Title: Dream of the Grace of Reversal
Exodus (88) Dream of the grace of reversal
(Exodus 30:11-16)
< Redemption of life >
The text teaches you some important information about the census of men over the age of 20 and the ransom of life of the redeemed.
1. Amount charged in advance
The ‘sanctuary shekel’ in verse 13 is a different concept from the ‘ordinary shekel’. A ‘regular shekel’ is about 11.4g, and a ‘sanctuary shekel’ is about 9.7g lighter. In the end, the shekel of the sanctuary was reduced compared to the general shekel, and the ransom was reduced in consideration for the Israelites who had a hard time in the wilderness. Half a shekel, which was offered as a ransom for life in the wilderness era, was used for the construction of the tabernacle, but later the ransom of life became a regular temple tax (Matthew 17:24).
2. Subject to imposition of ransom
In Israeli society, men were not able to participate in wars until they reached the age of 20 (2 Chronicles 25:5), they obtained citizenship, and even Levites were able to serve in the temple only when they turned 20 (1 Chronicles 23:24,27). Likewise, all men over the age of 20 had to pay ransom (verse 14). When giving ransom, all men gave equally, regardless of rich or poor (verse 15). The fact that the ransom amount was equal means that the rich and the poor are equal in the sight of God.
3. Use of a quick charge
At that time, the tax collected through the census became the state treasury or the property of the king, and in Israel it was used to serve God (verse 16). As he watched the tabernacle being built with the ransom he had sacrificed, his sense of mission and sense of community would have increased. The more you actually give, the deeper your affection for the giver becomes. People's lives are richer and warmer when they give than when they receive.
< Dream of the grace of reversal >
The ransom of life later becomes the temple tax and becomes the first channel of corruption. In particular, in the time of Jesus, the temple tax in the Jerusalem temple was received only in temple shekels, so a money changer was needed. So, it was a situation like priests and merchants colluding to extort the riches of the poor. So the Lord carried out the cleaning of the temple.
Where greed dwells in the most holy places, it becomes the ugliest. When money is involved, religion is corrupted. Jesus couldn't get over the ugly reality of what was happening in the temple, so he cleaned the temple and said that sooner or later, the temple would collapse without a single stone on top of it. It is God's will that the house where Manmin prays will be destroyed if it becomes a den of robbers. In the end, Jesus' cleaning of the temple was a symbolic act that heralded the end of the temple system.
What will happen if Jesus, who cleaned the temple like that, comes to the Korean church now? Excessive denominational division, the reality of the church that has changed like a middle-class socialist, a heart that ignores the suffering of neighbors, an ugly habit of discriminating knowingly and unknowingly, a belief that does not affect society, judges others arbitrarily and violence that imposes one's own thoughts, perhaps spiritually may have already started cleaning the temple.
Now, before Jesus lifts the whip, first repent, practice sharing, and let the church stand upright. If you truly live with Jesus, how can you ignore your neighbors, serve money like an idol, and let the church become a symbol of power and power? Face this dark reality of the Korean church and live as a pilgrim every day so that the church can become a church. The saddest thing in the world is to hear the voice of “unresponsive person”. How sad would it be if the saints were not like the saints and the church was not like the church?
At that time, huge taxes and forced labor were imposed for the construction of the magnificent Herod's Temple. As such magnificent temples were built, the temple in Jerusalem became richer. After receiving the temple tax, making money by buying and selling in the temple, the pilgrims came to the temple and poured out their money and went back. But the poor became poorer, and the despair of the poor, especially, was increased by those who played money with the temple money. Rather, the temple has become the home of exploitation.
Some of the megachurches that talk a lot and ignore the truth are like seeing the Jerusalem temple. Among those churches, there will be quite a number of targets for the Lord's temple cleaning. By losing the love of the cross, the Korean church seems to be gradually becoming a church where Jesus has no place to lay his head. Still, do not despair too much and dream of the grace of reversal. If there is such a reversal of history, greater emotion and grace will be given.