Exodus 30:11-16
“And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, When thou takest the sum of the children of Israel after their number, then shall they give every man a ransom for his soul unto the LORD, when thou numberest them; that there be no plague among them, when thou numberest them. This they shall give, every one that passeth among them that are numbered, half a shekel after the shekel of the sanctuary: (a shekel is twenty gerahs:) an half shekel shall be the offering of the LORD.
Every one that passeth among them that are numbered, from twenty years old and above, shall give an offering unto the LORD. The rich shall not give more, and the poor shall not give less than half a shekel, when they give an offering unto the LORD, to make an atonement for your souls.” (Exodus 30:11-15)
When a census was taken, every man above twenty years old was to give a half shekel of silver. A shekel is about a half ounce so they were to give about a quarter of an ounce or at current prices, about eight dollars each. It was an amount anyone could get, and everyone paid at the same rate. It was given as a token to rmind them that Their souls and lives had been ransomed and atonement made for their sins. Failure to give it exposed them to the risk of plagues among them.
Whether we were the worst person alive, or the best, our salvation still required the life of the Son of God. It is provided on such terms that anyone who will can receive it, but refusal to do so exposes us to eternal judgment.
“And thou shalt take the atonement money of the children of Israel, and shalt appoint it for the service of the tabernacle of the congregation; that it may be a memorial unto the children of Israel before the LORD, to make an atonement for your souls.” (Exodus 30:16)
Any building or structure requires maintenance, and I am amazed how often government entities commit to a construction with no plan as to how it is to be supported or maintained. The atonement money was to be used to maintain the Tabernacle, so that it would serve as a memorial to Israel.
The Brazen Laver
Exodus 30:17-21
“And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Thou shalt also make a laver of brass, and his foot also of brass, to wash withal: and thou shalt put it between the tabernacle of the congregation and the altar, and thou shalt put water therein. There was to be a brass wash basin
For Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet thereat: When they go into the tabernacle of the congregation, they shall wash with water, that they die not; or when they come near to the altar to minister, to burn offering made by fire unto the LORD: So they shall wash their hands and their feet, that they die not: and it shall be a statute for ever to them, even to him and to his seed throughout their generations.” (Exodus 30:17-21)
Even though he had been sanctified, and was serving in the tabernacle, the priest would get dirty handling the ashes and bodies of the sacrifices. That dirt would make him unfit for service. A brass lavatory or wash basin was provided so they could wash before going into the Tabernacle or offering other sacrifices. Failure to do so might well result in their death.
Though he has been saved, the Christian is affected by sin today. It is crucial that he regularly wash it away in the blood of Christ to maintain his relationship with Christ. The sin doesn’t cause him to be unsanctified, just contaminated, but it may make him fruitless and effectively dead to Christ. It is simply a matter of confessing it to God as described in I John 1:9. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
“And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, When thou takest the sum of the children of Israel after their number, then shall they give every man a ransom for his soul unto the LORD, when thou numberest them; that there be no plague among them, when thou numberest them. This they shall give, every one that passeth among them that are numbered, half a shekel after the shekel of the sanctuary: (a shekel is twenty gerahs:) an half shekel shall be the offering of the LORD.
Every one that passeth among them that are numbered, from twenty years old and above, shall give an offering unto the LORD. The rich shall not give more, and the poor shall not give less than half a shekel, when they give an offering unto the LORD, to make an atonement for your souls.” (Exodus 30:11-15)
When a census was taken, every man above twenty years old was to give a half shekel of silver. A shekel is about a half ounce so they were to give about a quarter of an ounce or at current prices, about eight dollars each. It was an amount anyone could get, and everyone paid at the same rate. It was given as a token to rmind them that Their souls and lives had been ransomed and atonement made for their sins. Failure to give it exposed them to the risk of plagues among them.
Whether we were the worst person alive, or the best, our salvation still required the life of the Son of God. It is provided on such terms that anyone who will can receive it, but refusal to do so exposes us to eternal judgment.
“And thou shalt take the atonement money of the children of Israel, and shalt appoint it for the service of the tabernacle of the congregation; that it may be a memorial unto the children of Israel before the LORD, to make an atonement for your souls.” (Exodus 30:16)
Any building or structure requires maintenance, and I am amazed how often government entities commit to a construction with no plan as to how it is to be supported or maintained. The atonement money was to be used to maintain the Tabernacle, so that it would serve as a memorial to Israel.
The Brazen Laver
Exodus 30:17-21
“And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Thou shalt also make a laver of brass, and his foot also of brass, to wash withal: and thou shalt put it between the tabernacle of the congregation and the altar, and thou shalt put water therein. There was to be a brass wash basin
For Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet thereat: When they go into the tabernacle of the congregation, they shall wash with water, that they die not; or when they come near to the altar to minister, to burn offering made by fire unto the LORD: So they shall wash their hands and their feet, that they die not: and it shall be a statute for ever to them, even to him and to his seed throughout their generations.” (Exodus 30:17-21)
Even though he had been sanctified, and was serving in the tabernacle, the priest would get dirty handling the ashes and bodies of the sacrifices. That dirt would make him unfit for service. A brass lavatory or wash basin was provided so they could wash before going into the Tabernacle or offering other sacrifices. Failure to do so might well result in their death.
Though he has been saved, the Christian is affected by sin today. It is crucial that he regularly wash it away in the blood of Christ to maintain his relationship with Christ. The sin doesn’t cause him to be unsanctified, just contaminated, but it may make him fruitless and effectively dead to Christ. It is simply a matter of confessing it to God as described in I John 1:9. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
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