How does Leviticus 27:27 illustrate the concept of redemption in the Old Testament? The Verse in View “‘But if it is an unclean animal, he may ransom it at the valuation, and must add a fifth to its value. If it is not redeemed, it shall be sold at the valuation.’” (Leviticus 27:27) Core Ideas Packed into the Verse • Ransom (padah): a payment that secures release or reclaiming. • Valuation: a set price determined by the priest (vv. 2–25). • Add a fifth: a 20 percent surcharge—redemption is costly and deliberate. • Unclean animal: something that could not be offered on the altar, yet still belonged to the LORD once vowed. How the Verse Models Redemption • Belonging to God When an Israelite vowed an animal, it became the LORD’s property (v. 26). Redemption acknowledges God’s ownership first. • A Price Paid Release comes only through the full valuation plus the additional fifth. There is no shortcut—redemption is never free to the redeemer. • Substitution Allowed Because the animal was unclean, another medium—silver—stood in its place. A clean substitute covers what is unfit, a pattern echoed in sacrificial atonement (cf. Exodus 13:13; Numbers 18:15–17). • Two Outcomes Either redeemed at cost or sold away—illustrating that redemption must be accepted or forfeited. Old-Testament Threads of the Same Theme • Firstborn donkey redeemed by a lamb (Exodus 13:13) • Payment for each firstborn son (Numbers 3:46-48) • Kinsman-redeemer buying back land or relatives (Leviticus 25:25-27, Ruth 4) All highlight a set price, a willing payer, and the preservation of what belongs to God or His covenant family. Foreshadowing the Greater Redeemer • Costlier Price “you were redeemed… not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ” (1 Peter 1:18-19). • Substitution Perfected “The Son of Man … to give His life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45). • No Partial Payments “In Him we have redemption through His blood” (Ephesians 1:7; Hebrews 9:12)—the full price paid once for all. Key Takeaways for Today • Redemption rests on God’s prior claim over us. • It demands a full, prescribed payment—God sets the terms, not we. • Old-covenant monetary ransoms pointed to the priceless blood of Christ, the ultimate valuation and surcharge combined. • Accepting that ransom is the only path out of forfeiture; refusal leaves a person under judgment—sold, as it were, to another master (John 3:18,36). |
    |