tent of meeting – Praying Pint

53. Wilderness – 17.f. “They will forsake me and break my covenant that I have made with them”

Deu 31:14 And the LORD said to Moses, “Behold, the days approach when you must die. Call Joshua and present yourselves in the tent of meeting, that I may commission him.” And Moses and Joshua went and presented themselves in the tent of meeting. And the LORD appeared in the tent in a pillar of cloud. And the pillar of cloud stood over the entrance of the tent. And the LORD said to Moses, “Behold, you are about to lie down with your fathers. Then this people will rise and whore after the foreign gods among them in the land that they are entering, and they will forsake me and break my covenant that I have made with them. Then my anger will be kindled against them in that day, and I will forsake them and hide my face from them, and they will be devoured. And many evils and troubles will come upon them, so that they will say in that day, ‘Have not these evils come upon us because our God is not among us?And I will surely hide my face in that day because of all the evil that they have done, because they have turned to other gods. “Now therefore write this song and teach it to the people of Israel. Put it in their mouths, that this song may be a witness for me against the people of Israel. For when I have brought them into the land flowing with milk and honey, which I swore to give to their fathers, and they have eaten and are full and grown fat, they will turn to other gods and serve them, and despise me and break my covenant. And when many evils and troubles have come upon them, this song shall confront them as a witness (for it will live unforgotten in the mouths of their offspring). For I know what they are inclined to do even today, before I have brought them into the land that I swore to give.” So Moses wrote this song the same day and taught it to the people of Israel. And the LORD commissioned Joshua the son of Nun and said, “Be strong and courageous, for you shall bring the people of Israel into the land that I swore to give them. I will be with you.” When Moses had finished writing the words of this law in a book to the very end, Moses commanded the Levites who carried the ark of the covenant of the LORD, “Take this Book of the Law and put it by the side of the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, that it may be there for a witness against you. For I know how rebellious and stubborn you are. Behold, even today while I am yet alive with you, you have been rebellious against the LORD. How much more after my death! Assemble to me all the elders of your tribes and your officers, that I may speak these words in their ears and call heaven and earth to witness against them. For I know that after my death you will surely act corruptly and turn aside from the way that I have commanded you. And in the days to come evil will befall you, because you will do what is evil in the sight of the LORD, provoking him to anger through the work of your hands.”

Moses and Joshua attended the Divine Majesty at the door of the tabernacle. Moses is told again that he must shortly die; even those who are most ready and willing to die, need to be often reminded of its coming. The Lord tells Moses, that, after his death, the covenant he had taken so much pains to make between Israel and their God, would certainly be broken. Israel would forsake Him; then God would forsake Israel. Justly does he cast those off who so unjustly cast him off. Moses is directed to deliver them a song, which should remain a standing testimony for God, as faithful to them in giving them warning, and against them, as persons false to themselves in not taking the warning. The word of God is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of men’s hearts, and meets them by reproofs and correction. Ministers who preach the word, know not the imaginations of men; but God, whose word it is, knows perfectly. (Henry)

After handing over the office to Joshua, and the law to the priests and elders, Moses was called by the Lord to come to the tabernacle with Joshua, to command him (צוּה), i.e., to appoint him, confirm him in his office. To this end the Lord appeared in the tabernacle (Deuteronomy 31:15), in a pillar of cloud, which remained standing before it, as in Numbers 12:5 (see the exposition of Numbers 11:25). But before appointing Joshua, He announced to Moses that after his death the nation would go a whoring after other gods, and would break the covenant, for which it would be visited with severe afflictions, and directed him to write an ode and teach it to the children of Israel, that when the apostasy should take place, and punishment from God be felt in consequence, it might speak as a witness against the people, as it would not vanish from their memory. The Lord communicated this commission to Moses in the presence of Joshua, that he also might hear from the mouth of God that the Lord foreknew the future apostasy of the people, and yet nevertheless would bring them into the promised land. In this there was also implied an admonition to Joshua, not only to take care that the Israelites learned the ode and kept it in their memories, but also to strive with all his might to prevent the apostasy, so long as he was leader of Israel; which Joshua did most faithfully to the very end of his life. (Keil)

