Ransom

DEVOTION

EXODUS

RANSOM

Ex 30:11-16

11 Then the LORD said to Moses, 12 "When you take a census of the Israelites to count them, each one must pay the LORD a ransom for his life at the time he is counted. Then no plague will come on them when you number them. 13 Each one who crosses over to those already counted is to give a half shekel, according to the sanctuary shekel, which weighs twenty gerahs. This half shekel is an offering to the LORD. 14 All who cross over, those twenty years old or more, are to give an offering to the LORD. 15 The rich are not to give more than a half shekel and the poor are not to give less when you make the offering to the LORD to atone for your lives. 16 Receive the atonement money from the Israelites and use it for the service of the Tent of Meeting. It will be a memorial for the Israelites before the LORD, making atonement for your lives."

NIV

The moment we start any conversation about the people giving money for the service of the tabernacle it would seem right to jump to the conclusion this is proof of our obligation to support our local church. But this is not the case here. The people are not giving money, but rather paying a ransom for their lives. The rich and the poor are to give the same ransom for their lives. This would indicate it is not about a tax, or support money as in the case of our tithe the rich would certainly be given more than the poor. This is done at the time of the numbering of the people. Each one is to pay a ransom for their lives and as they do God promises no plague will come on them. There is no other point to this numbering and the paying of a ransom for their lives then to show them Jesus who paid the ransom for us all.

Matt 20:24-28

 25 Jesus called them together and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. 26 Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— 28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." 

NIV

Heb 9:15

15 For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance — now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant.

NIV

We have heard that old song that has been so secularized by jazz bands throughout the modern era of man, “When the Saints go marching in, I want to be in that number, when the saints go marching in”. The whole of the origin has sort of been forgotten or misused. But the idea is that at some day, Jesus is coming back to rescue the saints before Judgement Day, and we certainly want to be in that number, counted worthy of the kingdom of God. There is going to be another numbering of souls that day, but this time the ransom has already been paid. Jesus paid it all. Another song title, but the fact is the scripture is clear that Jesus did paid the ransom for our souls. He redeemed us, he paid the required price.

Gal 3:10-14

10 All who rely on observing the law are under a curse, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law."   11 Clearly no one is justified before God by the law, because, "The righteous will live by faith."   12 The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, "The man who does these things will live by them."   13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree."   14 He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.

NIV

So we can be in that number, we can be counted both in a numeric sense because we are in Christ, but also in a reckoned sense, worthy of the kingdom because we are in Christ. He paid it all in full. Just as the Israelites crossed over to the side of those who have already been numbered, we have crossed over from one side to the other. We have crossed over from the city of sin and darkness to the city of light and love. We crossed over into the number who have had their ransom paid.