Forced Semi-Retirement???

Numbers 8:23 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 24 “This applies to the Levites: from twenty-five years old and upward they shall come to do duty in the service of the tent of meeting. 25 And from the age of fifty years they shall withdraw from the duty of the service and serve no more. 26 They minister to their brothers in the tent of meeting by keeping guard, but they shall do no service. Thus shall you do to the Levites in assigning their duties.”

The Levites had been set apart by God for service in His Tabernacle, begin the ones to offer sacrifices on the people's behalf.  Here their "active duty" lasted from age 25 to 50, much like a soldier, athlete, or some other job may limit length of duty.  Obviously, the younger limit was to make sure the man had reached a level of maturity to truly understand the seriousness of his spiritual responsibility.  But was being a Levite really that taxing to warrant such a requirement? We need to keep in mind they were responsible for handling large animals and maintaining the tabernacle, some physically demanding work.  Like the above-mentioned careers, those who "age out" become commanders, coaches, and supervisors whose experience aids the younger ones who serve.  Much like the priests who in Jesus' day might never get to offer incense, there might be too many active-duty Levites to serve if the age was not limited. Finally, God did not want any of His servants doing something so long that they were just "going through the motions", doing a job.

Fully Operational

 Numbers 7:24 On the third day Eliab the son of Helon, the chief of the people of Zebulun: 25 his offering was one silver plate whose weight was 130 shekels, one silver basin of 70 shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; 26 one golden dish of 10 shekels, full of incense; 27 one bull from the herd, one ram, one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering; 28 one male goat for a sin offering; 29 and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Eliab the son of Helon.

Now that all was set in order, each of the 12 tribes of Israel came to give an offering of consecration for the Tabernacle of God's presence. After all were done, Moses went in and was able to hear The Voice of God speak to him there. This is what they had been working on for months: accepting gifts of building materials, crafting all the parts, training the Levites to assemble them properly - all this was topped off by offering themselves - all the people, to God. The Communication line of fellowship with Him was open. Is yours?

The Blessing with the NAME...

Numbers 6:22 The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 23 “Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, Thus you shall bless the people of Israel: you shall say to them,
24 The Lord bless you and keep you;
25 the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you;
26 the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.
27 “So shall they put my name upon the people of Israel, and I will bless them.” 

God had given everything needed to set the worship of the House of Israel in order. They were told how to keep themselves pure and in proper relationship with Him.  He now gives them this special blessing, still often recited to this day, to dismiss the people as a congregation.  We know the words but often forget the reason given in the last verse above. The priests were reminding the people who they belonged to as they went out into the world. They were His people, representing Him to all other peoples around them. They were going to be blessed by HIM. They (and we) should not forget these things.

The Adultery Test...

 

Numbers 5:26 And the priest shall take a handful of the grain offering, as its memorial portion, and burn it on the altar, and afterward shall make the woman drink the water. 27 And when he has made her drink the water, then, if she has defiled herself and has broken faith with her husband, the water that brings the curse shall enter into her and cause bitter pain, and her womb shall swell, and her thigh shall fall away, and the woman shall become a curse among her people. 28 But if the woman has not defiled herself and is clean, then she shall be free and shall conceive children.

Whenever we read something in the New Testament, we often flash back to the Old Testament to see what it has to say about that.  Immediately when reading this passage, I think of the time the religious leaders brought a woman "caught in adultery" before Jesus demanding that He agree with stoning her to death. He was not so ready to jump on board. They were railroading the process. There was a "test" for that. There was the possibility the man was unrightfully "jealous". Did they even bother to find out? Were they presuming her guilt without due process? Were they caught up in their own self-righteousness?  How likely to do the same?

No Light Task

Numbers 4:24 This is the service of the clans of the Gershonites, in serving and bearing burdens: 25 they shall carry the curtains of the tabernacle and the tent of meeting with its covering and the covering of goatskin that is on top of it and the screen for the entrance of the tent of meeting 26 and the hangings of the court and the screen for the entrance of the gate of the court that is around the tabernacle and the altar, and their cords and all the equipment for their service. And they shall do all that needs to be done with regard to them. 

As we continue to look at the organization of the Levites and their responsibilities, each clan is addressed in detail. Pause to consider what the Gershonites had to do: they in a sense "carried the walls", keeping them clean and in repair, putting them up and tearing them down, every time the camp moved forward. Making this journey toward the promised land was tough for each family, but the clans of the tribe of Levi had "extra baggage" to bring along.  Yet, it was their privilege to serve God, His people, and His house. Some of us have some extra "carrying" to do, but with those responsibilities there also comes blessings.  Don't grumble at the hardness, repetitiveness, or endlessness of the task. Focus on all God has given that goes along with such privileges. 

A Place for Everyone and Everything

 

Numbers 3:21 To Gershon belonged the clan of the Libnites and the clan of the Shimeites; these were the clans of the Gershonites. 22 Their listing according to the number of all the males from a month old and upward was 7,500. 23 The clans of the Gershonites were to camp behind the tabernacle on the west, 24 with Eliasaph, the son of Lael as chief of the fathers' house of the Gershonites. 25 And the guard duty of the sons of Gershon in the tent of meeting involved the tabernacle, the tent with its covering, the screen for the entrance of the tent of meeting, 26 the hangings of the court, the screen for the door of the court that is around the tabernacle and the altar, and its cords—all the service connected with these.

We talked yesterday about the orderliness of God's people arranged around the Tabernacle, with three tribes on each side of the camp.  Since the Levites had no "side" to be on, the three clans of the tribe were scattered around the three sides, each with their own responsibility for the parts of the tabernacle and their transfer.  Everyone had a place to call "home", even in this temporary camp. Everyone knew their part and their place. Still today, God's people in Christ are His priests, each and every one with their part and place. His church is their home, and His Son is their hope. 

Not a Motley Crew

Numbers 2:25 “On the north side shall be the standard of the camp of Dan by their companies, the chief of the people of Dan being Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai, 26 his company as listed being 62,700. 27 And those to camp next to him shall be the tribe of Asher, the chief of the people of Asher being Pagiel the son of Ochran, 28 his company as listed being 41,500. 29 Then the tribe of Naphtali, the chief of the people of Naphtali being Ahira the son of Enan, 30 his company as listed being 53,400. 31 All those listed of the camp of Dan were 157,600. They shall set out last, standard by standard.”

If you've ever seen a sketch of what the organization of Israel would have been like around the Tabernacle, it is quite the display.  If reminds one of some of the formal army arrangements throughout history. But this was not an army. It was a whole nation of people - God's people.  God is, and always had been, a God of order.  He has always planned, prepared, and expected His people to be a God of order. Paul repeats the same sentiment in I Corinthians 14. Such order does not negate holiness or the moving of the Spirit of God, but it allows it to flow more freely.  Such order makes it visible to all, within and outside the "camp", who we are, and to observe God at work in us.  We are no motley crew.