NUMBERS

Numbers Chapter 3

• Numbers 3:1 These also are the generations of Aaron and Moses in the day that the LORD spoke with Moses in mount Sinai. 
• 2 And these are the names of the sons of Aaron; Nadab the firstborn, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. 
• 3 These are the names of the sons of Aaron, the priests which were anointed, whom he consecrated to minister in the priest's office. 
• 4 And Nadab and Abihu died before the LORD, when they offered strange fire before the LORD, in the wilderness of Sinai, and they had no children: and Eleazar and Ithamar ministered in the priest's office in the sight of Aaron their father. 

One way to God, one way to worship, one way to eternal life, one way to get rid of sin, one way that the Lord God provides and not our own way. Nadab and Abihu died before the Lord because they felt in themselves that they could do things their way. We don't know what motivated those two sons of Aaron to offer a fire unto the Lord that he did not command, but they did. 

At that point in history it was very important not to add to God's commandments or take from them. The same is true today. In those days all the ordinances, offerings and commandments were a shadow of the perfect savior to come to save them from sin and bring them into a right relationship with the Father. Animal sacrifices were only a figure of that perfect way to come. The blood of animals could not change the heart of the worshippers and give them power over sin. The faith exercised by the one giving the offering could help them in this but until Christ came, the permanent sacrifice for sin had not yet come. 

By faith they made offerings that God commanded them to make. By faith they were coming to God expecting Him to do His part and forgive their sins. They had to keep bringing offerings over and over because they would sin again eventually. When Christ finally came there is now no need for sacrifices for sin because the final sacrifice had come. Only one way was provided for our salvation and to give us power over sin and that way was Jesus, Son of God, savior of the world which is the Messiah (Christ). 

False religion tries to bring in a substitute or another way to God. This may have been an attempt by these sons of Aaron to seek God in their own way and on their own. 

Sometimes a man or even a woman will take it upon themselves to think of themselves higher than they should think. The get exalted in themselves and think that they have an exclusive pipeline to God over and above other believers. This is a serious mistake. Many cults have begun by those that leave the foundation of Christ and make themselves the foundation. 

People down through the centuries have ended up following man instead of Jesus. Even in cases where they still use the name of Jesus and claim to be "Of Christ." 

• 1Corinthains 3:11 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 

However, why would we even want man's substitute religion instead of God's perfect way of salvation? 

• Numbers 3:5 And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying, 
• 6 Bring the tribe of Levi near, and present them before Aaron the priest, that they may minister unto him. 
• 7 And they shall keep his charge, and the charge of the whole congregation before the tabernacle of the congregation, to do the service of the tabernacle. 
• 8 And they shall keep all the instruments of the tabernacle of the congregation, and the charge of the children of Israel, to do the service of the tabernacle. 
• 9 And thou shalt give the Levites unto Aaron and to his sons: they are wholly given unto him out of the children of Israel. 

Until Christ came to fulfill the law of sacrifices and offerings ushering in an unchangeable priesthood, they had to have those that minister in the office of a priest to intercede for the sins of the both themselves and other people. 

No one could come to God in their own way. It had to be specific and by the commandment of God. God provides salvation, not us. We have to do things His way. He is holy and they could not just approach a holy God without realizing that they were sinners in need of cleansing. Thus we have the Levites and priests who would do ceremonial cleansing, washings and blood sacrifices to intercede for those who came to worship God. This was a type or shadow of the perfect sacrifice to come who would be so powerful and holy that any ordinary person could believe in this holy one, be saved, cleansed from sin and be filled with the Holy Spirit sent from God. Wow. 

Until that time came many years later though, things had to be done this way and by priests appointed to serve in this capacity. To do things haphazardly and "do their own thing" could bring death. That is how serious it is to obey God and follow His commandments and not just have any old religion. This pointed toward Jesus the Son of God as the only way to be rid of sin and live victoriously for the Lord. 

When we try to go back under the Old Testament type of priesthood, we are actually trying to undo what Jesus died to free us from. We are no longer under the priesthood of Aaron but Christ is our high priest and the only mediator between God and mankind. 