Knowing and being in covenant with God, knowing and receiving His blessings under this covenant, and being given clear warnings of blessings and curses is not enough for a person to walk in obedience and honor the covenant between God and us. There are two sides to a covenant and it requires both parties to fulfill their obligations of the covenant. It is not enough to just “know”. We can know of God and His promises, and yet not live for Him. We can know of His love, grace, and mercy, and yet not trust Him. We can know of His offer of salvation, and yet not believe it. We can know of His great might and awesome power, and yet not rely upon Him. We can know of His all-knowing of our thoughts and intents, and yet, still allow sinful thoughts into our minds. We can know of His in-filling Holy Spirit, and yet, not listen and follow its leading. We can have His Word readily at our fingertips, and yet, not read it. We can know of His healing powers, and yet, deny it for ourselves. We can know of His holiness, and yet, continue in our sinfulness. Knowing is not enough. There must be a reason, purpose, something more, something deeper driving us to more than knowing.

This covenant is offered to us by the Creator of all there is. Let this sink in. God, Creator of all there is, All-Powerful, Ever-Present, and All-knowing has made a covenant with His creation. This covenant is born out of grace, mercy, and love. Holiness reaches out to sinfulness and makes a covenant with those who would take hold of it, obey it, follow it, trust it, rely upon it, believe it, and cling to every word of it.

We live under a new covenant that came at a great cost for Jesus Christ, who was beaten, spit upon, whipped, flogged, ridiculed, nailed to the cross, and died. He is worthy of all honor, glory, praise, and worship. The redemption and salvation of our sinful souls have a very high cost, and yet, we give it little respect if we were to be honest with ourselves. Our time in His Word seems to be more of an afterthought, or a bit of an inconvenience, or a tick in the box of “living for Jesus”. Does this sound at all like the type of person who was thankful, repentant, humble, and wanting to bring honor and glory to Jesus Christ?

We intentionally choose to be always mindful of the covenant, the presence of God, the quiet whispers of the Holy Spirit, the sacrifice made for our redemption, and His worthiness of all our praise and worship, not only for what He has done but also for the promises of what He is doing and will do.

Growth, understanding, and wisdom of and about God are not obtained apart from His Word and a desire and seeking of it. This is an intentional choice. A life choice. A purposed life. A mindset and ever-present purpose to bring honor and glory to Jesus Christ. Every thought is taken captive, every word spoken is with grace, mercy, and kindness, and every action is subject to bringing honor and glory to Jesus.

The new covenant of redemption and salvation has two parties. God has given and fulfilled this blessed, graceful, and merciful covenant. Are we living up to our obligations of it?

47.o. “Wilderness” – 11.u. “I am your portion and your inheritance”

Num 18:20-24  And the LORD said to Aaron, “You shall have no inheritance in their land, neither shall you have any portion among them. I am your portion and your inheritance among the people of Israel. “To the Levites I have given every tithe in Israel for an inheritance, in return for their service that they do, their service in the tent of meeting, so that the people of Israel do not come near the tent of meeting, lest they bear sin and die. But the Levites shall do the service of the tent of meeting, and they shall bear their iniquity. It shall be a perpetual statute throughout your generations, and among the people of Israel they shall have no inheritance. For the tithe of the people of Israel, which they present as a contribution to the LORD, I have given to the Levites for an inheritance. Therefore I have said of them that they shall have no inheritance among the people of Israel.”

Deuteronomy 10:9    Therefore Levi has no portion or inheritance with his brothers. The LORD is his inheritance, as the LORD your God said to him.

Deuteronomy 14:29    And the Levite, because he has no portion or inheritance with you, and the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow, who are within your towns, shall come and eat and be filled, that the LORD your

Joshua 14:3    but to the Levites he gave no inheritance among them.

Joshua 13:14     To the tribe of Levi alone Moses gave no inheritance. The offerings by fire to the LORD God of Israel are their inheritance, as he said to him.

