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God spoke to Moses about dedicating the Levites. This whole tribe’s men – over 22,000 – were dedicated
to God in the place of the first born males from every tribe of Israel. My commentary calls them the “dedicated laity”. “The Levites cared for the tabernacle, took
the structure down for each march, carried it during the march, and then
erected it again in the new location.”
At the initial consecration, God directed Moses and Aaron to
sprinkle them with water for ceremonial cleansing. The men then had to shave their entire
bodies. Leviticus 14:8-9 says this even
included their eyebrows! What an odd-looking group that must have
been! Since blood was required for
cleansing, two young bulls were sacrificed after they’d laid their hands on
them.
My commentary found practical principles for us today in all of this:
“First of all, it is God
who chooses, equips, and consecrates
His people for spiritual service, and we
must accept his will.”
“A second principle is that those who serve must first of
all serve the Lord and then serve His people … No matter what
task the Lord assigns to us, it is important to His work, and we must do it
cheerfully and carefully.”
“Finally, both the Levites and the priests were obligated to
protect the sanctuary of God from intruders … so today leaders in local
churches must be diligent to protect the flock from those who would destroy it …
Paul warned that dangerous enemies would arise from both outside the church and within
the congregation. God’s servants must
ever be on the alert and courageous to confront
the enemies of God’s truth.”
Father, I understand from this that it is a serious matter
to represent You before Your people, whether as official clergy or as dedicated
laity. Thank You for choosing,
equipping, and consecrating me to Your service.
Help me to remember that I serve You
first. Help me to be cheerful and
careful in that service. Keep me alert
and courageous to confront the enemies of Your truth.
Your Brother In Christ,
Gary Ford
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