As good and precious as Mary, Peter, Paul and John were, they were not mediators between us and God or between us and Christ. Jesus is the only way to God and the only mediator between us and God. That is the reason Jesus came. He came to be sacrificed for our sins. The perfect one who had never sinned so He could pay the price for our sins. Now we can be forgiven and saved from sin. Not only that but we can be filled with the Holy Spirit from then on and are never alone. God opened the door to all, not just Israel but for all who believe to be part of His kingdom and inherit eternal life.  We all can be partakers and enjoy the presence of God for eternity.

• Numbers 3:10 And thou shalt appoint Aaron and his sons, and they shall wait on their priest's office: and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death. 

This again reminds us again that there is only one way to God. God chose the Levites and family of Aaron for this high calling and strangers or those not chosen to fulfill this office were not to come close. By forgetting the holiness of God and not having respect in His presence is serious. It could bring physical death for those that are disobedience and lack disrespect for the commandments of the Lord. 

This pictured the danger of missing the way of salvation to come. Not obeying God's way brought physical death, not obeying God's way of salvation through Jesus Christ brings eternal death in hell and eternal separation of God. I can't think of anything worse than being apart from God. Even if there were no fire or torment in hell, being without God would be hell by itself. 

• Numbers 3:11 And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying, 
• 12 And I, behold, I have taken the Levites from among the children of Israel instead of all the firstborn that openeth the matrix among the children of Israel: therefore the Levites shall be mine; 
• 13 Because all the firstborn are mine; for on the day that I smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt I hallowed unto me all the firstborn in Israel, both man and beast: mine shall they be: I am the LORD. 

The firstborn of all would have to have been dedicated solely for the service of the Lord if not for the fact that God chose a whole tribe to do the service for the rest of the tribes. This was in remembrance of having been spared death when the firstborn of Egypt was destroyed. 

They didn't have to be destroyed though. If any of them would have feared God and hearkened to the commandment to place blood on the doorposts on that night of the Passover, they would have been spared the judgment of God. God sent judgment upon Egypt for their willful disobedience of refusing to allow Israel to leave Egypt and serve their God. The judgment also was for the years of severe bondage they put on the children of Israel for many years of slavery.

• Numbers 3:14 And the LORD spoke unto Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, saying, 
• 15 Number the children of Levi after the house of their fathers, by their families: every male from a month old and upward shalt thou number them. 
• 16 And Moses numbered them according to the word of the LORD, as he was commanded. 
• 17 And these were the sons of Levi by their names; Gershon, and Kohath, and Merari. 
• 18 And these are the names of the sons of Gershon by their families; Libni, and Shimei. 
• 19 And the sons of Kohath by their families; Amram, and Izehar, Hebron, and Uzziel. 
• 20 And the sons of Merari by their families; Mahli, and Mushi. These are the families of the Levites according to the house of their fathers. 
• 21 Of Gershon was the family of the Libnites, and the family of the Shimites: these are the families of the Gershonites. 
• 22 Those that were numbered of them, according to the number of all the males, from a month old and upward, even those that were numbered of them were seven thousand and five hundred. 
• 23 The families of the Gershonites shall pitch behind the tabernacle westward. 
• 24 And the chief of the house of the father of the Gershonites shall be Eliasaph the son of Lael. 
• 25 And the charge of the sons of Gershon in the tabernacle of the congregation shall be the tabernacle, and the tent, the covering thereof, and the hanging for the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, 
• 26 And the hangings of the court, and the curtain for the door of the court, which is by the tabernacle, and by the altar round about, and the cords of it for all the service thereof. 
• 27 And of Kohath was the family of the Amramites, and the family of the Izeharites, and the family of the Hebronites, and the family of the Uzzielites: these are the families of the Kohathites. 
• 28 In the number of all the males, from a month old and upward, were eight thousand and six hundred, keeping the charge of the sanctuary. 
• 29 The families of the sons of Kohath shall pitch on the side of the tabernacle southward. 
• 30 And the chief of the house of the father of the families of the Kohathites shall be Elizaphan the son of Uzziel. 
• 31 And their charge shall be the ark, and the table, and the candlestick, and the altars, and the vessels of the sanctuary wherewith they minister, and the hanging, and all the service thereof. 
• 32 And Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest shall be chief over the chief of the Levites, and have the oversight of them that keep the charge of the sanctuary. 
• 33 Of Merari was the family of the Mahlites, and the family of the Mushites: these are the families of Merari. 
• 34 And those that were numbered of them, according to the number of all the males, from a month old and upward, were six thousand and two hundred. 
• 35 And the chief of the house of the father of the families of Merari was Zuriel the son of Abihail: these shall pitch on the side of the tabernacle northward. 
• 36 And under the custody and charge of the sons of Merari shall be the boards of the tabernacle, and the bars thereof, and the pillars thereof, and the sockets thereof, and all the vessels thereof, and all that serveth thereto, 
• 37 And the pillars of the court round about, and their sockets, and their pins, and their cords. 
• 38 But those that encamp before the tabernacle toward the east, even before the tabernacle of the congregation eastward, shall be Moses, and Aaron and his sons, keeping the charge of the sanctuary for the charge of the children of Israel; and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death. 
• 39 All that were numbered of the Levites, which Moses and Aaron numbered at the commandment of the LORD, throughout their families, all the males from a month old and upward, were twenty and two thousand. 
• 40 And the LORD said unto Moses, Number all the firstborn of the males of the children of Israel from a month old and upward, and take the number of their names. 
• 41 And thou shalt take the Levites for me (I am the LORD) instead of all the firstborn among the children of Israel; and the cattle of the Levites instead of all the firstlings among the cattle of the children of Israel. 
• 42 And Moses numbered, as the LORD commanded him, all the firstborn among the children of Israel. 
• 43 And all the firstborn males by the number of names, from a month old and upward, of those that were numbered of them, were twenty and two thousand two hundred and threescore and thirteen. 

