Exodus 29 was not nearly as boring as Exodus 27 and 28. It brought us quite a bit of crazy. Will Exodus 30 return to the boring or will it be as exciting as Exodus 29 in craziness? Let’s find out.
“Make an altar of acacia wood for burning incense.” – Exodus 30:1
Looks like Exodus 30 is more of God telling the Israelites how to build stuff.
“Aaron must burn fragrant incense on the altar every morning when he tends the lamps.” – Exodus 30:7
A good parent explains why something must be done. A bad parent just commands. God just commands. God is a bad parent.
“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 is counted. Then no plague will come on them when you number them.” – Exodus 30:12
Wow, a ransom indeed. God demands the Israelites pay Him or else He will place a plague on the people. So loving. Jackass.
“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.” – Exodus 30:15
Is this where Republicans get their idea of a flat tax being best for the people? A flat tax states that everyone, regardless of income, pays the same amount of tax in dollars. Of course, a flat tax means the rich pay a tiny percentage of their income and the poor pay a large percentage of income. The exact opposite of fairness. God clearly favors the rich. Many use this to promote the prosperity Gospel. Those who are rich were awarded those riches by God, or so say the televangelists asking for money.
“Whenever they enter the tent of meeting, they shall wash with water so that they will not die.” – Exodus 30:20
God demands feet be washed or face the punishment of death. WTF?
“Whoever makes perfume like it and puts it on anyone other than a priest must be cut off from their people.” – Exodus 30:33
The perfume in question here is the perfume made to make things holy. Why can God not just simply make things holy? Perfume can make something holy but not God? And then to kill someone for using the perfume outside of making things holy? Crazy!
“Whoever makes incense like it to enjoy its fragrance must be cut off from their people.” – Exodus 30:38
Well, I suppose being cut off from the people is better than death, right?
That concludes Exodus 30. God has more rules for the Israelites and most are simply crazy. It’s not God that makes something holy, it’s blood, perfume, and incense that makes things holy. Not exactly a powerful God.
Coming Soon: Exodus – Chapter 31: Bezalel and Oholiab