Numbers 18

It’s probable that the instructions in chapters 18 and 19 were given by the Lord while Israel was still at Kadesh-Barnea. However, when you get to chapter 20, the nation has completed its thirty-eight years of wandering and is back at Kadesh (20:1, 16).

Very little is written in Numbers about Israel’s years of wandering, although a list of their camping places in found in Numbers 33. Miriam died in the first month of the fortieth year (20:1), when the nation had returned to Kadesh, and Aaron died in the fifth month of that same year (33:38). When Moses died at the end of the fortieth year (Deut. 1:3), the entire older generation had perished, except for Joshua and Caleb, who were permitted to enter Canaan.

God’s people had been stubborn and rebellious, and the Lord had chastened them for it, but in spite of their disobedience, the Lord had been faithful to care for them. “Nevertheless, he saved them for his name’s sake, that he might make his mighty power to be known” (Ps. 106:8). Consider some of the Lord’s concerns on behalf of His people as expressed by the instructions and events found in these chapters.

Because of the Lord’s judgments against the rebels at the tabernacle (16:31–35) and His miraculous defense of Aaron’s high priestly ministry (17:10–13), the people of Israel were terrified even to have the tabernacle in their camp. “Are we all going to die?” they cried (17: niv). Actually, God’s presence in their camp was the distinctive mark of the people of Israel (Ex. 33:1–16), for Israel was the only nation to have the glory of the living God present with them and going before them (Rom. 9:4).

God spoke expressly to Aaron (Num. 18:1, 8, 20) and thereby elevated his high priestly ministry even more. The Lord made it clear that it was the responsibility of the priests to minister in the tabernacle and protect it from defilement, and it was the responsibility of the Levites to assist the priests in their tabernacle ministry. As long as the priests and Levites obeyed this rule, there would be no judgment sent to the people (v. 5).

The priestly ministry was a serious matter, for if the priests didn’t follow God’s instructions, they might die. If they permitted an unauthorized person to come near the tabernacle or to minister there, God could slay them. It was dangerous to disobey even in the matter of how they dressed (Ex. 28:35, 42–43) or if they washed regularly (30:17–21). God held Aaron and his sons responsible for offenses committed against the sanctuary and the priesthood.

The priesthood was God’s gift to Israel, for without priests the people couldn’t approach God. The Levites were God’s gift to the priests, relieving them of menial tasks so they could devote themselves fully to serving God and the people. The seven men appointed in Acts 6, usually called deacons, had a similar relationship to the apostles. There’s nothing demeaning about serving tables, but the apostles had more important work to do.

Everything rises or falls with leadership, and Aaron was the leader of the priestly family. He was accountable to God for what happened at the sanctuary. God doesn’t dwell in temples made with hands (Acts 7:48), but He does dwell in our bodies by His Holy Spirit 1 Cor. 6:19–20) and among His people in the local assembly (3:16ff.). We must be careful how we treat our bodies and what we do to the church of Jesus Christ. “If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him; for God’s temple is sacred, and you are that temple” (v. 17 niv).

As servants of God, the priests and Levites deserved to be cared for by the people of God. Unlike the other tribes, Levi would have no inheritance in the Promised Land, for the Lord was their inheritance (v. 20; Deut. 10:8–9; Josh. 13:14, 33; 14:13; 18:7), and the Levites would be given forty-eight towns to live in (Num. 35:1–8; Josh. 21). Both the priests and Levites were cared for by means of the sacrifices, offerings, and tithes of the people.

The priests (vv. 8–20). God assigned to the priests portions of the meal offerings, sin offerings, trespass offerings, and peace offerings (Lev. 6:14—7:38), as well as the firstfruits (Deut. 26:1–11) and the firstborn animals that the people brought to the Lord. Some of this food only the priests could eat, but much of it could be shared with their families. However, whoever in the priestly family ate of the sacrifices given to God had to be ceremonially clean and treat the food with reverence, because it had been sanctified by being presented to God.

The Levites (vv. 21–32). They were given the tithes which the people brought to God’s sanctuary, for 10 percent of the produce belonged to the Lord. The Jews were obligated to pay three different tithes: a tithe to the Levites (vv. 21–24), a tithe “eaten before the Lord” (Deut. 14:22–27), and a tithe every three years that was given to the poor (Lev. 27:28–29). The Levites in turn were to take a tithe of what they received, offer it to the Lord, and give it to the high priest.

The principle here is clear and is emphasized often in Scripture: Those who serve the Lord and His people should be supported from the material blessings God gives His people. “The laborer is worthy of his hire” (Luke 10:7; Matt. 10:10), said Jesus, and Paul wrote, “Even so the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should live from the gospel” (1 Cor. 9: nkjv). Paul further explained this principle in Galatians 6:6–10; Philippians 4:10–19; and 1 Timothy 5:17–18.

The Jewish people didn’t always obey this law and bring their tithes to the Lord, and as a consequence the ministry at the tabernacle and temple suffered. (See Neh. 10:35–39; 12:44–47; 13:10–14; Mal. 1:6—2:9.) If the priests and Levites didn’t have food for their families, then they had to leave the sanctuary and go to work in the fields (Neh. 13:10). It’s tragic when God’s people don’t love the Lord and the Lord’s house enough to support it faithfully.

God expected the Levites to tithe what they received and share it with the high priest (Num. 18:25–32). On occasion I’ve met people in Christian service who don’t give to the Lord’s work because they consider themselves exempt. “We’re serving the Lord and all that we have belongs to Him,” they argue, but their argument doesn’t hold water. The Levites were serving God full time, yet they tithed what they received.

Tithing isn’t necessarily a legalistic practice, for Abraham and Jacob tithed centuries before the law was given (Gen. 14:20; 28:22). If the Jews under the old covenant could give 10 percent of their income (produce) to the Lord, can Christians under the new covenant do less? For us, tithing is just the beginning! If we grasp the meaning of 2 Corinthians 8—9, we’ll practice “grace giving” and go far beyond the tithe.