Psalms 73:26   My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

You shall not have a distinct and separate portion of land, as the other tribes shall. The reason of this law was, partly, because God would have them wholly devoted to and employed in his service, and therefore; free from worldly encumbrances and businesses; partly, because God had abundantly provided for them otherwise by tithes and first-fruits and oblations of all sorts; partly, because God would have their worldly comfort and happiness depend singly upon him and his service, and so would; oblige them to use more zeal and diligence in the advancement of piety, even for their own interest, which was either better or worse as true religion flourished or decayed; see Judges 17:9,10 19:18 2 Chronicles 13:9 30:22 31:4; partly, that this might be a firm bond of hearty love and affection between the people and their teachers, the Levites, who, as they performed religious services for the people, so they received their subsistence from them; and partly, that by this means being dispersed among the several tribes, they might have the better opportunity for teaching and watching over the people, which was their duty, Deu 33:10 2 Chronicles 30:22 Malachi 2:4-7. (Poole)

God was necessarily to be regarded as the greatest possession of all, beyond which nothing greater is conceivable, and in comparison with which every other possession is to be regarded as nothing. Hence it was evidently the greatest privilege and highest honour to have Him for a portion and possession, “he who possesses God possesses all things; and the worship (cultus) of Him is infinitely fuller of delight, and far more productive. (Keil)

47.n. “Wilderness” – 11.t. “Grumblings of the people”

Num 17:1 The LORD spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the people of Israel, and get from them staffs, one for each fathers’ house, from all their chiefs according to their fathers’ houses, twelve staffs. Write each man’s name on his staff, and write Aaron’s name on the staff of Levi. For there shall be one staff for the head of each fathers’ house. Then you shall deposit them in the tent of meeting before the testimony, where I meet with you. And the staff of the man whom I choose shall sprout. Thus I will make to cease from me the grumblings of the people of Israel, which they grumble against you.” Moses spoke to the people of Israel. And all their chiefs gave him staffs, one for each chief, according to their fathers’ houses, twelve staffs. And the staff of Aaron was among their staffs. And Moses deposited the staffs before the LORD in the tent of the testimony. On the next day Moses went into the tent of the testimony, and behold, the staff of Aaron for the house of Levi had sprouted and put forth buds and produced blossoms, and it bore ripe almonds. Then Moses brought out all the staffs from before the LORD to all the people of Israel. And they looked, and each man took his staff. And the LORD said to Moses, “Put back the staff of Aaron before the testimony, to be kept as a sign for the rebels, that you may make an end of their grumblings against me, lest they die.” Thus did Moses; as the LORD commanded him, so he did. And the people of Israel said to Moses, “Behold, we perish, we are undone, we are all undone. Everyone who comes near, who comes near to the tabernacle of the LORD, shall die. Are we all to perish?”

The rod is also a picture of God’s authority over man (Psalm 2:9, 23:4, 89:32; Isaiah 10:24, 11:4, Ezekiel 20:37). Jesus, in His divine authority, was given the title the Rod (Isaiah 11:1 and Micah 6:9). The rod was also an emblem of an apostle’s authority in the church (1 Corinthians 4:21).

Murmurers (complainers) are rarely satisfied by evidence or the resolution of one issue. Complainers are usually not issue-motivated, though they may claim to be and appear to be. More often they are heart-motivated. They sometimes murmur because they have complaining, discontented hearts. The complaining heart is demonstrated when people murmur about one issue after another, never being satisfied. So, God would give them an unmistakable answer to this matter of contention – then rid Himself of the complaints.

When Moses checked on the rods the next day, Aaron’s rod – and only the rod of Aaron – had sprouted. But God gave, as in the words of Acts 1:3, many infallible proofs, to demonstrate His approval of Aaron’s leadership. God gives us more than enough evidence; our problem is a lack of willingness to see what He has made clear. The clear choice of Aaron meant that he was God’s chosen priest and the nation was required to recognize it.

