The word in vv. 25-26 concerning the retiring of the Levites indicates that what they had gained in experience through the twenty-five years of their service was still needed after the age of fifty. Because God is serious about the laws governing the tabernacle, the offerings, and the Levitical work, there was the need of some experienced ones to instruct God’s people, especially the young ones, so that they would not become careless and unconsciously offend God in their service. The same need exists regarding the service in the church.

According to 4:3, a Levite had to be thirty years old to be qualified to carry out the service in the tabernacle. Based on this verse, at the age of twenty-five a Levite must have begun a five-year period of apprenticeship, in which he was trained to minister in the tabernacle. Every aspect of the service in the tabernacle had to be exact; no mistakes were tolerated. Therefore, those who served in and around the tabernacle had to be trained to do things accurately. After a Levite had completed his five-year apprenticeship, he was qualified, at the age of thirty, to serve in the tabernacle.

For the Levites to lay their hands on the bulls meant that they identified themselves with the bulls. Through the laying on of hands three parties — the sons of Israel (v. 10), the Levites, and the bulls — were identified with one another.

A wave offering typifies the resurrected Christ (see note Exo. 29:24¹). The Levites as living persons were offered as a wave offering that they might do the service of God (cf. Rom. 12:1, 4-6a).

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 (vv. 16-18; 3:12 and note; see note Exo. 32:27¹). The laying on of hands here signifies that the sons of Israel identified themselves with the Levites, meaning that in the presenting of the Levites, all the sons of Israel were presented to God.

Concerning the cleansing of the Levites, sprinkling the water of purification upon the Levites signifies the application of the effectiveness of the redemption of Christ upon the serving believers; shaving off all the hair of the body signifies the cutting off of all the natural strength; washing their clothes and cleansing themselves signify dealing with their conduct and their person; and offering the sin offering, the burnt offering, and the meal offering (vv. 8, 12) indicates that the Levites needed Christ to be their offerings and their replacement because they were sinful, because they should live for God, and because they should live as Christ lived in His humanity (see notes in Lev. chs. 1—5 for the significance of the offerings).

Or, vision; thing seen (different from the word used in Exo. 25:9, 40). For the workmanship of the lampstand, see notes in Exo. 25:31-40.

The seven lamps, signifying the seven Spirits (Rev. 4:5), gave light in front of the lampstand, shining toward the middle of the tabernacle. Thus, the shining of the lamps was in the right direction for serving and moving. At this point God’s people could begin to render their spiritual service to Him.