Mon.’s Devo - The Ransom Money

Read Ex. 30:11-16 At certain times they were to number the people and everyone was to pay for their redemption. Their price was half a shekel which was approximately .2 of a an ounce of metal. This was known as the ransom money or the atonement fee for their lives. This ransom money made sure that there was no plague among them. The money was to be used for the service of the tabernacle. Jesus said in Matt. 20:28 that “Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.” This ransom money made sure that there was no plague among them. The money was to be used for the service of the tabernacle. When we are in Christ we should have no plagues among us. Plagues were sent by God to discipline those who chose to disobey. In 2 Sam. 24 God was angry with Israel so he told David to go number Israel and Judah. He did this without telling the people to pay the ransom money so a plague was sent across Israel. It stopped at the threshing floor of Araunah when David offered a burnt offering. In 1 Chron. 21 Satan stood up and enticed David to number the people. God sent a plague and it was stopped on the threshing floor of Ornan where he offered God a burnt offering. This became the spot he later built the temple. Numbering has to do with judgment. Since there was no ransom for their souls, every time they were numbered some judgment fell. Hosea 1:10 says that the number of the people of Israel shall be as the sands of the sea…innumerable. In Revelations the word “number” is used 8 times and every time it is counting the evil people there is a number, but when it is talking about the saints it is a number that cannot be counted. The exception is the 144,000 that were sealed which kept them free from the judgment. We don’t live under the law where our sins are counted against us, we live under grace where our sins are covered and removed. Lord, I thank you that we are living under the covenant of grace and not judgment. May we live in your freedom and healing.