Leviticus 27:1, 2, 14 and 15

We have gathered today as loving our brother and sister, and loving those who are connected with them after the flesh. We love them all in the Lord. Nevertheless, the over-riding motive that brings us here is love for God, and the thought in our minds of what will accrue to God from this union. This must be so if we apprehend the present position as set out typically in this book, for God had come down to dwell among His people. We often think of the future when we sing, 'Our God the centre is' (Hymn 72), but that is true of the present moment so far as the camp of God on earth is concerned. Our God already is the Centre, therefore He must be the centre of this occasion. He has taken up His residence among His people, therefore He must always be the centre. It should touch our hearts greatly that God has a habitation here. He has not waited for perfect conditions before dwelling among us, He loves us so much that He has come to dwell among us now. Paul says to the Corinthians, "... ye are the living God's temple; according as God has said, I will dwell among them, and walk among them; and I will be their God, and they

shall be to me a people", 2 Corinthians 6:16. In spite of the state of the Corinthians, God had not left them, they were the living God's temple. He would dwell among them and walk among them. This book shows how much it has cost Him to have a dwelling-place. We see in chapter 16 how the work of Christ has given God liberty to dwell among His people at the present time, in spite of mixed conditions. Only divine love could have borne the cost -- the unspeakable atoning sufferings of Christ.

If God is thus dwelling among us the only right answer is devoted persons and hallowed houses. Notice the distinction between the words 'devote' and 'hallow'. A devoted thing is something completely surrendered, and God counts upon persons to devote themselves by presenting their bodies a living sacrifice that cannot be recalled. We are not our own, we are bought with a price, and we are to be under the Lord's command all the time.

To hallow means to set apart. Christians are not always called upon to devote their earthly goods in the sense in which this chapter speaks of devoting. That is to say, they are not always expected to surrender control of them. In the early days believers who were owners of lands or houses, sold them and laid the proceeds at the feet of the apostles (Acts 4:34 - 35). These things were, therefore, devoted. They passed out of the control of the original owners. While action such as this is still called for at times (and indeed, all that is placed in the collection is devoted), under Paul's ministry the general idea as regards our houses, is hallowing and redeeming. What lover of God could refrain from hallowing his house? And how can we do other than love Him who has loved us so much as to come and dwell among us at such a cost? The early chapters of Numbers show that love requires that our houses should be set in relation to God and His house, in military, levitical, and priestly function.

It is in relation to hallowing that the idea of redemption comes in; "And if he that halloweth it will redeem his house, he shall add the fifth of the money of thy valuation unto it, and it shall be his", verse 15. Verse 28 shows that a devoted thing cannot be redeemed, it has passed beyond the control of the one who devotes it. But what is hallowed need not pass beyond our control. It is set apart for God, but it can be redeemed on certain terms. It is valued by the priest and the terms of redemption are the priest's valuation with a fifth part added. That is to say, I am privileged to hallow my house, and yet to retain it under my control, on condition that God shall receive 20 per cent. more than if I had completely handed it over. God is to get more than if I had actually sold it and placed the proceeds at the apostles' feet!

There are many examples throughout Scripture of people who have held their houses in this way. Who can doubt that the Lord had this in mind in going to the marriage meeting in John 2? This is our desire today, that is why we are here. Our over-riding motive is love for God, and a concern that a full revenue should accrue to Him from this union. Our brother and sister have the privilege of hallowing their house and redeeming it. There are those who have a priestly valuation of the house that is being set up. Our brother, himself a priest, should also have such valuation, and he has the privilege of holding it for God on the principle of redemption, which involves adding the fifth part. The principle of redemption applies even to our time; "redeeming the time", Paul says, "because the days are evil", Ephesians 5:16.

May the Lord help and encourage our brother and sister, with all of us, to devote themselves, and to hallow what is under their hand, as affected by the marvellous love of God which has led Him to come to dwell among us and walk among us, at the present time.