Bereans Corner
Bereans Corner
Thru the Bible - #117 - Numbers 3 - The Levites to be Preisthood
How is everyone doing? And welcome back to Berean's Corner. Thank you for joining me here. I hope that you all are doing well, wherever you may be. Open your Bible to Numbers, chapter 3. As always, grab yourself a glass of water, a cup of coffee, a cup of tea, whatever you need to wet the whistle, as they say. As we go through this lengthy chapter of Scripture, numbers chapter 3, and let's read Numbers 3.
Speaker 2:This is the account of the family of Aaron and Moses. At the time the Lord talked with Moses on Mount Sinai, the names of the sons of Aaron were Nadab, the firstborn, and Abihu, eliezer and Ithamar. Those were the names of Aaron's sons, the anointed priests who were ordained to serve as priests. Nadab and Abihu, however, fell dead before the Lord when they made an offering with unauthorized fire before him in the desert of Sinai. They had no sons, so only Eliezer and Ithamar served as priests during the lifetime of their father. Aaron served as priests during the lifetime of their father, aaron. The Lord said to Moses Bring the tribe of Levi and present them to Aaron the priest, to assist him. They are to perform duties for him and for the whole community of the tent of meeting by doing the work of the tabernacle. They are to take care of all the furnishings of the tent of meeting, fulfilling the obligations of the Israelites by doing the work of the tabernacle. Give the Levites to Aaron and his sons. They are the Israelites who are to be given. Holy to him. Appoint Aaron and his sons to serve as priests. Anyone else who approaches the sanctuary must be put to death. The Lord also said to Moses. I have taken the Levites from among the Israelites in place of the first male offspring of every Israelite woman. The Levites are mine, for all the firstborn are mine. When I struck down all the firstborn in Egypt, I set apart for myself every firstborn in Israel, whether man or animal. They are to be mine. I am the Lord. The Lord said to Moses in the desert of Sinai Count the Levites by their families and clans. Count every male a month old or more. So Moses counted them as he was commanded by the word of the Lord. These were the names of the sons of Levi Gershon, kohath, merari. These were the names of the Gershonite clans. Libnai and Shemai. The Kohathite clans Amran, ishar, hebron and Uziel. The Mererite clans, malai and Mushai. These were the Levite clans according to their families. To Gershon belonged the clans of the Libnites and the Shemaites. These were the Gershonite clans. The number of all the males a month old or more were counted as 7,500. The Gershonite clans were to camp on the west, behind the tabernacle. The leader of the families of the Gershonites was Eliezef, son of Lael, at the tent of meeting. The Gershonites were responsible for the care of the tabernacle and tent, its coverings, the curtain at the entrance to the tent of meeting, the curtains of the courtyard, the curtain at the entrance to the courtyard surrounding the tabernacle and altar, and the ropes and everything related to their use. To Kohath belonged the clans of the Amramites, isharites, hebronites, uzielites. These were the Kothite clans. The number of all the males a month old or more was 8,600. The Kothites were responsible for the care of the sanctuary. The Kothite clans were to camp on the south side of the tabernacle. The leader of the families of the Kohathite clans was Elisaphan, son of Uziel. They were responsible for the care of the ark, the table, the lampstand, the altars, the articles of the sanctuary used in ministering the curtain and everything related to their use. The chief leader of the Levites was Eleazar, son of Aaron, the priest. He was appointed over those who were responsible for the care of the sanctuary.
Speaker 2:To Merari belonged the clans of the Malites and the Mushites. These were the Merite clans. The number of all the males a month old or more who were counted was 6,200. The leader of the families of the Merite clans was Zeriel, son of Abahel. They were to camp on the north side of the tabernacle. The Merites were appointed to take care of the frames of the tabernacle, its crossbars, posts, bases, all its equipment and everything related to their use, as well as the posts of the surrounding courtyard with their bases, tent pegs and ropes. Moses and Aaron and his sons were to camp to the east of the tabernacle toward the sunrise, in front of the tent of meeting. They were responsible for the care of the sanctuary on behalf of the Israelites. Anyone else who approached the sanctuary was to be put to death.
Speaker 2:The total number of Levites, counted at the Lord's command by Moses and Aaron according to their clans, including every male a month old or more, was 22,000. The Lord said to Moses Count all the firstborn Israelites, males who are a month old or more, and make a list of their names. Take the Levites for me in place of all the firstborn of the Israelites and the livestock of the Levites in place of all the firstborn of the livestock of the Israelites. I am the Lord. So Moses counted all the firstborn of the Israelites, as the Lord commanded him. The total number of firstborn males a month old or more, listed by name, was 22,273. Listed by name was 22,273. The Lord also said to Moses Take the Levites in place of all the firstborn of Israel and the livestock of the Levites. In place of their livestock, the Levites are to be mine. I am the Lord.
Speaker 2:To redeem the 273 firstborn Israelites who exceed the number of the Levites. Collect five shekels for each one, according to the sanctuary shekel, which weighs 20 jeras. Give the money for the redemption of the additional Israelites to Aaron and his sons. So Moses collected the redemption money from those who exceeded the number redeemed by the Levites. From the firstborn of the Israelites, he collected silver weighing 1,365 shekels, according to the sanctuary shekel. Moses gave the redemption money to Aaron and his sons, as he was commanded by the word of the Lord.
