Numbers 3 4

Sunday School 10/26/2008

The Levites and Their Roles within the Israelite Community Numbers 3:1-4:49 I. Context Who are the main characters in this passage? What do we know about them? Moses: Aaron's sons: The Levites: When and where does this passage take place? When: As we saw last week, Exodu s ends with the completion of the Tabernacle and the indwelling of the Spirit of the Lord u pon it. (Exodu s 40:34-48 ) We are told that this occu rred on the "first day of the first month of the second year" (Exodu s 40:17). In Nu mbers Chapter 1, The Lord tells Moses to take a censu s of the people on the "first day of the second month of the second year" (Nu m 1:1), so last week's passage took place one month after the tabernacle had been erected in the desert below Mt. Sinai. This week's passage is a continu ation of last week's; there do not appear to be any transitional words between passages that wou ld su ggest a significant passage of time. Where: Ju st as with last week, the events of the passage take place in the desert below Mt. Sinai, probably somewhere in the Sinai valley. What is going on? (Summary of Events) Aaron's sons: Nadab (the firstborn), Abihu , Eleazar, and Ithamar (3:2) were the annointed priests for Israel. However, Nadab and Abihu were stru ck dead by God when the disobeyed God in the proper u se of fire while offeringsacrifices(3:4; Leviticu s 10:1-2), so only Eleazar and Ithamar served as priests while Aaron was alive (3:4) The Lord's Command regarding the Levites: The Lord instru cted Moses to present the Levites to Aaron to assist in the work of the Tabernacle (3:5-10). The Lord told Moses that the Levites wou ld be set apart in place of the firstborn males of Israel, as He had commanded in Egypt (3:11-13). The Lord ordered Moses to cou nt the Levites (3:14-16) The Levite Divisions: This passage indicates that the tribe of Levi was divided into three grou ps, by family: the Kohathites, the Gershonites, and the Merarites. Each was responsible for a specific part of the service and transportation of the Tabernacle. They were also nu mbered by a censu s, separate from the other tribes, in this section. (See notes for additional details regarding the families and their services) The Lord redeems the firstborn of Israel through the Levites:in place of the firstborn of each family, as specified in Exodu s 13, the Lord set apart for his u se the Levites. Upon cou nting both the Levites and the rest of the Israelites, there were 22, 000 Levites and 22, 273 other Israelites a month old or more. In order to redeem the 273 firstborn Israelites that exceeded the nu mber of Levites, the Lord specified that an offering of 5 shekels be brou ght. (3:40-50) II. Interpretation What principles are illu strated in this passage? What wou ld you consider the theme of this passage? What do we learn of God's character from this passage? Does this passage point u s toward or connect with Christ? If so, how? How might the Levites' being set apart for service in the tabernacle be similar to ou r being set apart in Christ? (Eph. 1:1-10) III. Application God set apart the Levites to serve the whole commu nity of Israel throu gh their work in the Tabernacle. As believers, we too are set apart from the world, being no longer earthly residents, bu t aliens awaiting the jou rney home. Yet ju st as the Levites were set apart to serve, so to are we set apart for service to one another and to those in need. "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." (Eph 2:8 -10) http://mbc20somethi ng.blogspot.com