When a person steals, restitution must be in full. The loss must be made good. The criminal must give back what was taken, or its equivalent. In today’s world, people go to jail as a means “paying one’s debt to society.” However, it is the exact opposite or the avoidance of proper biblical restitution. The […]
Priests had a legal right to receive restitution.38 When it comes to this restitution payment in the Numbers 5 passage, it is an additional payment on top of their ram of atonement offering. The ram offering is given to the injured party or his relatives. However, if the injured party dies and has no near […]
Every contribution means “to lift off,” and signifies that which is elevated or set apart for holy purposes. It can be from the produce of the earth (Num. 15:19–21) or of plunder from war (Num. 31:29, 41, 52). It can be used of tithes (Num. 18:24, 26–29) or of material for the Tabernacle (Exod. 35:5, […]
Numbers 5:5-10 is a report of the proclamation of the Law. Yahweh pronounced a Law through the intermediary, Moses. A law has to be spoken to Israel, which is what the purpose of the text is for. It functions as a legal instruction, in which the pronouncement of the law and the reference to its […]
King Hezekiah began his independent reign when he broke the treaty which his father Ahaz made with the Assyrians (2 Kings16:7), probably during the reign of Sargon II (722-705 B.C.). Sargon’s successor, Sennacherib (705-681 B.C.) decided to bring Judah into line, and he led a campaign against Hezekiah in the king’s 14th year (2 Kings18:13). […]
In Exodus 30, if a person does not give a ransom for himself to the Lord, thus declaring himself to be separate from God and putting oneself outside God’s protective care, this person becomes stricken by a plague. There will be no plague among them who would give an offering. The word plague means “blow” […]
In Deuteronomy 12:17-19, Moses detailed what people cannot eat because of what must be set apart. This measure is holy and it belongs to the Lord. Instead, they must be brought to the Lord as an offering — a sign of the Israelite’s devotion to the Lord. 17 Here are the things you must not […]
Even the New Testament has a specific call to provide for pastors, as listed in the following passages, aside from 1 Timothy 5:17-18: 6 But those who are taught the word should share all good things with their teacher. (Galatians 6:6) 7 Who serves as a soldier but doesn’t get paid? Who plants a vineyard […]
What is the purpose of the tabernacle that the people are building? Why are there priests who are collecting for this work. Every detail of the tabernacle has been given in order for a masterpiece to be created. The provision for the priests is just a small slice that contributes to what God wants to […]
A lot people assume that because people in full-time ministry are “godlier” (there’s no such thing), they can (or should) live in poverty. There are a lot of issues with this mindset. According to the Bible, a generous share of what we give God, rightfully belongs to those who minister in His name. Participating in […]
From last week, we come to the account of how Moses waved the offering to the Lord, and then he ate it. From this instance on, the privilege of eating from the sacrifice would belong to Aaron and his sons, because they would make all the sacrifices. God even clarified it, as evidenced by the […]
God’s grace allows us to have an intimate experience with Him. A lot of people spend eternity without having to realize and be in the presence of the God of the Universe. However, a lot of this intimacy is conditional and comes as a reward of obedience. A lot of people choose the good things, […]
