Today I read Exodus and one thing that struck me was the "Census Tax" of Israel, which says each man will give half a shekel "so as to make atonement for your lives." This struck me as problematic, because there is always someone who doesn't want to give any, and others who want to give more even though God says specifically you must not do either.
Let's read and discuss...
Exodus 30:11-16 English Standard Version (ESV)
The Census Tax
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[b] according to the shekel of the sanctuary (the shekel is twenty gerahs),[c] 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.”
First, what's a shekel?
So first off, what's a shekel? Apparently it was a unit of money, made up of roughly 20 gerahs. And what's a "gerah"? In my research I've learned it was the smallest unit of account, and 20 gerah (one shekel) was roughly 0.4 ounce of weight.
It seems this was a very small sacrifice, and I guess it was meant to be so that everyone could afford it.
Having said that, God is clear that despite the small size, some would either be unable or unwilling to contribute, why do I say this? Exodus 30:15 says, "The rich shall not give more, and the poor shall not give less..." why say this unless you expected non-compliance?
The whole thing makes me think of the brokenness of our heart
Some people no matter how much they have, never have enough. They complain they can't donate because they are "barely making ends meet", but if you live in a home you are rich. If you have food most days, you are rich.
The question is where are your priorities, because if you live in Canada, you are among the richest 1% of planet Earth.
But this sword cuts both ways, because while we can be sinfully cheap, we can be pridefully charitable too. God says every one donates half a shekel, not more. Presumably because some are inclined to donate more than demanded, perhaps out of zealousness and gratitude, if so that's not bad exactly, but my mind slips to an image of prideful, public photo-ops. Like the other day when the Prime Minister of Canada was taking his sweet time, shaking hands and taking photos, holding up traffic at a local sand bag station. Sadly, while he is taking up the station, no one else can come and fill sand bags, meanwhile the city Ottawa is flooding because there aren't enough sandbags to hold back the rising waters.
Its like the pharisees praying with big words in public for all to see...
In the end, this "census tax" makes me think of how apt humanity is to go wrong with all we do. Even the best things, God giving things can be twisted by how, and when we do them, as well as depending upon the heart we bring to the event. Look at sex, alcohol, and even prayer: if we do these things too much, or in the wrong context, or with the wrong heart we can twist these good things.
Conclusion:
God has a way he desires us to interact and live, and its best if we seek first his ways, trying always to find his will and serve his kingdom, because he deserves that type of servitude, but also because it will produce the kind of good results in us that He always intended for us.
This tax is symbolic of all things God asks of us. Its not too much, we can all comply, but because we are so broken, we can easily mess up even this basic request.
This tax, like all law, is another pointer of why we need God, Jesus, and Grace. We cannot save ourselves, we cannot even do charity right.
Lord help us hear your call, and help us follow your will in all things. In Jesus name amen.
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