Today, as we are still looking through the scriptures of Numbers Chapter eight; we will see how the Levites were ordered by God to be set apart for service to God at the wilderness tabernacle.
MOST EVERYTHING IS READY
So much has already been set in place for the coming times of worship at the wilderness tabernacle. The tabernacle is completely set up and consecrated to God. Aaron, the High Priest, and his sons are consecrated and anointed. The altar is now prepared and consecrated. Leaders of all twelve tribes have presented the offerings of their people. The Ark, the table and the furnishings and vessels have all been built, blessed and consecrated and set into place. Placed significantly and waiting is the Lampstand which has been filled with pure consecrated oil and all of the seven lamps have been blessed and set into their proper places where they will now be shining their holy light out into the darkness.
ONE MORE IMPORTANT THING TO DO
All that was left to do before worship could begin was the setting apart of the Levites who would serve under Aaron and his priestly sons as helpful ministers to help them care for the tabernacle.
These men officially belonged to God.
The Levites were the ones who had been accepted by God as offerings in place of the first-born sons of Israel that had not yet been ransomed.
HUMBLE MEN WITH FEW WORLDLY GOODS
Many years later, after the nation of Israel officially arrived in the Promised Land, the Levites would live in cities (including six cities of refuge and 42 other cities) that the people of the nation of Israel supported with the abundance of their offerings.
This was the gift of the Levites in lieu of them inheriting any portion of the land.
Though hard to see at first glimpse; their inheritance was actually greater than those tribes who would eventually inherit the land for their families.
A HIDDEN AND VALUABLE BLESSING
The inheritance of the Levites was like a hidden treasure that God would reveal over time.
God was their inheritance.
It took humility and hard work daily for these men to know and realize the greatness of their blessing.
Their simple lives took great faith and a firm belief in their Creator.
These men had to live loyal and dedicated lives.
Days for them were often lonely.
They had to trust God for every provision.
CALLED FOR A SPECIAL TIME AND PURPOSE
The men who became the ancestors of Levi, Son of Jacob and Leah, and who eventually became the men of the tribe from which Moses and Arron hailed, would be called by God to instruct the Israelites in God’s Word, and to guard the holy and pure worship of the people by always warning them against the pagan practices of idolatry.
They were the backup squad for the appointed priests.
Three tribes made up these Levites – The Gershonites, the Merarites and the Kohathites. We have spoken of them before. All three of these tribes combined were also the tribes used to transport the tabernacle through the wilderness.
Everything about their days evolved around the tabernacle.
AN INTERESTING AND DETAILED STORY
The story of their Levite ancestors is a detailed and fascinating story; where two sons of Israel; Simeon and Levi, lost their blessing of inheritance of land because of their violent nature when they slaughtered a whole clan of people because of their association with the man who raped their sister, Dinah.
Though they were out for justice; they were out of order in taking justice into their own hands and their father (Jacob) feared that they would bring vengeance upon their whole family because of it.
These passionate men had let their emotions rule the day; instead of their minds.
MEN ONCE ASSOCIATED WITH VIOLENCE
This caused their father, Israel, to give a sad blessing to these two brothers at the time of his death.
Israel did not condone the mass violence they returned to the men associated with the one who had done evil against them; so he gave his blessing before death in accordance with the fact that he did not want to be associated with their violence.
He mentions the use of their swords for violence in his final blessing and he sets them up for a lesser inheritance than the other brothers.
YET ANOTHER GREAT REVERSAL
Years later though, maybe because of lessons from the past; the tribe of Levi was the only tribe of Israel who did not participate in the worship of the Golden Calf.
When Moses was directed by God to require the Levites to slaughter those who had sinned against Him with their swords; these passionate Levites complied without question.
They had to kill their own brothers and sisters and did so because God deemed it as the punishment. They valued the word of God over everything else that they loved.
WARRIOR PRIESTS
This is how the Levites first became known as “warrior priests,” because they used their swords to protect the honor of God, making no exceptions.
Their ancestors had done just the opposite; they had used their swords to protect the honor of mankind above the ways of God.
Because of this huge turning and the reversal in thinking and attitude; God picked the Levites to use their energy that was once used as evil for good; and God put their works toward helping the priests of the tabernacle.
A PICTURE FOR THE SEASON OF ELUL
I can’t help but point out this act of “turning” during the season of Elul. This is how it is done folks. All of God’s people MUST learn like these Levites did to turn toward the ways of God and turn away from the ways of the world.
When one turns toward the ways of God they often find themselves set apart and coming to a place that is different than their brothers and sisters.
TIME TO BE SET APART
It was now time for these men to be set apart and officially given to God as an offering by the nation of Israel. They were not offering God what they had; they were offering God back a portion of what He had given to them.
God, in turn, would then return their honoring of Him with the offering around, and give the use of these men to Moses and Aaron to help with the many duties of the tabernacle.
Without their service, the functions of the tabernacle would be impossible.
THEY WERE PURIFIED AND MADE HOLY
So God told Moses to purify the Levites by the sprinkling of water, the shaving of the hair of their bodies, and the changing of their old clothes for new clothes. These things set them apart and made them stand out from the common people.
Each Levite brought an offering to God for his sins.
They laid their hands on the sacrifice, allowing it to serve as a substitute for their lives that would have been condemned by sin; and this removed their sins and made them clean and holy before God.
AN OFFERING OF LOYAL SERVICE
These atoning sacrifices were then waived before God as a wave offering by Aaron, the High Priest, and after this ceremony was complete, the Levites were considered to be dedicated wholly to the service of God at the tabernacle for the duration of their capable years.
No Levite was taken into service until they reached the age of 25 and each one was retired from service at the age of 50.