(12)
Scripture Reading: Num. 8
In this message on chapter eight of Numbers, we will briefly consider two matters — lighting the lamps (vv. 2-4) and the presenting of the Levites (the serving ones of the priesthood — vv. 5-26). Instead of covering these matters in detail, we will pay attention only to some of the crucial points.
Numbers 7 speaks of the offerings related to transportation, and 8:2-4 speaks of the lighting of the lamps. Only after the offerings were presented did Aaron light the lamps.
Numbers 7 ends with Moses conversing with God through the offerings (v. 89). The lamps were lit after this conversation.
Numbers 8:2 and 3 say, "When you light the lamps, the seven lamps shall give light in front of the lampstand. And Aaron did so; he lit its lamps in front of the lampstand, as Jehovah commanded Moses." Here we see that the seven lamps, which signify the seven Spirits (Rev. 4:5), gave light in front of the lampstand, shining toward the middle, or the central part, of the tabernacle. Thus, the shining of the lamps was in the right direction for serving and moving.
Within the tabernacle there was no light from the sun, moon, or stars. Apart from the shining of the lampstand, the entire tabernacle would have been in darkness.
"This was the workmanship of the lampstand, hammered work of gold; from its base to its buds, it was hammered work; according to the pattern which Jehovah had shown Moses, so he made the lampstand" (Num. 8:4). The workmanship of the lampstand portrays the constituting of Christ as the light-holder. One piece of gold was hammered into the form of a lampstand according to the pattern that God had shown Moses (Exo. 25:31-40; 37:17-24). Gold signifies Christ's divine nature, and the beating of the gold signifies Christ's sufferings in His humanity, through which He was constituted as the divine light-holder to shine in God's dwelling place so that God's serving ones could serve there. (For further details concerning the lampstand, see Life-study of Exodus, Messages Ninety-two through Ninety-four.)
At this point the people were ready, the transportation had been offered, and the lamps had been lit. Thus, God's people could begin to render their spiritual service to Him.
The presenting of the Levites, the serving ones of the priesthood, took place in Numbers 8:5-26. Actually, the Levitical work should be one with the priesthood. Because of the Old Testament arrangement, God divided these into two sections. The priesthood was a divine service rendered directly to God, and the Levites served the priesthood. Things such as caring for the animals and carrying the furnishings of the tabernacle were Levitical works.
"Take the Levites from among the sons of Israel, and cleanse them" (v. 6). All the Levites had to be cleansed. Verses 7 and 8 speak of the cleansing of the Levites.
"Thus you shall do to them, to cleanse them: sprinkle the water for purification upon them" (v. 7a). Sprinkling the water of purification upon the Levites signifies the application of the effectiveness of the redemption of Christ upon the serving believers. Today, in principle it is the same with us. Every day, early in the morning, we are cleansed anew through the sprinkling, the applying, of the redeeming blood of Christ.
Concerning the cleansing of the Levites, Moses was commanded to "let them pass a razor over all their flesh" (v. 7b). This signifies the cutting off of all the natural strength. The hair on the body, signifying the natural strength, had to be shaved off. This indicates that in our service to God we should not depend on our natural strength.
The Levites were also required to "wash their clothes and cleanse themselves" (v. 7c). This signifies dealing with their conduct and their person. Both the person and the conduct of the serving ones had to be dealt with.
"Then let them take a young bull and its meal offering of fine flour mingled with oil, and you shall take another young bull for a sin offering" (v. 8). The Levites offered a young bull (the fresh Christ) for a sin offering. This indicates that they were sinful. They also offered another young bull for a burnt offering. This indicates that they should live for God. The meal offering of fine flour mingled with oil indicates that they should live as Christ lived in His humanity.
What they offered of Christ indicates that they should be like their offering. However, they were not like that. Thus, they needed Christ to be their offerings and their replacement. They needed Christ as the sin offering, the burnt offering, and the meal offering.
After the Levites were cleansed, they were presented to God. Verses 9 through 22 describe this presenting of the Levites.
"You shall bring the Levites before the tent of meeting, and gather the whole assembly of the sons of Israel. And you shall bring the Levites before Jehovah, and the sons of Israel shall lay their hands upon the Levites" (vv. 9-10). Here we see that the sons of Israel laid their hands upon the Levites. This means that the sons of Israel identified themselves with the Levites.
Actually, the services of the tabernacle should have been taken care of by the sons of Israel, yet God chose the Levites to replace the sons of Israel. Now these Levites were about to be presented to God, meaning that all the sons of Israel would be presented to God. Hence, the sons of Israel laid their hands upon the Levites to identify themselves with the Levites.
