4. If an Unclean Animal, Which Should Not Have Been Offered to Jehovah, Was Devoted, It Was to Be Valued by the Priest

“If it is an unclean animal, which they may not offer as an offering to Jehovah, then he shall set the animal before the priest, and the priest shall value it as either good or bad; according to the valuation of the priest, so it shall be” (vv. 11-12). This signifies that even though what we devote to God is unclean, through the valuation of our Mediator, the Lord Jesus, the motive of our devotion is still valuable to some degree before God.

5. If the Devoting One Intended to Redeem It, He Had to Add One-fifth of Its Value to the Valuation

“But if he would indeed redeem it, then he shall add one-fifth of its value to the valuation” (v. 13). This signifies that we should be careful, not owing anything to God in our devotion.

Some saints have had a change of mind after devoting themselves to God, and as a result they became indebted to God. We need to be careful about this, not owing God anything in our devotion. We should not become debtors to God lest God thereby have the position to claim something from us.

C. The Devotion of a House

Verses 14 and 15 speak of the devotion of a house.

1. A House Sanctified to Jehovah to Be Valued by the Priest

“If a man sanctifies his house to be holy to Jehovah, then the priest shall value it as either good or bad; just as the priest values it, so it shall stand” (v. 14). This signifies that our devotion related to the church should be valued by our Mediator, the Lord Jesus.

When we came into the church life, we had the desire to devote ourselves and to be for the church. We need to be careful in making such a decision. Otherwise, in the sight of God, we may become debtors to the church.

2. If the Devoting One Intended to Redeem His House, He Had to Add One-fifth of the Valuation That It Might Be His

“And if he who sanctified it would redeem his house, then he shall add to it one-fifth of the valuation in money, and it shall be his” (v. 15). This signifies that we should not take advantage of our devotion related to the church life that we may keep the enjoyment of the church life. Otherwise, we will be churchless persons.

The book of Leviticus, even in the matter of our consecration, gives us detailed instructions. Nowhere in the New Testament can we find so many details concerning our consecration, or concerning what is called in Leviticus devotion. We must take care of our devotion in these details regarding ourselves, our possessions, and our house and land. Then we shall be at peace and we shall be a joy to the Lord. Otherwise, in our consecration we may make ourselves debtors either to God or to the church.
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