Moses speaks of what is required of an individual when a wrong is done to one of God’s folk in Numbers 5.8-10: But if that person has no close relative to whom restitution can be made for the wrong, the restitution belongs to the LORD and must be given to the priest, along with the ram with which atonement is made for him. A healing of relationship must occur here.

There is a strong family connection among the people of God, and a wrong—or for that matter, a right—is done to one of God’s family, everyone in the family is touched by that event. God has ordained the sacred order of priests who are to act on his behalf in terms of the making of restitution for a wrong committed against one of his people.

God has determined that the agent of atonement—the priest—is to be compensated for his ministry of the atonement through the sacred contributions made to God for the purpose of reconciliation between God and his family. Moses continues: All the sacred contributions the Israelites bring to a priest will belong to him. Each man’s sacred gifts are his own, but what he gives to the priest will belong to the priest.

This is in no way to be construed as the priest having been bought for service rendered. The designated sacred contributions are indeed given to God for the purpose of divine restitution, and then God gives those to the priest as his agent of healing. Do you now understand what it means to be responsible to God for what he places in your hands? It is not difficult to become a very generous giving servant of God!