Each murmurer from the different tribes took his rod, and clearly saw that his had not budded or borne fruit, and that Aaron’s had. We can imagine Moses carefully inspecting the other rods, noting that there was nothing on them resembling a sprout, bud, or blossom. This confirmed God’s choice of Aaron, Aaron’s authority as assigned by God, and that the authority of God’s appointed high priest is fruitful. The difference between Aaron’s rod and the others could be attributed to God alone. It was a miracle that only God could do. This should have made Aaron humbler; what God did to affirm the choice of Aaron was something that had nothing to do with Aaron himself. The unfruitful rods were given back to their owners. The fruitful rod was kept before the LORD.

Aaron’s rod was to be kept in the ark of the covenant, as another example of Israel’s failure and rebellion. When God looked down from heaven into the ark, He saw emblems of Israel’s sin: The tablets of the law that they broke, the manna that they complained about, and Aaron’s rod which was the answer to their rebellion. The covering blood of sacrifice was applied to the lid covering over these reminders of Israel’s sin, so God “saw” the blood “covering” their sin, and atonement was made.

God noted that their murmuring and complaining against Aaron was actually murmuring and complaining against Himself. At the same time, there was not another direct rebellion against Aaron’s authority as the high priest in Israel after this. “The sign was efficacious; for while the spirit of rebellion manifested itself subsequently in other ways, it may safely be said that any complaint against the rights of the God-appointed priesthood ceased from this time.”

Considering the miraculous confirmation of Aaron’s priesthood, the people feared they were next to be judged and destroyed, and this was not an unreasonable fear. This kind of feverish fear doesn’t necessarily mean their hearts were changed. (Guzik)

Hearts are only changed by God in the willing hearts and minds of those who’s hearts are soft to things of God.

47.m. “Wilderness” – 11.s. “He stood between the dead and the living”

Num 16:41 But on the next day all the congregation of the people of Israel grumbled against Moses and against Aaron, saying, “You have killed the people of the LORD.” And when the congregation had assembled against Moses and against Aaron, they turned toward the tent of meeting. And behold, the cloud covered it, and the glory of the LORD appeared. And Moses and Aaron came to the front of the tent of meeting, and the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, “Get away from the midst of this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment.” And they fell on their faces. And Moses said to Aaron, “Take your censer, and put fire on it from off the altar and lay incense on it and carry it quickly to the congregation and make atonement for them, for wrath has gone out from the LORD; the plague has begun.” So Aaron took it as Moses said and ran into the midst of the assembly. And behold, the plague had already begun among the people. And he put on the incense and made atonement for the people. And he stood between the dead and the living, and the plague was stopped. Now those who died in the plague were 14,700, besides those who died in the affair of Korah. And Aaron returned to Moses at the entrance of the tent of meeting, when the plague was stopped.

The gaping earth was scarcely closed, before the same sins are again committed, and all these warnings slighted. They called the rebels the people of the Lord; and find fault with Divine justice. The obstinacy of Israel notwithstanding the terrors of God’s law, as given on mount Sinai, and the terrors of his judgments, shows how necessary the grace of God is to change men’s hearts and lives. Observe especially, that Aaron was a type of Christ. There is an infection of sin in the world, which only the cross and intercession of Jesus Christ can stay and remove. He enters the defiled and dying camp. He stands between the dead and the living; between the eternal Judge and the souls under condemnation. (Henry)

True is God’s Word that says; “The hearts of men are bent on continually doing evil”, “All have sinned and fall short of the Glory of God”, “There is none that do good, no not one”, They have all turned aside”.

Judgment in light of God’s Holiness condemns us all. And yet, God so loved the world that He sent His only Son, so that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish. Why do we take this lightly and live as though His grace, mercy, and love are granted to us because we are worthy, we are not. The eyes to our hearts and minds should be open to His holiness and our sinfulness and there by know it is only by His great love, mercy, and grace are we saved from deserved judgment. In light of this great love our hearts and minds should be set on living in such a way that all we think, say, and do honor and glorify Jesus Christ.

