EXODUS 30
11 The Lord said to Moses, 12 “When you take the census of the people of Israel, then each shall give a ransom for his life to the Lord when you number them, that there be no plague among them when you number them. 13 Each one who is numbered in the census shall give this: half a shekel according to the shekel of the sanctuary (the shekel is twenty gerahs), half a shekel as an offering to the Lord. 14 Everyone who is numbered in the census, from twenty years old and upward, shall give the Lord’s offering. 15 The rich shall not give more, and the poor shall not give less, than the half shekel, when you give the Lord’s offering to make atonement for your lives. 16 You shall take the atonement money from the people of Israel and shall give it for the service of the tent of meeting, that it may bring the people of Israel to remembrance before the Lord, so as to make atonement for your lives.” – Exodus 30:11-16
EXODUS 30 CENSUS & ATONEMENT
A census is the numbering or registration of people. It’s generally done for the purpose of taxation or military recruitment. Censuses are reported in the Bible in both the Old Testament and the New Testament. In these following verses, the reason for the census was to ensure that all God’s people, rich or poor from twenty years old and over must pay for a ransom for their lives which is also called “atonement.” The instruction to Moses was that when they are numbered in the census, they have to pay a tax of a half shekel when they give the Lord’s offering. The money paid will be a service done for the tent of meeting. According to gospelcoalition.org the function of atonement is ultimately the repairing and restoring of the relationship between the sinner and the Lord. It leads to peace and initiated by God himself.
Inspiredscripture.com comments that This was the first of three census counts that God would order for His people in the wilderness. While the second two counts were focused on men of fighting age, the first count included both men and women aged 20 or older. From these passages, we infer that 20 is the age of adulthood under God’s Law.
Why was it important to God for us to be numbered and pay atonement? I would say that it shows that God wants us to be aware of our role in his church and why our contribution matters in the building of his church. It is a way of being accountable to be in relationship with our Maker.
REFLECTION
- What lesson does the census and atonement teach us as Christians?
