Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Exodus 30 - Ransom for Your Life

After consecration of the priests The Lord specifies how the priests are to consecrate the place of service to The Lord as separate and holy. In addition to the offerings of grain and animals, the people are to bring a money offering as a ransom for their lives. The people are consecrated to The Lord, but because sin is in our nature we are separated from our Creator. 

The offerings were to be used to maintain the service of the Tent of meeting. Our ransom was paid through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ and we as Christians are consecrated to God for his service. But the principal of atonement is just as valid for us as it was for Israel because one thing that has not changed through the evolution of the ages is our sin nature. We are not more holy, more moral, more righteous than these who wandered the desert looking for their promised land. In fact, as I look at the news and consider our culture, we appear less worthy, less holy than the Israelites. We need Jesus' sacrifice more than ever. Our unbelieving friends and neighbors are on a fast track to Satan's dominion and only the atonement of Jesus can save them. We need to give them the message if life and not be content to see them perish, eternally separated from God. 

The Israelites were not saved by the sacrifices offered either. They were just a foreshadow of Christ's perfect sacrifice. The only one who could buy us back from the path of sin. Jesus' sacrifice covers back in history as well as forward. 

There is one more point from this passage I would like to expound for a moment. Please look at the text of verse 15, "the rich are not to give more than one half a shekel and the poor are not to give less when you make offering to the Lord  to atone for your lives."  Rich and poor are equal at the foot of the cross. This is not a percentage, but a flat tax where eveyone's share Is the same. 

We live in an era that believes the rich should pay more and the poor should pay less. We tax according to our provision and make exceptions for those who are less able to provide for the needs of the common good. I think we see in God's economy, everyone can contribute and everyone can serve. We obey God's commands to give Him the respect and honor due. We also serve one another as a bit of sacrifice of our lives following Jesus' example. 

I think of so many of our churches that languish because a few pay a higher price of doing the bulk of the work/service while the majority come to receive the benefits of the fellowship of believers.  It should not be so. There is a sacrifice to make and a service to perform; not because we are under law, but under grace. We serve in gratitude for our ransom paid and in following the example of our Lord. 

May God richly bless you as you seek Him and as you serve Him. 

No comments:

Post a Comment