Numbers 8

celebrating the Passover (9:1–14), numbering the soldiers (chap. 1), organizing the tribes (chap. 2), and assigning the priestly duties (chaps. 3—4).

We are still examining the events that occurred in the camp of Israel at Mount Sinai on the day the tabernacle was erected and dedicated to God (7:1; Ex. 40:2, 17). It was the first day of the first month of the second year after Israel’s exodus from Egypt.

Everything that was done in the camp of Israel was ordered by the Lord. In the holy place of the tabernacle, before the veil, Moses would speak to God and God would speak to Moses from the mercy seat (Num. 7:89). Then Moses would pass along God’s orders to the people of Israel. “So the Lord spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend” (Ex. 33: nkjv).

Two things are involved here: divine revelation and divinely chosen leadership. All of God’s people comprise a holy priesthood (Ex. 19:6; 1 Peter 2:5, 9), but the Lord has given spiritual leaders to His people (Eph. 4:11–16) and these leaders should be respected and obeyed (Num. 12:6–8; Heb. 13:7–9, 17). In the church today, God doesn’t speak audibly to His people as He did to Moses, but as God’s people worship together, pray, and study His Word, He reveals His will. “Prove all things; hold fast that which is good” (1 Thess. 5:21). God spoke to Moses about three important matters: caring for the lamps (Num. 8:1–4), dedicating the Levites (vv. 5–26), and obeying His guidance as the nation marched to Canaan (9:15— 10:10).

The tabernacle was divided into two parts: the Holy of Holies where God’s glory rested above the mercy seat on the ark, and the holy place which was separated from the Holy of Holies by the veil. There were three pieces of furniture in the holy place: the table for the twelve loaves of bread, the golden altar of incense before the veil, and the golden lampstand with its seven lamps.

When the tabernacle was dedicated to the Lord, God’s glory moved in (Ex. 40:34–35) and God’s fire consumed the sacrifices on the altar (Lev. 9:23–24). But God didn’t light the seven lamps on the golden lampstand in the holy place. This was the obligation of Aaron, the high priest, for he and his sons and their descendants would have the solemn responsibility of caring for the lampstand, trimming the wicks, adding the sacred oil, and making sure the light was shining. (See Ex. 25:31–40; 27:20–21; 37:17–24; Lev. 24:1–3.)

Since there were no windows in the holy place, the only source of light was the golden lampstand that stood to the left of the incense altar before the veil. We aren’t given the dimensions of the lampstand, but we are given a description. It was hammered out of one piece of pure gold, weighing about seventy-five pounds, with six branches and a central shaft. The branches were decorated with beautiful “buds and blossoms” (Ex. 25: niv). At the end of each of the branches and the central shaft was a lamp that burned olive oil provided by the people of Israel (27:20–21).

Aaron no doubt took the fire from the altar when he lit the seven lamps. From then on, it was the duty of Aaron and his sons to trim the wicks and replenish the oil each morning and evening when they offered the incense on the altar (30:7–8). Without this light, the priests couldn’t see to minister in the holy place. The instructions here added one new feature: Aaron was to turn the lamps “forward on the lampstand” (Num. 8: niv) so that the light would shine on the table of showbread and be diffused throughout the holy place.

What did this lampstand signify? Since the tabernacle, its furnishings, and its service speak of the person and work of Jesus Christ (Heb. 9), the lampstand is certainly a symbol of Jesus Christ the Light of the world (John 8:12). “God is light” (1 John 1:5), and it’s only through His revelation that we can see and understand spiritual truth.

The lampstand was a reminder to the priests that Israel was called to be a light to the Gentile world (Isa. 42:6; 49:6). Unless the people obeyed God and worshipped Him as He commanded, Israel’s light of witness would become dim and eventually go out. That’s just what happened, and part of the blame lay with the priests (Lam. 4:13). Only God could see the priests as they ministered in the holy place, but that should have been enough to motivate them to be obedient and reverent.

