to the Lord and cannot be redeemed or taken back. (v9-10) The verse emphasizes the importance of keeping one's vow and the seriousness of dedicating something to the Lord.

If you bring an animal that is unclean, which not acceptable as an offering to God, the priest will assess the final value of the animal. If you want to buy back the animal, you must pay back the value set by the priest, plus 20%. (v11-13) 

In v26-27, it says that the firstborn animal should not be dedicated to the Lord, for they already belong to Him. However, they can buy back to firstborn of a ceremonially unclean animal, plus 20%. If they don't buy back, the priest will sell it at its assessed value. 

These laws are understood that any animals that are not firstborn can be dedicated to God. They are set part for the Lord's use, but not necessarily as sacrifices. However, the firstborn of clean animals are dedicated to the Lord and are used as sacrifices. This is outlined in several passages in the Bible, including Exodus 13:2 and Numbers 18:17. These firstborn animals are considered holy and are offered as sacrifices to God. The unclean animals cannot be used as sacrifice, so the priest can sell them or the person can buy back with 20% extra. 

Leviticus 27:32-33 provides instructions regarding the tithe of animals.  Every tenth animal from the herds and flocks is to be set apart as holy to the Lord. This means that as the animals pass under the shepherd's rod, every tenth one is marked and dedicated to the Lord. 

The person cannot pick and choose between good and bad animals for the tithe. They must take every tenth animal as it comes, without substituting one for another. If they do exchange one animal for another, both the original animal and its substitute become holy and cannot be redeemed or bought back.

v14-21: Dedication of House or Family Land

The priest will assess the value of the house. If the person who dedicated the house wants to buy it back, they have to add 20% to the value. (v14-15)

If it is a land, then the value will be assessed according to the amount of seed required to plant it - five bushels of barley seed will be valued at fifty shekels of silver. If the land is dedicated in the year of Jubilee, the whole amount will apply. If it is dedicated after Jubilee, the value will be proportionate to the to number of years left until the next Year of Jubilee. The person can buy it back (before the next Year of Jubilee) by paying 20% extra to what he gave to the priest. (v16-18)  

The Year of Jubilee is 50 years apart. It was a time when all debts are forgiven, slaves are freed, and land is returned to its original owners, symbolizing a fresh start and restoration. In the Year of Jubilee, the owner will get back his house or land that he had dedicated. The owner is allowed to dedicate the house or family land again if they choose to do so.

If the dedicated field is sold by the owner, then he cannot buy it back. The buyer can only own a dedicated field until the next Jubilee Year. In the Jubilee Year, the field will belong to priest. (v19-21)

Note that if the field is not dedicated, and it is sold to a buyer, the field can be bought back by the original owner. Otherwise, the original owner will get back the field in the Jubilee Year.  Leviticus 25:23-28 outlines the laws regarding the sale and redemption of land. It said that "The land must never be sold on a permanent basis, for the land belongs to me. You are only foreigners and tenant farmers working for me." 

v22-25: Dedication of Field Purchased

This is from the view of the buyer, who bought a property from another family. If he dedicate the field to the Lord, the priest will assess the value of the field on the years left before the next Jubilee Year. In the Year of Jubilee, the land will be returned to the buyer as a family property. (All payments must use the weight of the sanctuary shekel (~10-16 grams), which equals twenty gerahs - which is around US$14-15 today.)

v30-33: Dedication of The Produced of The Land

One-tenth of the produced of the land - whether grains or fruits - belongs to the Lord and must be set apart to Him. The owner can buy back the produced by paying 20% more. 

 v34: Conclusion

Moses concluded the book of Leviticus by saying: "These are the commands that the LORD gave through Moses on Mount Sinai for the Israelites."

Leviticus 27 offers several spiritual lessons and messages that can be applied to our lives today:

1. Commitment to God: The chapter emphasizes the importance of making and keeping vows to God. It teaches us to take our commitments to the Lord seriously and to follow through with them faithfully.

2. Holiness and Dedication: The concept of dedicating people, animals, houses, and land to the Lord highlights the importance of setting apart aspects of our lives for God's purposes. It reminds us that everything we have can be used to honor and serve God.

3. Redemption and Grace: The provisions for redeeming dedicated items reflect God's grace and mercy. Even when we fall short or need to make adjustments, God provides a way for us to restore our commitments and continue in our relationship with Him.

4. Generosity and Sacrifice: The instructions for tithing and dedicating valuable possessions to the Lord encourage us to be generous and willing to sacrifice for God's work. It reminds us that our resources ultimately belong to God and should be used for His glory.

5. Irrevocable Devotion: The concept of "herem" or irrevocable devotion teaches us about the seriousness of dedicating something wholly to God. It challenges us to consider areas of our lives that we need to fully surrender to the Lord without holding back.

Overall, Leviticus 27 calls us to a deeper level of commitment, holiness, and generosity in our relationship with God. It encourages us to honor our vows, dedicate our resources, and live lives that reflect God's grace and holiness.