Leviticus 27:28-33 ERV: “There is a special kind of gift that people give to the Lord. It belongs only to him, and it cannot be bought back or sold. This gift belongs to the Lord. This type of gift includes people, animals, and fields from the family property. If this gift is a person, that person cannot be bought back. That person must be killed. “A tenth of all crops belongs to the Lord. This means the crops from fields and the fruit from trees—a tenth belongs to the Lord. So, if you want to get back your tenth, you must add one-fifth to its price and then buy it back. “The priests will take every tenth animal from a person’s cattle or sheep. Every tenth animal will belong to the Lord. The owner should not worry if the chosen animal is good or bad or change the animal for another animal. If this happens, both animals will belong to the Lord. That animal cannot be bought back.” These are the commands that the Lord gave Moses at Mount Sinai for the Israelites.
These verses teach that anything devoted to the Lord, whether a person, animal, or property, cannot be sold or redeemed. Once set apart as most holy, it belongs to Him permanently. This underscores God’s complete ownership and the seriousness of vows. In the Old Testament, such devotion was a covenant commitment; in the New Testament, it is echoed in Romans 12:1, which calls us to offer our bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God. The principle is clear: what belongs to God should not be treated as our own, and our commitments to Him should remain steadfast rather than negotiable. This perspective guards against idolatry and encourages trust in His provision. Marriage should be sacred and honor the Lord. Perfect example.
Dear Blessed Lord Jesus, thank You and praise You for teaching us that what is dedicated to You is holy and belongs completely to You. Help us to honor You with faithful hearts, giving You our best and not holding back what should be surrendered to Your will. Teach us to be good stewards of all You have entrusted to us and to walk in obedience, integrity, and reverence before You. Love You, thank You, praise You and give You all the honor and glory in Your Mighty Precious Name Amen.