But before we pass judgment on Israel, how bright and far-reaching is the witness light of the churches? “Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe, as you hold out the word of life” (Phil. 2:14–16 nkjv; see Matt. 5:14–16). Israel was represented by one lampstand, but local churches are pictured as individual lampstands, with Jesus in their midst, examining them and giving His people warning and counsel (Rev. 1:12–20). If a church’s light isn’t shining as it should, the Lord could remove the lampstand (2:5). He would rather that there be no church in a city than that the church not love Him and therefore give false witness.

The oil for the lamps is a symbol of the Holy Spirit of God who alone can empower us to witness effectively for Christ (Zech. 4:1–4; Acts 1:8). A church that is filled with the Spirit can face opposition and continue to bear witness courageously to Jesus Christ (Acts 4:23–33).

If Aaron and his sons were the “official clergy” in the camp, serving at the altar and in the tabernacle, then the Levites were the “dedicated laity” who assisted the priests in their ministry. They were taken “from among the children of Israel” (vv. 6, 14, 16, 19) as substitutes for the firstborn males who belonged to the Lord (vv. 16–18; see 3:40–51 and Ex. 13). The Levites belonged to the Lord (Num. 8:14), and He gave them to the priests as His special gift (v. 19). 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.

Since they were serving God at the tabernacle, the Levites had to be set apart for the Lord. First, they were cleansed by water (vv. 5–7), but unlike the priests, were merely sprinkled and not washed all over (Ex. 29:4). It is likely that Moses and Aaron sprinkled the 22,000 Levites (Num. 3:39) collectively and not as a group. For further cleansing, the Levites were required to shave their bodies (see Lev. 14:8–9) and wash their clothes. (When consecrated to God, the priests were given special clothes to wear and weren’t required to shave. See Ex. 25:5–9.)

The Levites were presented to God as “living sacrifices” (Num. 8:8–14; see Rom. 12:1). The leaders of the tribes, representing the whole nation, put their hands on the Levites as an act of dedication, as though saying, “You are our substitutes, serving God on our behalf.” In turn, the Levites put their hands on the two young bulls, one as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering. It wasn’t enough to purified by washing; it was also necessary that there be cleansing by blood. The burnt offering spoke of their total dedication to the Lord.

Once these prescribed acts had been completed, the Levites were permitted to begin serving the Lord and assisting the priests in their various ministries at the tabernacle (Num. 8:15–26). Numbers 4: states that their work began when they were thirty years old, but 8: gives twenty-five as the age. It’s probable that the Levites had a five-year apprenticeship before entering into the full ministry at the tabernacle, because there was certainly a great deal to learn. When Levites turned fifty, they were released from the more strenuous duties but were still permitted to assist the priests as needed.

Some practical principles relating to Christian service emerge from the consecration of the Levites. First of all, it is God who chooses, equips, and consecrates His people for spiritual service, and we must accept His will. The priests were in charge of the tabernacle ministry and the Levites assisted them. Every priest had to come from Aaron’s family, and no Levite was allowed to take the place of a priest. Levites were not permitted to serve at the altar, wear the priestly garments, or enter the sanctuary (3:10, 38; 4:15–20; 18:1–7; Ex. 28:1; 29:9).

These distinctions in no way disparaged the Levites or minimized the importance of their work. Later, when some of the Levites tried to invade the priesthood, God judged them severely (Num. 16—17). It was no cause for pride to be a priest and no reason for shame to be a Levite, for all that we have comes from the gracious heart of God (John 3:27; 1 Cor. 4:7). There is no competition in God’s service, for “each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor” (3:5–8).