There is fast approaching, a time when the grace, mercy, and love of God will be removed and replaced with His wrath and anger. The day is coming fast and is very near. Today is the day of salvation, redemption, and forgiveness of sins through belief, trust, and reliance in Jesus Christ. Just as the flood in Noah’s time, Korah’s rebellion, or a host of other examples of God’s judgment this will surely come and come quickly. Waiting for another day or until you have more time is telling God, “I reject your offer of salvation, redemption, and forgiveness”. I want to live in my sinfulness right up to the moment just before Your judgment. How many people walk out of their houses without a thought of this being their last day, and they die in their sin and enter eternity straight to Hell? Thousands each day. Our understanding of God’s wrath, anger, eternity, and torment is veiled. If we see it clearly and understand it fully our lives would be set on living in honor and glory for Jesus Christ our redeemer.

47.b. “Wilderness” – 11.h. “Would it not be better for us to go back to Egypt?”

Num 14:1 Then all the congregation raised a loud cry, and the people wept that night. And all the people of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron. The whole congregation said to them, “Would that we had died in the land of Egypt! Or would that we had died in this wilderness! Why is the LORD bringing us into this land, to fall by the sword? Our wives and our little ones will become a prey. Would it not be better for us to go back to Egypt?” And they said to one another, “Let us choose a leader and go back to Egypt.” Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before all the assembly of the congregation of the people of Israel. And Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, who were among those who had spied out the land, tore their clothes and said to all the congregation of the people of Israel, “The land, which we passed through to spy it out, is an exceedingly good land. If the LORD delights in us, he will bring us into this land and give it to us, a land that flows with milk and honey. Only do not rebel against the LORD. And do not fear the people of the land, for they are bread for us. Their protection is removed from them, and the LORD is with us; do not fear them.” Then all the congregation said to stone them with stones. But the glory of the LORD appeared at the tent of meeting to all the people of Israel. And the LORD said to Moses, “How long will this people despise me? And how long will they not believe in me, in spite of all the signs that I have done among them? I will strike them with the pestilence and disinherit them, and I will make of you a nation greater and mightier than they.”

The tribes of Israel were confronted with two reports regarding the Promised Land. Two of the twelve spies (Caleb and Joshua) said, Let us go up at once and take possession, for we are well able to overcome it (Numbers 13:30). The message of the other ten spies was, “What God promised about the land is true; nevertheless, the natives of the land are too mighty, and we cannot overcome them, despite what God has promised” Those who refused to trust God and His promise were not a minority or even a slight majority. Unbelief spread among God’s people like an epidemic, infecting virtually all of Israel.

The unbelief of the ten spies accurately represented the unbelieving heart of the nation. Israel wept that night when they heard that the enemies in Canaan were strong. Their tearful grief had at least four distinct aspects.

i. They mourned because God would not make it all “easy.” We often expect this of God and therefore we often resent adversity. This is to forget the example of Jesus, who faced great difficulty in life and ministry. We may forget that we, as disciples, are not above Jesus our Master.

ii. They mourned with resentment against God, putting the blame on Him. In doing this, they denied that the LORD is a loving Father who cares for His children.

iii. They mourned and gave in to the feeling of unbelief and fear. This sorrow allowed their feelings to overwhelm their thinking and actions, instead of being directed by a thinking faith in the living God. This was a sinful and unbelieving trust in the feelings of fear and sorrow.

iv. They mourned over a loss. We often mourn because something has died. They felt the promise of Canaan had died, becoming impossible. Instead, God wanted them to “die” to their unbelief and their trust in self.

This shows the great tragedy of unbelief. Less than two years out of Egypt, Israel here stood on the threshold of the Promised Land. Over the first ten chapters of Numbers Israel was fully prepared to live and go forward as people suited for God’s Promised Land. They had been ordered and organized; cleansed and purified; set apart and blessed; taught how to give and how to function as priests. In that period, Israel was made to remember judgment spared and deliverance brought; they were given God’s presence as a guide, and the tools needed to lead the people. Yet, unbelief prevented this otherwise prepared people from receiving God’s promises. Tragically for this generation of Israelites, God would give them what their rebellious, unbelieving hearts wanted. They would die in the desert, never making it to the Promised Land. Israel rejected a life of faith. If God intended to lead them into a deeper trust than before, they wanted no part of it. When we distrust and doubt God, we should ask which attribute of His we think will fail. Do we think God has lost His power? His goodness? His honesty? His faithfulness? His love? Their fear and unbelief were willful rebellion. Therefore, Joshua and Caleb appealed to the will of the people, asking them to decide to give up their rebellion and return to the LORD. Israel did not have to give in to their feelings of fear, of anger against the LORD, of unbelief. By God’s grace they could choose to submit to Him and trust Him. Those who live in rebellion and unbelief often find those who live in faith and submission to God to be aggravating and disturbing. This is especially true if those who live in faith try to correct or guide the rebellious and unbelieving. (Guzik)

