Atonement

I stumbled across this in devotions this morning from Exodus.  Naturally, I had passed over it multiple times because I am an impatient, clumsy reader, but chapter 30: 11-16 struck my fancy.  I'll put a few questions at the end.

Then the Lord said to Moses, '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 his counted.  Then no plague will come on them when you number them.  Each one who crosses over to those already counted is to give half shekel, according to the sanctuary shekel, which weighs twenty gerahs.  (5.8 grams per half shekel)  This half shekel is an offering to the LORD.  All who cross over, those twenty years old or more, are to give an offering to the LORD.  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.  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.

I don't know why this passage irks me.  Perhaps because it makes it sound as if we can answer the age old question, "How much is a life worth?" by responding, "Well, it seems like it's weighing in at 5.8 grams of metal."  God speaks to Moses, and it would be interesting to get Moses' thoughts about the atonement, the reconciliation of humanity to God.  Did Moses wonder what It was about money that could appease God's wrath through coinage?

But there is a deeper question here, I think.  At base we are getting to the root of all evil - the love of money.  Perhaps there is a point to which God says, "I've blessed you all be freeing you from slavery, I've brought you out from Egypt on your way to the Promised Land, and I don't want you encumbering yourselves with the love of financial stability.  God provides.  To give back only reemphasizes how great is his goodness."

I love, though, that the rich cannot give more in an attempt to buy God's mercy and the poor cannot opt out.  It levels the playing ground and even though the poor may or may not be able to shoulder the weight as much, there is a sense of joy to be on the same ground as your neighbors.

Questions:

1.  Does your church, or your ministry group, ever talk about money?  (Alternatively, do they ever stop talking about it?)

2.  In what ways does the sacrifice of money make an atonement, a reconciliation between you and God?  In what ways does this seem strained?

3.  Does God really need the money?  How are the finances of the church used?  Do you know?  Do you want to know? 

4.  The scripture speaks of crossing over to be counted.  This is a very public place where the perception is that once you've crossed over to be counted among the faithful, there is not only atonement, but safety from plagues.  What plagues modern day faithful who refrain from being counted?