Speaker 1:Alright now. The last time we were together, we looked at the camps of Israel and how they were arranged. Today the Levites are in the priesthood. Now the priesthood was something well, excuse me, the priesthood was a very serious service to the Lord. It was not something to be taken lightly. We see this in the New Testament, in James. We see that this warning is given turn to keep your finger right here in numbers three, and turn to james, chapter three. James, chapter three, in verse one do not become teachers in large numbers, my brothers, since you know that we who are teachers will incur a stricter judgment. We see that even in this, this old testament passage, just because this is where it began, that this is something that the lord takes very serious. He takes the priesthood serious, he takes the duties of the priest very serious.
Speaker 1:Now, this chapter of numbers three, we are going to break down into four parts. The first part. We start this section out by seeing that the Levites were selected by God. We see this in verses one through 13. Now, these are the records of the generations of Aaron and Moses at the time when the Lord spoke with Moses on Mount Sinai. These, then, are the names of the sons of Aaron, nadab, the firstborn, and Abihu, eleazarazar and Ithamar. These are the names of the sons of Aaron, the anointed priest whom he ordained to serve as priest. But Nadab and Abihu died in the presence of the Lord when they offered strange fire before the Lord in the wilderness of Sinai, and they had no children. So Eleazar and Ithamar served as priests in the lifetime of their father Aaron. Eleazar and Ithamar served as priests in the lifetime of their father Aaron.
Speaker 1:Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying Bring the tribe of Levi forward and present them before Aaron the priest that they may serve him. They shall perform the duties for him and for the whole congregation in front of the tent of meeting to do the service of the tabernacle. They also take care of all the furnishings of the tent of meeting, along with the duties of the sons of israel to do the service of the tabernacle. So you shall assign the levites to aaron and to his sons. They are exclusively assigned to him from the sons of israel. So you shall appoint aaron and his sons that they may keep their priesthood, but the layman who comes near shall be put to death again. The lord spoke to moses, saying now behold, I have taken the levites from among the sons of israel and, excuse me instead of every firstborn, the firstborn of the womb among the sons of israel. So the levite shall be mine, for all the firstborn are mine. On the day that I fatally struck all the firstborn in the land of egypt, I sanctified to myself all the firstborn in israel, from the human firstborn to animals. They shall be mine. I am the lord.
Speaker 1:Okay, now I want to point out something. In verse four it mentions nadab and abihu. So let's see what happened to these two. First, let's go back to verse four so I can put it fresh on your mind. But nadab and abihu die in the presence of the lord when they offer strange fire before the lord. Now we want to look at what actually happened to these guys. So I want you to keep your finger here in numbers three. But go back to leviticus, chapter 10, go back to leviticus 10 and we can, and we can see what happened to these two.
Speaker 1:Okay, leviticus 10, verses one through two. Now, nadab and abihu, the sons of aaron, took their respective fire pants and, after putting fire in them, placed incense on the fire and offered strange fire before the Lord, which he had not commanded them and fire came out from the presence of the Lord and consumed them and they died before the Lord. Drop down to verse nine. Do not drink. I'm sorry, that's where I want to go. Do not drink wine or strong or strong. Drink neither you nor your sons with you when you come into the tent of meeting, so that you do not die. It is a excuse me, it is a permanent statute throughout your generations.
Speaker 1:Now this is speaking of nadab and abihu. Now why did I go back there and bring those up? Because you have to do the things that the lord says, the way that he says them. You can't do whatever it. Because you have to do the things that the lord says the way that he says them. You can't do whatever it is you want to do.
Speaker 1:If you look at verse 10, we're still in leviticus 10. If you look at verse 2, verse 2 says and fire came out from the presence of the lord. Excuse me, back up to verse 1. Uh, it says that, uh, after putting fire in them, talking about the fire pans, they place incense on the fire and offer strange fire before the Lord, which he had not commanded them. That's what I want to go back to Nadab and Abihu did something the Lord did not ask them to do.
Speaker 1:He was very clear on how he wanted them to do things and they just basically did what it was they wanted to do. You know, I've talked about this before that in the age that we live in and we've probably seen this for the last 50 to 60 years there are a lot of churches out here that are out here, kind of going on their own and doing what they think that the Lord wants, instead of sticking strictly to what he said he wants. The Lord gives very clear uh instructions and directions on what he wants, how he wants to be worshiped, how he wants to be praised. How are we supposed to deal with each other? But a lot of people are renegades and they get out here and they do it on their own. Now, back in this time, when nadab and abihu did it, they were struck dead for it.