“Often in a state of rebellion against God, one loses the benefit of spiritual mooring, whereby wisdom and discernment become elusive and proper decision making is made extremely difficult. Worry and fear dominate one’s thought patterns.” (Cole)

“So, my brethren, let us strip our discouragements and murmurings of all their disguises, and see them in their true character, and they will appear in their own naked deformity as discrediting God. It is true the difficulty before us may appear great, but it cannot be great to the Lord, who has promised to make us more than conquerors.” (Spurgeon)

46.r. “Wilderness” – 10.x. “So that you may not bear it yourself alone”

Num 11:16 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Gather for me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom you know to be the elders of the people and officers over them, and bring them to the tent of meeting, and let them take their stand there with you. And I will come down and talk with you there. And I will take some of the Spirit that is on you and put it on them, and they shall bear the burden of the people with you, so that you may not bear it yourself alone.

Moses was not to pick men whom he thought might become elders; he was to pick men who were already known as elders because of their wisdom, conduct, and ministry to others. Elders are made by God but recognized by men. The elders must have the same heart, the same vision, and same Spirit that was on Moses. If not, there would be no agreement among the leadership of the nation and disaster could come to Israel. (Guzik)

We do not have to look very deep into our memories to find a time when we were overburdened by something or someone. The thoughts that come to mind during these times are varied but one thing is for sure, they are felt, they hurt, and they may feel justified. It may seem as if there is no way to get on the other side of this burden. It looks so big and overwhelming that it blocks out all hope of life becoming better. I don’t know how to describe it any better but surely you can relate to it. In these overwhelming burdens, there is no rest except for what is found in trust and reliance on Jesus Christ. Resting in Him is the only rest that can satisfy your soul. He is the all-powerful, ever-present, and all-knowing creator of all there is. Nothing is hidden from Him. He knows all of your burdens and says, “Cast your burdens upon Me” and I will give you rest for your soul.

46.l. “Wilderness” – 10.r. “Make two silver trumpets”

Num 10:1-10 The LORD spoke to Moses, saying, “Make two silver trumpets. Of hammered work you shall make them, and you shall use them for summoning the congregation and for breaking camp. And when both are blown, all the congregation shall gather themselves to you at the entrance of the tent of meeting. But if they blow only one, then the chiefs, the heads of the tribes of Israel, shall gather themselves to you. When you blow an alarm, the camps that are on the east side shall set out. And when you blow an alarm the second time, the camps that are on the south side shall set out. An alarm is to be blown whenever they are to set out. But when the assembly is to be gathered together, you shall blow a long blast, but you shall not sound an alarm. And the sons of Aaron, the priests, shall blow the trumpets. The trumpets shall be to you for a perpetual statute throughout your generations. And when you go to war in your land against the adversary who oppresses you, then you shall sound an alarm with the trumpets, that you may be remembered before the LORD your God, and you shall be saved from your enemies. On the day of your gladness also, and at your appointed feasts and at the beginnings of your months, you shall blow the trumpets over your burnt offerings and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings. They shall be a reminder of you before your God: I am the LORD your God.”

