Schoolmaster to Christ
LEVITICUS CHAPTER 27
Schoolmaster to Christ
LEVITICUS CHAPTER 27
Scripture Reading: Leviticus 27 (KJV)
This closing chapter treats the "singular vow," or the voluntary act whereby a person devoted himself or his property to the Lord.
"And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When a man shall make a singular vow the persons shall be for the Lord by thy estimation. And thy estimation shall be . . . after the shekel of the sanctuary."
In the case of a person devoting himself or his beast, house, or field to the Lord, it was obviously a question of capacity or worth. Therefore, there was a certain scale of valuation according to age. As representative of the claims of God, Moses was called on to estimate in each case according to the standard of the sanctuary. If a man undertook to make a vow, he must be tried by the standard of righteousness; and, further, in all cases, we are called on to recognize the difference between capacity and title. In reference to the atonement money we read, "The rich shall not give more, and the poor shall not give less, than half a shekel, when they give an offering unto the Lord, to make an atonement for your souls" (Ex. 30:15). In the matter of atonement all stood on one common level. Thus it must always be. High and low, rich and poor, learned and ignorant, old and young, all have one common title.
"There is no difference." All stand alike on the ground of the infinite preciousness of the blood of Christ. There may be a vast difference as to capacity, but as to title there is none. There may be a vast difference as to experience, but as to title there is none. There may be a vast difference as to knowledge, gift, and fruitfulness, but as to title there is none. The sapling and the tree, the babe and the father, the convert of yesterday and the matured believer, are all on the same ground. "The rich shall not give more, and the poor shall not give less." Nothing more could be given, nothing less could be taken. "We have boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus." This is our title to enter; and once in, our capacity to worship will depend on our spiritual energy. Christ is our title – the Holy Spirit our capacity. Self has nothing whatsoever to do with either one. What mercy we receive by the blood of Jesus. We enjoy what we find there by the Holy Spirit. The blood of Jesus opens the door; the Holy Spirit conducts us through the house. The blood of Jesus opens the casket; the Holy Spirit unfolds the precious contents. The blood of Jesus makes the casket ours; the Holy Spirit enables us to appreciate its rare and costly gems.
But in Leviticus 27 it is a question of ability, capacity, or worth. Moses had a certain standard from which he could not descend. He had a certain rule from which he could not swerve.
What was to be done regarding the person who was unable to rise to the height of the claims set forth by the representative of God’s righteousness? Hear the consolatory answer: "But if he be poorer than thy estimation, then he shall present himself before the priest, and the priest shall value him; according to, his ability that vowed shall the priest value him" (v 8). In other words, if it was a question of man's undertaking to meet the claims of righteousness, then he must meet them. But on the other hand, if a man feels that he is unable to meet those claims, then he can fall back on grace, which will take him as he is. Moses is the representative of the claims of God's righteousness. The priest is the exponent of the provisions of God’s grace. The poor man who was unable to stand before Moses fell back into the arms of the priest. So it is forever. If we cannot "dig" we can "beg;" and when we take the place of a beggar it is no longer a question of what we are able to earn, but of what God is pleased to give. "Grace all the work shall crown, through everlasting days." How happy it is to be debtors to grace – taking when God is glorified in giving. When man is in question, it is better to dig than to beg; but when God is in question, the case is reverse. Grace can never tell any one that he is too poor. It can meet the deepest human need; and is glorified in meeting it. This true of any individual sinner; who having been valued by the Lawgiver has proved "poorer than his estimation." Grace is the only resource for all. It is the basis of our salvation; the basis of a life of practical godliness; and the basis of those imperishable hopes that animate us amid the trials and conflicts of this sin-stricken world. May we cherish a deeper sense of grace, and more ardent desire for the glory.
We now close our meditations on this profound and precious book. If the foregoing lessons should awaken an interest in a section of inspiration that has been too long neglected by the Church, they will not have been written in vain.