Speaker 1:We're going to move on to part two. The levites are named and numbered. We're going to start at verse 14 through verse 20. Then the Lord spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai saying count the sons of Levi by their fathers' households, by their families, every male from a month old and upward, you shall count. So Moses counted them according to the word of the Lord, just as he had been commanded. According to the word of the Lord, just as he had been commanded, these then are the sons of Levi, by their names, gershon, kohath and Merari. And these are the names of the sons of Gershon, by their families, libni and Shammai. And the sons of Kohath, by their families, aram and Izhar, Hebron and Uzziah. And the sons of Merari, by their families, malah and Meshai. These are the families of the Levites, according to their families' households. So we see that they were numbered. They were numbered by their fathers.
Speaker 1:We will move on to the third part. The Levites had duties and responsibilities. We see this in verses 21 through 39, of gershon was the family of the lib knights and the families of the shemiites. These are the families of the gershonites. Their numbered men, in the counting of every male from a month old and upwards, their numbered men were 7,500. The families of the Gershonites were to camp behind the tabernacle westward, and the leader of the father's households of the Gershonites, eliphaz, the son of Lael now the duties of the sons of Gershon in the tent of meeting, included the tabernacle, and the tent is covering and the and the curtain for the entrance of the tent of meeting and the curtains of the courtyard the curtain for the entrance of the courtyard, which is around the tabernacle, and the altar and his ropes, according to all the service concerning them. Now we see very specific duties the lord gave that they were to do.
Speaker 1:Continuing in verse 27 of kohath was the family of the uh uh am amermites, excuse me aramites. The family of the israelites, the family of the hebronites and the family of the usai usalites. These were the families of the kohathites in the county of every male, from a month old and upward. There were 8,600 performing the duties of the sanctuary. The families of the sons of kohath were to camp on the south side of the tabernacle and the leader of the father's household of the kohathites families, uh. Elizabethan, the son of Uziel, now, their duties included the ark, the table, the lampstand, the altars, the utensils of the sanctuary with which they ministered, the curtain and all the service concerning them. And Eleazar, the son of Aaron. The priest was head of the leaders of Levi and he had the supervision of those who performed the duties of thearon. The priest was head of the leaders of levi, and he had the supervision of those who performed the duties of the sanctuary.
Speaker 1:We see the second family specific duties, picking it back up at verse 33 of merari, was the family of the ma, the malites excuse, excuse me for that and the family of the mish heights. These were the families of merari, their numbered men, in the counting of every male, from a month old and upwards, 6200, and the leaders of the father's households of the families of the of merari was was zuriel, the son of abahel. They were to camp on the north side of the tabernacle. Now, the appointment of duties of the sons of memory included the framework of the tabernacle, its bars, its pillars, its bases, all its equipment and all the service concerning them, and the pillars around the courtyard with their bases, their pegs and their ropes. Now, those who were to camp in front of the tabernacle, eastward, in the front of the tent of meeting towards the sunrise, where moses and aaron and his sons, performing the duties of the sanctuary for the obligation of the sons of aries, but the laymen coming near, was to be put to death, all the numbered men of the levites who moses, moses and Aaron counted, at the command of the Lord, by their families. Every male from a month and upward were 22,000. Okay, now there is something that I would like to point out in verse 39. The total number of the Levites one month and older were 22,000. Now if you go back to where we are you know where we just read and you add up 7,500 plus 8,600 plus 6,200, it equals 22,300. But at the end of verse 39 it says 22,000. It is believed that there is a scribal issue in the Hebrew text because in the Septuagint it says 8,300, which makes the exact number 22,000. It is also recorded in the Latin Vulgate and Peshata as 8,300, so the 22,000 is accurate. That's just something I want to point out for you.
Speaker 1:We move on to part four firstborn redeemed. We see this in verses 40 through 51. Then the lord said to moses count every firstborn male of the sons of israel from a month old and upward and make a list of their names, and you shall take the Levites for me, I am the Lord Instead of all the firstborn among the sons of Israel, and the cattle oh, excuse me and the cattle of the Levites in place of all the firstborn among the cattle of the sons of Israel. So Moses counted all the firstborn among the sons of Israel, just as the Lord had commanded him, and all the firstborn males by the number of names for a month old and upward, for their numbered men were twenty two thousand two hundred and seventy three. Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying Take the Levites in place of all the firstborn among the sons of Israel, and the cattle of the Levites in place of their cattle. And the Levites shall be mine. I am the Lord.
Speaker 1:And as a redemption price for the 273 of the firstborn of the sons of Israel who are in excess of the number of the Levites, you shall take five shekels apiece per head. You shall take five shekels apiece per head. You shall take them in term of the shekel of the sanctuary. The shekel is 20 garage, and you shall give the money, the redemption price of those who are in access, a mug now to Aaron and to his sons. So Moses took the redemption money from those who were in access of the number of those redeemed by the Levites from the firstborn of the sons of Israel. He took the money in terms of the shekel of the sanctuary 1,365. Then Moses gave the redemption money to Aaron and to his sons, at the command of the Lord. Just as the Lord had commanded.
Speaker 1:Now, when Israel was doing these things, israel was still good. You see how verse 51 ends just as the Lord had commanded. And you know what? The same thing is true in our life. When we do the things that the Lord commands, we will be blessed. When we begin to do the things that he does not command, you will start to see things fall apart. All right, people. That brings us to the end of numbers, chapter three.
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