Here are directions concerning the public notices to be given the people by sound of trumpet. Their laws in every case were to be Divine, therefore, even in this matter Moses is directed. These trumpets typify the preached gospel. It sounds an alarm to sinners, calls them to repent, proclaims liberty to the captives and slaves of Satan, and collects the worshippers of God. It directs and encourages their heavenly journey; stirs them up to combat against the world and sin, encouraging them with the assurance of victory. It leads their attention to the sacrifice of Christ, and shows the Lord’s presence for their protection. It is also necessary that the gospel trumpet give a distinct sound, according to the persons addressed, or the end proposed; whether to convince, humble, console, exhort, reprove, or teach. The sounding of the trumpet of the gospel is God’s ordinance, and demands the attention of all to whom it is sent. (Henry)

Before we can obey God, we must first give Him our attention. The trumpets were used to get the attention of the people of Israel. The trumpets only worked effectively with the evidences of God’s presence (the trumpets told them to start marching, but the pillar of cloud or pillar of fire showed them where to go). (Guzik)

46.h. “Wilderness” – 10.n. “The separation and dedication of the Levites for service”

Num 8:5-7  And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, “Take the Levites from among the people of Israel and cleanse them. Thus you shall do to them to cleanse them: sprinkle the water of purification upon them, and let them go with a razor over all their body, and wash their clothes and cleanse themselves.

Num 8:13-14  And you shall set the Levites before Aaron and his sons, and shall offer them as a wave offering to the LORD. “Thus you shall separate the Levites from among the people of Israel, and the Levites shall be mine.

Num 8:16-17  For they are wholly given to me from among the people of Israel. Instead of all who open the womb, the firstborn of all the people of Israel, I have taken them for myself. For all the firstborn among the people of Israel are mine, both of man and of beast. On the day that I struck down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt I consecrated them for myself,

Num 8:21-22  And the Levites purified themselves from sin and washed their clothes, and Aaron offered them as a wave offering before the LORD, and Aaron made atonement for them to cleanse them. And after that the Levites went in to do their service in the tent of meeting before Aaron and his sons; as the LORD had commanded Moses concerning the Levites, so they did to them.

Consecration of the Levites for their service in the sanctuary. – The choice of the Levites for service in the sanctuary, in the place of the first-born of the people generally, has been already noticed in Numbers 3:5., and the duties binding upon them in Numbers 4:4. But before entering upon their duties they were to be consecrated to the work, and then formally handed over to the priests. (Keil)

Though this seems to design no other but their appointment and separation to their work and service, as ministers to the priests of the Lord; and so as Aaron did not assume the honour of priesthood to himself but was called of God, the Levites did not take the honour of their office to themselves but had it by the appointment and call of God: and cleanse them; with water, by sprinkling the water of purification on them, and by washing their bodies and clothes with water; which outward washing was a sign of moral purity, which was necessary to their employment in the service of the sanctuary; for though there was no particular uncleanness on them, either ceremonial or moral, but what was common to men; yet it was proper, by such outward rites, to put them and others in mind, that they which are employed about holy things should be eminently pure and holy; and as their business was to carry holy things, to bear the sacred vessels of the sanctuary from place to place when needful, they ought of all men to be clean, Isaiah 52:11, and in this they were emblems of the ministers of the word, who ought to be pure, as in heart, so in life and conversation, and be examples of purity to others. (Gill)

Being set apart for service is a calling to every believer. It is in this service to God that our hearts will find satisfaction. It is not as though we pick the service to which we think we are best suited, but rather we are to do that which the Lord has called us to do. We are His creation for His pleasure to use for His plans and purposes. How should we conduct our lives in light of being set apart for His service?

Lord God, guide me, fill me, lead me, and make Your will, plan, and purposes alive in me so that I might better honor and glorify You.

46.f. “Wilderness” – 10.l. “This was the dedication offering”

Num 7:84-89 This was the dedication offering for the altar on the day when it was anointed, from the chiefs of Israel: twelve silver plates, twelve silver basins, twelve golden dishes each silver plate weighing 130 shekels and each basin 70, all the silver of the vessels 2,400 shekels according to the shekel of the sanctuary, the twelve golden dishes, full of incense, weighing 10 shekels apiece according to the shekel of the sanctuary, all the gold of the dishes being 120 shekels; all the cattle for the burnt offering twelve bulls, twelve rams, twelve male lambs a year old, with their grain offering; and twelve male goats for a sin offering; and all the cattle for the sacrifice of peace offerings twenty-four bulls, the rams sixty, the male goats sixty, the male lambs a year old sixty. This was the dedication offering for the altar after it was anointed. And when Moses went into the tent of meeting to speak with the LORD, he heard the voice speaking to him from above the mercy seat that was on the ark of the testimony, from between the two cherubim; and it spoke to him.

