During our last Bible Study broadcast, Dr. Speckhart had questions about the need for the census coins. Ex. 30 gives us the reason for taking the coins at the time of census–to cover the nation from one census to the next.
The Ransom Money:
11 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying: 12 “When you take the census of the children of Israel for their number, then every man shall give a ransom for himself to the LORD, when you number them, that there may be no plague among them when you number them. 13 This is what everyone among those who are numbered shall give: half a shekel according to the shekel of the sanctuary (a shekel is twenty gerahs). The half-shekel shall be an offering to the LORD. 14 Everyone included among those who are numbered, from twenty years old and above, shall give an offering to the LORD. 15 The rich shall not give more and the poor shall not give less than half a shekel, when you give an offering to the LORD, to make atonement for yourselves. 16 And you shall take the atonement money of the children of Israel, and shall appoint it for the service of the tabernacle of meeting, that it may be a memorial for the children of Israel before the LORD, to make atonement for yourselves.”
The Poll Tax was called "atonement money" and a "ransom" to protect the people from divine judgment. Both words come from the same Hebrew term, kopher or kaphar, which mean "covering." In fact, our English word "cover" is derived from this Hebrew term.
The Poll Tax is essentially a tax on military-age men to cause them to recognize God’s lordship and headship in battle. Later, Samuel told the people, "the battle is the Lord’s" (1 Sam. 17:47). In other words, Jesus Christ is recognized as the top General of every military campaign. The Poll Tax represented the people’s recognition of His sovereignty, and it was a commitment to be obedient to His specific commands as well as His general laws of war.
If the people followed His leading, they would be divinely protected, for He would see to it that there were no casualties on their side. Thus, the battle of Jericho saw no Israelite casualties, but when Achan violated one of the laws of war, 36 Israelites died in the next battle (Joshua 7:5). The soldiers were covered by the Poll Tax in Moses’ final census, but when Achan violated the will (law) of God, others suffered for his sin. It is important to have an army of mature Christians only.
A beloved sister wrote me the following:
“Suppose that Father is getting ready to send out the reapers to gather out the tares from the nation. We have had many times of census in this nation, going back many, many years, but not one coin was paid to cover us. Our Heavenly Father is well aware that believers and unbelievers alike are not covered in a lawful manner. Maybe this could be like the dab of leavening affecting the whole loaf. I know that we are covered by the blood of Jesus, but the law states the half-shekel must be paid, and who knows the law better than the Law Giver.”
I find it interesting that many Christians have virtually no problem with paying the various taxes imposed by their country of origin where the money is often used for projects of virtually no value to the person paying the tax. This is done virtually every single day of the year in one form or another.
Stephen Jones wrote:
David’s census is one of those real-life applications of the law of the census. The half-shekel requirement was not because God needed money, but because its payment recognized God as the Creator and Owner of all men. A half-shekel was only a day’s wage, but this token was a recognition that man was subordinate to God, and as such it was important.
In the case of David’s census, the story of judgment revealed a heart condition of rebellion in Israel.
Those of us who have been in this “training program” for decades understand the need to test the heart condition. This Census we are conducting will have many ramifications attached to it. I suspect the most important aspect will be to test the hearts of the aspiring overcomers. I take these things very serious. When Our Heavenly Father says to do something, I have learned simply to do it whether it makes sense to me or not. HE always reveals HIS Divine Intent at some point.
Is the Census a test of your heart? Is there some aspect of lawlessness to be dealt with? David’s failure to receive the poll tax revealed his lukewarm view of the Law of Our Heavenly Father. It was inconvenient, maybe no longer needed, etc. Maybe he simply thought it was a waste of time. These tests of the heart provide a perspective of priorities. As I have said before, one of the easiest ways to assess a person’s priorities is to simply look in their checkbook… or credit card statement. This Census may be a test of your faith. If I knew the entire impact of this Census then none of us would need any faith to participate. My job is to be faithful in accounting for all these coins and only act when instructed to do so. I can make no assumption or have any discretion over the Census coins. They will be held in the Treasury until further instructions arrive. Can you imagine managing the Treasury for Moses or Joshua? It was no small task.
Is this Census to be that required designation of righteousness in the midst of the lawlessness among the nations thus restraining the full impact of judgment due the nations?
Is this Census simply a test of your heart as a cheerful giver?
Is this Census a test of my heart as a “Treasurer”?
Will this Census have a major Spiritual impact soon?
Is this Census a test of whom you serve? GOD or mammon?
These are all questions that will be answered or may become irrelevant as HE further reveals HIS Divine Intent to us.