After the rebellion in ch. 16, which was an attack on the priesthood of Aaron and his household, a definite word was given in this chapter regarding the service of the Levites and the priesthood of Aaron and his sons and also regarding the reward (v. 31) they received as the compensation for their service. The reward given to the priests was a strong vindication of the priesthood in addition to the vindication by the budding rod in ch. 17.
The priesthood was a service to offer all kinds of offerings and sacrifices to God, all of which were types of different aspects of the rich Christ. Thus, it was a very important and serious matter. The priests were required to fulfill their charge without making mistakes so that their priestly service would not have any iniquity.
The whole tabernacle was the sanctuary, which typifies Christ and also the church (see note Exo. 25:92b). The altar, which was outside the sanctuary, signifies the cross of Christ (Heb. 13:10). Therefore, the sanctuary and the altar typify Christ with the church and His cross.
The Levites were a gift to Aaron and his sons, a gift that had first been given to God. The children of Israel gave their firstborn to God as a gift, and these were replaced by the Levites (Num. 3:12-13 and note Num. 13:121). God then gave the Levites, who had been given to Him, as a gift to the priests.
The priesthood, as the highest service rendered by God’s people to God, was a great gift given by God to Aaron and his sons. Moreover, the reward given to the priests for their service was superior to that given to the Levites. This might have been a primary reason that Korah was ambitious to seek the priesthood (Num. 16:10).
All the portions of the sons of Israel were offered to God through fire for His enjoyment. God kept some parts of the offerings from the fire that they might become the portion of the priests. This means that the priests enjoyed what God enjoyed, all of which typify Christ. God’s delight, enjoyment, and satisfaction is the Son of God, Jesus Christ (Matt. 3:17). Hence, both God and His serving ones, the priests, enjoy the same portion — the all-inclusive Christ.
For the significance of all the offerings, see notes in Lev. chs. 1—7.
Because the offerings kept from the fire were God’s food (Num. 28:2), they were to be most holy to the priests.
Signifying those who are spiritually stronger (cf. 1 Pet. 3:7). The enjoyment of Christ makes us stronger, and this affords us the capacity to enjoy Christ in a stronger way (cf. Eph. 3:16-18).
The heave offering (the ascended Christ) and wave offering (the resurrected Christ) were given not only to the priests but also to the sons (the stronger ones) and daughters (the weaker ones) of the priests. This indicates that as long as we belong to the priestly family, whether we are strong or weak, we can enjoy such a Christ. See note Num. 18:101.
Lit., fat. So throughout this chapter. The fat of the oil signifies Christ’s best part, which was for God, and the best of the new wine and of the grain signify the Christ who was poured out to God (cf. Phil. 2:17). The firstfruits (vv. 12-13) signify the resurrected Christ (1 Cor. 15:20).
Since each firstborn son did not belong to his parents, the parents were to redeem him at a cost (v. 16).
See note Lev. 2:132b.
Neither the priests nor the Levites (vv. 23-24b) had any inheritance or any portion in the land of Israel. God Himself was their portion and their inheritance among the sons of Israel (Deut. 10:9; 18:2; Josh. 13:33; Ezek. 44:28). Not only was God’s food their portion — God Himself was their portion and their inheritance. Because God was their portion and inheritance, they did not need any other portion or inheritance. Cf. note Acts 26:186 and note Col. 1:122.
I.e., ten percent. The tithe was to be offered to God for the Levites and was considered the Levites’ inheritance (v. 24).
The tithe from the Levites was considered a heave offering, which typifies the ascended Christ. This thought corresponds to the Lord’s word in Matt. 6:19-20, where we are told to “store up for yourselves treasures in heaven” rather than on earth. To store up treasures in heaven is to “send” our money to heaven, and to do this is to “heave up” our money (cf. Phil. 4:18).
cf. Num. 31:29
The tithe from the people was given to the Levites (vv. 21, 26a), and the tithe of the tithe (v. 26b) from the Levites was given to Aaron the priest to be offered to God as a heave offering. This became God’s food, a portion of which was also the food of the priests. Thus, the Levites lived on the tithe from the people, and God and the priests lived on the tithe from the Levites.
God and His people, including the serving ones, were one large family. In this family God the Father as the source gave the good land to His children, who then had to work the land. Eventually, they reaped a harvest, which was to be enjoyed by both God and all the people. They were to bring a portion of the produce to the serving ones, and the serving ones were to offer a portion of what they received to God. In this way, God and His serving ones shared the tithes and lived together.
The good land is a type of the all-inclusive Christ (see note Deut. 8:71). God’s food is the riches of Christ, typified by the produce of the good land, and this produce comes through our labor. We need to labor on Christ and experience Christ. Then Christ will be the produce not only for our satisfaction but also for God’s satisfaction.
The reward, or compensation, given to Aaron and his sons as the priests (Num. 18:8-20) and to the serving Levites (vv. 21-32) altogether typifies Christ. In type, the priests and the Levites had no portion other than Christ. Christ was everything to them. Our service to God in the New Testament is not in the realm of material things; therefore, our reward is not in that realm. The only reward, the only compensation, for our priestly and Levitical service is Christ as everything to us (cf. Phil. 3:7-14).
