How can we apply the principle of redemption in Leviticus 27:19 today? Leviticus 27:19 in Focus “And if the one who dedicated the field wishes to redeem it, he must add a fifth to its value, and it will belong to him.” The Heart of the Old Testament Principle • Redemption required a price: the original owner added 20 % to the assessed value. • The field returned to its owner once the payment was made—full restoration, no strings attached. • The added fifth honored God’s holiness and reminded Israel that everything ultimately belonged to Him (Psalm 24:1). Christ’s Fulfillment of Redemption • Jesus paid the ultimate price—His own blood—to redeem us (Ephesians 1:7; 1 Peter 1:18-19). • His payment was more than “a fifth”; it was infinite worth, totally sufficient, never needing supplementation (Hebrews 9:12). • Because He redeemed us, we now belong to Him: “You are not your own; you were bought at a price.” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). Principles We Can Live Out Today • Ownership: Recognize that everything—life, abilities, possessions—belongs to God first. • Costly Grace: Redemption is free to us but costly to Christ; treat it with reverence, not casual indifference. • Restoration: God’s goal is always to restore, not merely to forgive. Seek full restoration in broken areas of life. • Holiness and Generosity: The extra “fifth” teaches overflow generosity. Go beyond the bare minimum in giving time, talent, and treasure. • Accountability: The required payment prevented cheap vows. Keep your commitments, paying whatever honest cost is necessary (Ecclesiastes 5:4-5). Practical Ways to Apply the Principle 1. Budget with Redemption in Mind • Set aside your tithe first, then plan an “extra fifth” of generosity—support missions, crisis pregnancies, or benevolence funds. 2. Restore What You’ve Neglected • If you’ve drifted from a ministry, relationship, or calling, “add the fifth” by investing extra effort or resources to rebuild trust and effectiveness. 3. Practice Costly Forgiveness • When wronged, absorb the cost of reconciliation instead of demanding repayment, mirroring Christ’s redemptive sacrifice (Colossians 3:13). 4. Steward Your “Field” • Identify areas God has entrusted to you—family, work, property—and manage them as redeemed assets for His glory (Matthew 25:14-30). 5. Celebrate Redemption Regularly • Observe communion, anniversaries of salvation, or family devotions as joyful reminders that your life has been bought back at a price. Living It Out Jesus has paid the full redemption price for you; now live as someone—and manage everything you possess as something—wholly reclaimed for God’s purposes, adding the “extra fifth” of grateful, wholehearted devotion each day. |
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