LEVITICUS 27 – VOWS AND DEVOTED THINGS

Pr Enos Mwakalindile
Jul 30
4 min read

Updated: Jul 31

Draw Close to God: Visit Leviticus, Behold Jesus Christ

What do vows and things devoted to the Lord teach us about the heart of voluntary worship and the weight of our promises to God?

Two hands, one dark-skinned and one light-skinned, link pinky fingers against a soft, blurred background, symbolizing unity and friendship.

INTRODUCTION AND BIBLICAL CONTEXT

This final chapter of Leviticus closes the book that describes how God’s covenant people can live near a holy God. While earlier chapters focused on daily life, worship, and purity, Leviticus 27 brings the theme of voluntary offerings: vows and things devoted to the Lord. These are not mandatory commands but invitations to go beyond what is required.

In the broader biblical context, vows are connected to thanksgiving and acknowledging God’s greatness (Psalm 50:14; 116:12–14). Jesus warned against making vows carelessly (Matthew 5:33–37), teaching that God’s people should be people of truth without rushing into reckless promises. Leviticus 27 therefore shows how a voluntary heart can become an act of love—or a burden if made carelessly. In the New Testament, Jesus embodies perfect voluntary surrender to the Father (“Not my will but yours be done” – Luke 22:42), and the early church continued practices of vows with humility and reverence (Acts 18:18).

STRUCTURE OF LEVITICUS 27

People dedicated by vow (1–8) – valuation according to age and financial ability.
Animals dedicated by vow (9–13) – clean animals as offerings and redemption rules for unfit animals.
Houses and fields dedicated and redeemed (14–25) – valuation by the priest with a 20% redemption fee.
Things permanently devoted (herem) to the Lord (28–29) – items that cannot be redeemed.
Tithes as the Lord’s property (30–34) – final reminder that tithes belong to God, affirming His ownership over Israel.

HISTORICAL AND THEOLOGICAL ANALYSIS

1. Vows: A Voluntary Heart That Rises as a Pleasing Aroma (27:1–8)

In the ancient world, vows to a deity were signs of devotion often tied to requests or thanksgiving. But Scripture transforms this idea: vows do not manipulate God; they are an expression of free love (Ecclesiastes 5:4–5). God desires hearts, not empty words. This differs from surrounding cultures, where vows were often ways to "buy" divine favor.

Here, the God of Israel teaches that voluntary devotion is true worship, and He measures the faithfulness of the heart, not the size of the gift (Mark 12:41–44). The New Testament gives the highest example of voluntary devotion—Jesus surrendering fully to the Father’s will (Luke 22:42) and His followers living lives of willing dedication (Acts 18:18).

2. Herem: Things Permanently Devoted to the Lord (27:28–29)

Herem (things placed under a ban) is distinct because such things cannot be sold or redeemed (Leviticus 27:28). They belong to the highest category of holiness—qodesh haqqodashim—like the altar itself, signifying total and irreversible consecration to God. Even people devoted for judgment under herem (Leviticus 27:29) could not be redeemed but had to be completely removed, counted as given to God in an irreversible way. This shows the reality of God’s perfect holiness and justice. Prophetically, it points to Christ’s complete self-giving (Philippians 2:5–8), who willingly bore the weight of judgment to bring true redemption.

3. Redemption Law: Grace and Justice Together (27:14–25)

Unlike herem, which could never be returned or redeemed, this section gives ordinary rules for dedicating a house or field, while also providing a way to redeem it by paying the assessed value plus one-fifth.

A house dedicated to the Lord would be valued by a priest, and if the original owner wanted it back, he had to pay the full valuation plus one-fifth (20%) (27:14–15). Likewise, a field dedicated to the Lord was valued based on the amount of seed and the number of years until the Jubilee, with its value decreasing as the Jubilee approached (27:16–18). If it was not redeemed, it became permanently the Lord’s and the priests’ after the Jubilee (27:19–21). Purchased fields, however, were not permanent dedications and would return to their ancestral owner at the Jubilee (27:22–24). All valuations used the sanctuary shekel as the standard (27:25). This system prevented people from abusing vows as legal loopholes while still giving a gracious way back, honoring the original intent of dedication yet showing God’s mercy toward human weakness.

4. Vows and Covenant: Voluntary Love That Strengthens Relationship (27:30–34)

The Torah, in its full context, is not merely political law but wisdom for living within covenant order (Deuteronomy 6:5; Micah 6:6–8). Vows in Leviticus 27 demonstrate a covenant relationship built on voluntary love. This teaches that life with God is not only about mandatory obedience but also about offerings of gratitude and honor (Romans 12:1), which find their ultimate expression in the life and ministry of Jesus.

LESSONS FROM THE STUDY

Promises Are Sacred – Ecclesiastes 5:4–5 and Matthew 5:33–37 teach that our words carry weight. Leviticus 27 urges us not to make vows lightly but to fulfill every promise made to God faithfully.
All Belongs to God – Psalm 24:1 reminds us that everything belongs to the Lord. Setting apart possessions voluntarily acknowledges we are stewards of His grace.
Voluntary Giving Is an Act of Love – Jesus praised the widow who gave all she had (Mark 12:41–44). God measures the heart, not just the monetary amount.

LIFE APPLICATION

Check Your Promises: Are there commitments you made to God (service, time, or possessions) that remain unfulfilled?
Your Heart of Willingness: Is your service motivated by gratitude and love or mere obligation?
Whole-Life Dedication: Are there areas of your life God is calling you to surrender completely?

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

Why does God value voluntary promises as much as His direct commands?
How can we build habits of fulfilling our promises faithfully and promptly?
Is there an area in your life that God is calling you to dedicate completely to Him today?

CLOSING PRAYER

Lord, give us hearts of faithfulness and willingness. Teach us to speak and keep our promises faithfully, recognizing that everything we have belongs to You. Help us surrender fully, as Your Son Jesus gave His life for us. Amen.