Each tribe offered a silver platter and a silver bowl (each holding a grain offering), and a gold pan holding incense. Along with these they were also to present one bull, ram, and a lamb as a burnt offering; a goat as a sin offering; along with two oxen and five rams, goats, and lambs as a peace offering. “The altar was the focal point of daily worship, and it was therefore appropriate that when it was dedicated a representative from every tribe should offer all the regular sacrifices. It set a precedent and demonstrated that the worship was for every tribe and supported by every tribe.”

These identical offerings were offered over twelve days, with one day set aside for one of the tribes. To us, this may seem like meaningless repetition in this longest of all the chapters in Numbers. Nevertheless, God had several important reasons for this.

· To show that each tribe pledged their allegiance to Yahweh; that they each supported the work of the tabernacle and the priesthood, and the system of sacrifice commanded by God and carried out by the priests.

· To show the importance of each individual tribe, giving each tribe its own day of celebration and attention. These tribes were all related, but different – and each of them was important to God and should be regarded as important among Israel as a whole. Each tribe would receive attention, like each graduate at a commencement ceremony.

· To show the importance of each individual gift, giving full attention to every tribe’s gift. Every gift mattered.

· To show that God wanted to be approached with some degree of organization and order. The tribes came in a specific order, the same order that they were organized for marching through the wilderness.

· To show that at God’s altar, every tribe came as an equal. No tribe was better than the others at the altar for atonement, dedication unto God, and fellowship with the LORD.

The repetition of these offerings over twelve days gave a sense of ritual and ceremony to the participation of the tribes at the tabernacle. Ceremony and ritual have some place among the people of God. Different parts of the broader Christian family may debate the degree of emphasis on the role of ceremony and ritual, but it is undeniable that there is some place for ritual and ceremony in the gatherings of God’s people.

Clearly, this was generous giving. God must show Promised Land people how to be givers – one of the best measures of one who has moved from a slave mind-set to a Promised Land mind-set. The slave by nature is a taker because he is often unsure of provision. Promised land people are generous, because they trust in a God who promised to meet all their needs.

We rarely read in the Bible of exactly how God spoke to Moses. Here, at the tabernacle, we see that it was in an audible voice, not merely an impression in the mind. “This is perhaps the one instance in which we have a clear statement that in communing with God, Moses did actually hear a voice. The communications which he received were more than subjective impressions; they were objective expressions. “There is no form or visible manifestation, no angel or being in human likeness, representing God. It is only a Voice that is heard.” (Guzik)

45.v. “Wilderness” – 10.a. “Levites assigned their work for God and Israel”

Numbers 3:17  And these were the sons of Levi by their names: Gershon and Kohath and Merari.

Num 3:25-26  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, 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.

Num 3:29  The clans of the sons of Kohath were to camp on the south side of the tabernacle, with Elizaphan the son of Uzziel as chief of the fathers’ house of the clans of the Kohathites. And their guard duty involved the ark, the table, the lampstand, the altars, the vessels of the sanctuary with which the priests minister, and the screen; all the service connected with these.

Num 3:36  And the appointed guard duty of the sons of Merari involved the frames of the tabernacle, the bars, the pillars, the bases, and all their accessories; all the service connected with these; also the pillars around the court, with their bases and pegs and cords.

The Levites were in three classes, according to the sons of Levi; Gershon, Kohath, and Merari; and these were subdivided into families. The posterity of Moses were not at all honoured or privileged, but stood upon the level with other Levites; thus it was plain, that Moses did not seek the advancement of his own family, or to secure any honours to it. The tribe of Levi was by much the least of all the tribes. God’s chosen are but a little flock in comparison with the world. (Henry)

Having been called into service and assigned to things of God over the Tabernacle, the Levites took their place, not as preparing for war but rather for ministering for and of the things of God.

There is a holy honor and blessing in service to God and the things of God. Being a child of God, chosen, and called, we will do well to camp our hearts and minds in ready service to the work He directs us to do.