Now we see why they were so many. Each family of the Levites had a service to perform. Different families had to camp on all sides or directions of the tabernacle in order to do the service required as the Lord specified. The service of the Lord and worship was that important. Something to think about.

Those camping in the westward position behind the tabernacle were in charge of the curtains, the coverings and the hangings of the tabernacle. This was the family of the son of Aaron called Gershon. 

The family of Kohath camped on the Southside and were in charge of the ark, the vessels and the candlesticks. 

The family of Merari was camped northward and were in charge of sockets, boards and other parts of the tabernacle. It must have been a huge task to need so many but God knew what He was doing and why. This whole tabernacle was patterned after the one in heaven or the heavenly tabernacle that dwells with God. 

The families that pitched Eastward were Moses, Aaron and his sons. They were in charge of the sanctuary. This had the holiest office to fulfill and strangers could not come into that area. The stranger in my opinion represents one who was unholy and did not come before the Lord reverently and the way that was prescribed by the Lord. Another indication of one way of salvation. 

• Numbers 3:44 And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying, 
• 45 Take the Levites instead of all the firstborn among the children of Israel, and the cattle of the Levites instead of their cattle; and the Levites shall be mine: I am the LORD. 
• 46 And for those that are to be redeemed of the two hundred and threescore and thirteen of the firstborn of the children of Israel, which are more than the Levites; 
• 47 Thou shalt even take five shekels apiece by the poll, after the shekel of the sanctuary shalt thou take them: (the shekel is twenty gerahs:) 
• 48 And thou shalt give the money, wherewith the odd number of them is to be redeemed, unto Aaron and to his sons. 
• 49 And Moses took the redemption money of them that were over and above them that were redeemed by the Levites: 
• 50 Of the firstborn of the children of Israel took he the money; a thousand three hundred and threescore and five shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary: 
• 51 And Moses gave the money of them that were redeemed unto Aaron and to his sons, according to the word of the LORD, as the LORD commanded Moses. 

This was the way of providing for the priesthood so that they had a way to make a living since they couldn't make a living as the other tribes did. They were chosen to give themselves totally to the work of the Lord. 

The redemption here is a picture or type of the coming redeemer who paid a price or ransom for our salvation. That price was His own sinless life, the just for the unjust, to save all that believe in Him and receive this good way. 

We were in bondage to sin. We were taken hostage in a sense by Satan. Jesus our Christ came to buy us back and pay for our redemption by giving His own sinless life as a sacrifice for sin. What power, what victory came when Jesus went to the cross to pay that price. This is why there is only one way and one way only to be reconciled to God and be saved from sin. -DC