If the wronged one is deceased, then the restitution should go to his relative. "But if the man has no kinsman to whom restitution may be made for the trespass, the restitution for the trespass shall go to Jehovah for the priest" (v. 8a), just as every man's portions were to be presented to the priest (vv. 9-10). Whenever we have a holy portion to present to God, we give it to the priest. Here we see that this restitution for dealing with our guilt becomes holy, just like a holy portion given to God. Today we may give this to the church or to one who serves God as a priest and lives by faith.
Numbers 5:8b speaks of "the ram of propitiation with which propitiation is made for him." Besides confessing and making restitution, the propitiation by a ram was to be made for the guilty one. This ram typifies Christ.
This portion of the Word reveals how fine our God is. First, we confess our sin to God and then go to make restitution. Afterward, we come back to God to offer Christ as the ram of propitiation.
The individual dealing described in these verses may seem like a small matter, but it is like a small screw in a big machine. If one small screw is wrong, the whole machine cannot run. Therefore, we need this kind of dealing. The church must have the corporate dealings, and the saints must have the individual dealings.
We may think that it is impossible to see on earth a church that has been purged of defilement. According to our view, all kinds of confusion, troubles, and defilements are among us. However, as the story of Elijah makes clear, in God's eyes He has seven thousand hidden ones. Elijah accused the people of God, saying, "Lord, they have killed Your prophets, they have torn down Your altars, and I am left alone, and they seek my life" (Rom. 11:3; 1 Kings 19:10). The Lord answered Elijah, saying, "I have reserved for Myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal" (Rom. 11:4; 1 Kings 19:18). Here God seemed to be saying, "Elijah, in your eyes the situation may be a mess, but I am satisfied with these seven thousand."
Through the centuries, God has always had the "seven thousand" who could be counted on by Him. Hence, God still has His testimony today. We need to learn how to be counted among the seven thousand. This means that we need to have a thorough dealing corporately and individually that will keep us right according to God's conditions and terms for the formation of His fighting army. Apparently, the formation of such a fighting army cannot be seen today. But in God's eyes there is such a formation, and there is such an army. The fighting for God is still going on. God still has a people on earth. He can see His army fighting and His priesthood serving.