Remember, when the children of Israel first arrived at Mount Sinai, and the Lord God commanded Moses to come up and he was up there for 40 days, so the children of Israel convinced Aaron to make them a false god, the golden calf. When the Lord God sent Moses back down to deal with the children of Israels sin, Moses saw that the people were unrestrained (for Aaron had not restrained them, to their shame among their enemies), then Moses stood in the entrance of the camp, and said, “Whoever is on the Lord’s side—come to me!” And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together to him. (Exodus 32:25-26)
And he said to them, “Thus says the Lord God of Israel: ‘Let every man put his sword on his side, and go in and out from entrance to entrance throughout the camp, and let every man kill his brother, every man his companion, and every man his neighbor.’” So the sons of Levi did according to the word of Moses. And about three thousand men of the people fell that day. Then Moses said, “Consecrate yourselves today to the Lord, that He may bestow on you a blessing this day, for every man has opposed his son and his brother.” (Exodus 32:27-29)
From that day, the Lord God had consecrated the Levites and set them apart for His service. Now, He was explaining to Moses how they were also a substitute for the firstborn requirement He established after He sent the tenth plague of the death of the firstborn in Egypt, established His Passover, and lead them out of Egypt; for He had said, “Consecrate to Me all the firstborn, whatever opens the womb among the children of Israel, both of man and beast; it is Mine.” (Exodus 13:2) So Moses counted the firstborn sons of the people of Israel, just as the Lord had commanded. The number of firstborn sons who were one month old or older was 22,273. (Numbers 3:42-43 NLT)
Then the Lord said to Moses, “Take the Levites as substitutes for the firstborn sons of the people of Israel. And take the livestock of the Levites as substitutes for the firstborn livestock of the people of Israel. The Levites belong to me; I am the Lord. (Numbers 3:44-45 NLT)
"There are 273 more firstborn sons of Israel than there are Levites. To redeem these extra firstborn sons, collect five pieces of silver for each of them (each piece weighing the same as the sanctuary shekel, which equals twenty gerahs). Give the silver to Aaron and his sons as the redemption price for the extra firstborn sons.” (Numbers 3:46-48 NLT)
Again, when the Lord God first gave Moses the Ten Commandments and Laws on Mount Sinai, He explained about the redemption or ransom money the children of Israel were to pay. Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: “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. 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. (Exodus 13:11-13)
"Everyone included among those who are numbered, from twenty years old and above, shall give an offering to the Lord. 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. 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.” (Exodus 13:14-16)
The Lord God is to receive the tithes, the firstfruits of everything He blesses us with. When Moses returned to the top of Mount Sinai, after the Levites killed all of the children of Israel who were not on the Lord's side, the Lord God reiterated, “All that open the womb are Mine, and every male firstborn among your livestock, whether ox or sheep. But the firstborn of a donkey you shall redeem with a lamb. And if you will not redeem him, then you shall break his neck. All the firstborn of your sons you shall redeem. And none shall appear before Me empty-handed." (Exodus 34:19-20)
Yet, He later explained how the people could redeem whatever they offered to Him. "‘But the firstborn of the animals, which should be the Lord’s firstborn, no man shall dedicate; whether it is an ox or sheep, it is the Lord’s. And if it is an unclean animal, then he shall redeem it according to your valuation, and shall add one-fifth to it; or if it is not redeemed, then it shall be sold according to your valuation. Nevertheless no devoted offering that a man may devote to the Lord of all that he has, both man and beast, or the field of his possession, shall be sold or redeemed; every devoted offering is most holy to the Lord.'" (Leviticus 27:26-28)
The reason the Lord God didn't allow the children of Israel to redeem the firstborn offerings in the same way He allowed them to redeem their other offerings was because He was going to use the Levites as the substitute for the firstborns. However, there were just a few less Levites and firstborns of the children of Israel, so He did require that the ransom amount be paid for the extra 273.
So Moses collected the silver for redeeming the firstborn sons of Israel who exceeded the number of Levites. He collected 1,365 pieces of silver on behalf of these firstborn sons of Israel (each piece weighing the same as the sanctuary shekel). And Moses gave the silver for the redemption to Aaron and his sons, just as the Lord had commanded. (Numbers 3:49-51 NLT)
The priests were the Lord God's representatives among the children of Israel, they received all the offerings and performed all the sacrifices; they took care of the Tabernacle and ministered to the Lord God; therefore, they received the ransom or redemption payments from the children of Israel for the Lord God.
Well, Christ Jesus in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. (Hebrews 2:17) Remember, when He taught the disciples of service, He said, "...whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave— just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” (Matthew 20:26-28)
No more making offerings and sacrifices to God of our firstborn, and then coming up with the money to pay the ransom price to redeem them back. For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time,... (I Timothy 2:5-6) And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence. (Colossians 1:18)
But He didn't redeem us just so we would be saved, but that we would be changed, and ...conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay here in fear; knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. (I Peter 1:17-19)
For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works. (Titus 2:11-14) AMEN!
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