What is Leviticus 27:29 talking about? And why are we talking about this verse? Let’s examine and expose the Truth of God in God’s Word.
First, what does Leviticus 27:29 say?
“‘No person devoted to destruction may be ransomed; they are to be put to death.”
The false accusation: mockers claim a) God is sanctioning human sacrifice, and b) God is unfair by sentencing a person to death who has devoted themselves to the Lord.
The truth in context: This verse is not referencing a devotee of the Lord, rather it is a person to whom the Lord has devoted to the sentence of death. This is anyone who has had the sentence of death due to being found guilty of certain sins against the Lord. Verses taken out of context lead to wholly different understandings and dangerous assumptions.
Is this verse commanding human sacrifice?
No, this verse — and others like it — are neither commanding nor condoning human sacrifice.
And, no, Jephthah’s daughter was not sacrificed unto death. Her sacrifice was never to marry.
Abraham was told to sacrifice Isaac to God as a test, and was told beforehand that Isaac would live. Isaac had to live because God said He would fulfill His promise through Isaac, and Abraham believed the Lord.
All of these saints knew the character of God, that He was not like the pagans who demanded human sacrifice.
God required animal sacrifices, and only to teach His people that a sacrifice was required for the forgiveness of sin. But note, he never asked them to sacrifice a human. Those animal sacrifices were pointing to the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ, who voluntarily went to the Cross to die and pay the price for our sins.
Romans 6:23
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
A brutal, but beautiful, truth
Jesus was the once-for-all sacrifice for all of humanity and all sin. God didn’t ask anyone else be a human sacrifice, and no one else could’ve done what He accomplished.