"Aaron shall offer the Levites before Jehovah as a wave offering from the sons of Israel, that they may do the service of Jehovah" (v. 11). In typology, a wave offering signifies the resurrected Christ. Here the offering was not composed of cattle but of living persons, the Levites. The Levites were offered as a wave offering that they might do the service of God.
"Then the Levites shall lay their hands upon the heads of the bulls; and you shall offer the one for a sin offering and the other for a burnt offering to Jehovah, to make propitiation for the Levites" (v. 12). For the Levites to lay their hands on the bulls meant that they identified themselves with the bulls. Here three parties were identified with one another through the laying on of hands: the sons of Israel, the Levites, and the bulls.
Moses offered one bull for a sin offering and the other for a burnt offering to make propitiation for the Levites. The Levites had been cleansed, but they were still held condemned because they still had sin. On the one hand, Aaron could offer them to God, yet, on the other hand, Moses had to make propitiation for them.
"You shall present the Levites before Aaron and before his sons, and shall offer them as a wave offering to Jehovah" (v. 13). Aaron first offered the Levites to God as a wave offering before redemption (v. 11). Afterwards, Moses offered the sin offering and the burnt offering to make propitiation for the Levites. Then he presented them again before Aaron and his sons and offered them as a wave offering to Jehovah.
"Thus you shall separate the Levites from among the sons of Israel, and the Levites shall be Mine" (v. 14). Through the foregoing procedure, Moses separated the Levites from among the sons of Israel, and the Levites became God's.
The Lord took the Levites as the replacement of all the firstborn of the sons of Israel (v. 18). Therefore, the Levites went in to do the service of the tent of meeting instead of all the firstborn of the sons of Israel (vv. 15-18). If the Levites had not carried out this service, the firstborn of the sons of Israel would have been required to do it.
"I have given the Levites as ones given to Aaron and his sons from among the sons of Israel, to do the service of the sons of Israel in the tent of meeting, and to make propitiation for the sons of Israel, that there may be no plague among the sons of Israel when the sons of Israel approach the sanctuary" (v. 19). Here we see that God gave the Levites to Aaron, the head priest, and to his sons, the priests, to do the service in the tent of meeting and to make propitiation for the sons of Israel.
Verses 23 through 26 speak of the age for the service of the Levites.
"This is what pertains to the Levites: from twenty-five years old and above they shall go in to serve in the service of the tent of meeting" (v. 24). According to the standard of the Bible, in order to serve, a Levite had to be at least twenty-five years old, the age required to obtain a full education and to attain to the full growth of a proper human being.
"From the age of fifty years they shall withdraw from the work of the service and shall serve no more; but they shall minister to their brethren in the tent of meeting, to keep the charge, and they shall do no service. Thus shall you do to the Levites with regard to their charges" (vv. 25-26). From the age of fifty the Levites were to withdraw from the work of the service, but they were to minister to their brethren in the tent of meeting, to keep the charge. This indicates that, even though they were to retire from the service, their experience was still needed. The Levites needed twenty-five years of preparation and twenty-five years to do the proper work. After that time, they ministered to their brethren. What they had gained in experience through the twenty-five years of their service was still needed after the age of fifty.
The charge of the tent of meeting was all-inclusive. There were many different charges concerning the service of the tabernacle with all its contents, the altar, and the outer court. Each offering also had its own law: the law of the sin offering, the law of the trespass offering, the law of the burnt offering, the law of the peace offering, and the law of the meal offering. Besides these basic offerings, there were a number of other offerings, each with its own law. Because there were so many regulations, there was the need of "attorneys" to instruct the people. Actually, these "attorneys" were the priests who instructed the people concerning the laws of the offerings. The point here is that there was the need of some experienced ones to instruct God's people so that they would not do anything wrong to offend Him. Because God is serious about the laws governing the tabernacle, the offerings, and the Levitical work, some needed to know how to care for these things so that the service could go on smoothly with God.
Here in Numbers we have a full type of the church service. I hope that the Lord would open our eyes to see that, comparatively speaking, in the church service we have been somewhat loose. With respect to spiritual principles, we have not been so serious, strict, and right. Our making mistakes unconsciously could be the reason that we have missed much of God's blessing. In serving God, we should not be loose but should be serious. We all, especially the young ones, need to learn the spiritual regulations and spiritual laws regarding the service of God.
