Exodus 30:11 – 16 “Then the LORD said to Moses, “When you take a census of the Israelites to number them, each man must pay the LORD a ransom for his life when he is counted. Then no plague will come upon them when they are numbered. Everyone who crosses over to those counted must pay a half shekel, (0.2 ounces or 5.7 grams of silver) according to the sanctuary shekel, which weighs twenty gerahs.(One shekel or 0.4 ounces or 11.4 grams of silver) This half shekel is an offering to the LORD.
Everyone twenty years of age or older who crosses over must give this offering to the LORD. In making the offering to the LORD to atone for your lives, the rich shall not give more than a half shekel, nor shall the poor give less. Take the atonement money from the Israelites and use it for the service of the Tent of Meeting. It will serve as a memorial for the Israelites before the LORD to make atonement for your lives.”
The top photo is of the Tyrian shekel, which might have been used in Jesus’ day. The lower photo is of the two sides of the temple shekel. But what was the point of conducting a census and of requiring a token payment?
The census taken was of men age 20 and older, 20 years being the minimum age for military service. Why the phrase “a ransom for his life when he is counted?” God knew the human heart and He knew that if there were no restrictions, someone would try to wriggle out of paying even such a tiny amount; meanwhile, there were certain things needed to maintain the Tabernacle and to keep its services going properly.
The amount specified was actually quite small and insignificant. Why would God mention this particular amount?
1. God specified a modest amount so that the temple tax would be within the ability of everyone to pay.
2. God specified a flat amount for all the men 20 and above, regardless of their financial status. This was to emphasize that all men were equal before God, but also to make sure that this new religion would not become the special property of the rich. Notice that God said nothing to forbid the wealthy from making additional contributions if they so chose; however, God did not allow the wealthy to show off when paying the atonement money.
v. 16 “Take the atonement money from the Israelites and use it for the service of the Tent of Meeting. It will serve as a memorial for the Israelites before the LORD to make atonement for your lives.” By requiring this payment, God was not indicating that anybody could buy their way out of payment for their sins. God was trying to emphasize that sin required sacrifice – both a blood sacrifice of precious animals and a sacrifice of something else precious, namely money. The Israelites were to continue to observe this command to honor the Lord who held their very lives in His Hand.
APPLICATION: Sometimes we in the industrialized nations feel insulated by prosperity, little realizing that our lives are just as fragile as those of people in the rest of the world. If the recent COVID pandemic has taught us nothing else, it should have taught us not to take relatives or friends for granted. One friend here in Ghana was on admission to a major hospital with what appeared to be COVID symptoms when a brother who appeared to be healthy suddenly sickened and died within 48 hours. (Our friend recovered.)
In the last few days, we have been shocked to learn of the freak death of one young man who was exposed to dangerous chemicals while cleaning out a holding tank. One of this young man’s friends was fighting for his life at last report. Even without pandemics, our lives are still fragile and can be snuffed out in an instant.
God required what came to be known as the temple tax at a fixed rate from all men twenty and above so that they would remember that their lives were in His hands and that all of them were equal before Him. The ultimate point of worship in the Tabernacle was to emphasize that God was One, that He was holy, all – powerful, all – knowing, all – seeing, and that He was to be acknowledged and worshiped whole – heartedly.
Is there any place for God in our lives? Do we pray to Him at all? And if we pray, are we reciting lists of our needs/desires/demands, or are we coming before Him in reverence and awe, waiting to hear from Him?
God did not need money from the Israelites, but God required it so that they would remember to honor Him in their daily lives. Let us find quiet, simple ways of honoring God as we live and work today.
PRAYER: Father God, help us to look to you in everything that we are doing and to allow you to guide us as we go through our days. Thank you that because Jesus has shed His Blood for us, we no longer have to pay a temple tax. Thank you that we owe you everything – our lives, our jobs, our families, and everything we have or are or hope to be. In the mighty Name of King Jesus. Amen.
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