Numbers 3: The Levites set apart for the work of God's Tabernacle

Numbers 3

New International Version (NIV)

The Levites

 ¹ This is the account of the family of Aaron and Moses at the time the LORD spoke to Moses at Mount Sinai.

 ² The names of the sons of Aaron were Nadab the firstborn and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar. ³ Those were the names of Aaron’s sons, the anointed priests, who were ordained to serve as priests. ⁴ Nadab and Abihu, however, died before the LORD when they made an offering with unauthorized fire before him in the Desert of Sinai. They had no sons, so Eleazar and Ithamar served as priests during the lifetime of their father Aaron.

 ⁵ The LORD said to Moses, ⁶ “Bring the tribe of Levi and present them to Aaron the priest to assist him. ⁷ They are to perform duties for him and for the whole community at the tent of meeting by doing the work of the tabernacle. ⁸ They are to take care of all the furnishings of the tent of meeting, fulfilling the obligations of the Israelites by doing the work of the tabernacle. ⁹ Give the Levites to Aaron and his sons; they are the Israelites who are to be given wholly to him.^[a] 10 Appoint Aaron and his sons to serve as priests; anyone else who approaches the sanctuary is to be put to death.”

 ¹¹ The LORD also said to Moses, ¹² “I have taken the Levites from among the Israelites in place of the first male offspring of every Israelite woman. The Levites are mine, ¹³ for all the firstborn are mine. When I struck down all the firstborn in Egypt, I set apart for myself every firstborn in Israel, whether human or animal. They are to be mine. I am the LORD.”

 ³⁹ The total number of Levites counted at the LORD’s command by Moses and Aaron according to their clans, including every male a month old or more, was 22,000.

Daniel’s Thoughts:

The first aspect of this passage that stands out as significant to me is that God has set apart an entire tribe of Israel for the primary purpose of serving in his sanctuary. God has set apart thousands of men to serve him. I can’t imagine what tasks that many men could accomplish and how that many were needed to do the work of the tabernacle.

This is significant to God that his people take his tabernacle his sanctuary seriously. This many men were called by God to serve and take care of the tent of meeting. Do we take God this seriously? If we did then I think we would honor God far better with our bodies the temple of God, our hearts and our lives. I know I don’t take this seriously enough that I am dead to sin and I should be living only to Christ.

I am so thankful that I have read Hebrews and know the fulfillment of this imperfect system and the levitical tribe/aaronic priesthood. Christ came and died tearing the veil so that our relationship with God was restored and God could be with us in all places and times. Jesus is our high priest forever completely fulfilling the duties that the tribe of Israel the priests and particularly human high priests the firstborn descendant of Aaron.

Daniel’s Prayer:

Lord

Let us take seriously

That you are holy

That we are your temple

That our hearts are yours

That we are to dead to sin

And

Alive to Christ

Let me serve faithfully as did the Levites before me.

Thank you for calling each of us

As priests to serve you Lord

Knowing that you are our high priest

Forever!

You have paid the ultimate sacrifice

Of your body and life.

We are made holy by your blood and sacrifice.

Let us live a new life in you!

Amen