A second principle is that those who serve must first of all serve the Lord and then serve His people. God’s servants must be living sacrifices, “an offering unto the Lord” (Num. 8:13; Rom. 12:1). We serve the Lord by serving His people, but our orders must come from God. “Ourselves your servants for Jesus’ sake” (2 Cor. 4:5). 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 (Num. 8:19, and see 1:53). The priests and Levites camped immediately around the tabernacle precincts and served as a protective wall against those who wanted to invade the holy area and thus invite the judgment of God. So today, leaders in local churches must be diligent to protect the flock from those who would destroy it. “Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock,” was Paul’s admonition to the leaders of the Ephesian church (Acts 20: nkjv), and he warned them that dangerous enemies would arise from both outside the church and within the congregation (vv. 29–31). God’s servants must ever be on the alert and courageous to confront the enemies of God’s truth.

To Kadesh: Tempting the Lord (9:15— Following God’s guidance (Num. 9:15—10:10) 12:16) The Israelites were a pilgrim people, marching through the wilderness like an army, and they constantly needed the guidance of God. Their goal was the Promised Land, and the God who delivered them from Egypt promised to bring them into their inheritance if they would trust Him and obey His will.

Knowing the will of God and doing it is vitally important to a fulfilled and fruitful Christian life. Jeremiah was correct when he said, “O Lord, I know the way of man is not in himself; it is not in man who walks to direct his own steps” (Jer. 10:23). The child of God who fails to say, “If the Lord will,” is destined for disappointment and failure (James 4:13–17).

To assist us today in determining and doing God’s will, we have the Holy Spirit within us (Rom. 8:26–27; Acts 16:6–7), the Word of God before us (Ps. 119:105), and the interceding Savior above us who providentially works on our behalf (Rom. 8:28–34). To guide Israel in their journey, God gave them the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night (Num. 9:15–23), and to announce the will of God to the people, He ordered the priests to blow two silver trumpets (10:1–10).

The pillar of cloud and fire (9:15–23). This miraculous pillar first appeared at the exodus (Ex. 13:21–22), and it remained with Israel throughout their journey (Neh. 9:19). When the Israelites set up camp, the pillar hovered over the tabernacle at the center of the camp, reminding the people day and night that their God abode with them (Num. 9:17; this is the Hebrew word shekinah) and would guide them a day at a time, a step at a time. It must have been an awesome sight!

Seven times in this paragraph you find the phrase “the commandment of the Lord” (vv. 18, 20, 23). The movements of the pillar were ordered by the Lord; He didn’t ask for the counsel of the leaders or the people (Isa. 40:13–14). Nor were the people of God able to predict what God would do next. The pillar might linger overnight and then move in the morning, or it might stay two days, a month, or even a year. But no matter when the pillar moved, by day or by night, the Jews had to be ready to pack up and follow.

It’s interesting to note that this miraculous pillar brought light to the people of Israel but darkness to their enemies (Ex. 14:19–20). In this respect, it symbolizes the Word of God, because those who don’t know Christ by faith simply can’t understand what the Word is saying (1 Cor. 3:12–16). In order to know the mind of God, we must submit to the will of God, and the first step is to put saving faith in Jesus Christ (Eph. 2:8–9). Then you move out of darkness and into God’s wonderful light (John 3:18–21; 1 Peter 2:9; 2 Cor. 4:6; Col. 1:13).

The priests and Levites, who lived near the tabernacle, probably assigned people to keep watch day and night so they would know when the pillar was moving. If we sincerely want to do the will of God, we must keep our eyes open and be alert at all times. The New Testament word for this attitude of alertness and expectancy is “watch” (Matt. 24:42; 25:13; 1 Cor. 16:13; 1 Thess. 5:6; 1 Peter 4:7).

Jesus called Himself “the Light of the world” (John 8:12), and He promised those who followed (trusted) Him that they would never walk in darkness. It’s a great privilege to “walk in the light” and enjoy fellowship with God and God’s people (1 John 1:4–10). To walk in darkness means to be out of the will of God, apart from the blessing of God, and in danger of the discipline of God. Why live in the shadows or in the darkness when you can have God’s smiling face shining on you (Num. 6:24–26)?

The silver trumpets (10:1–10). These two instruments were blown by the priests, not the Levites, although the Levites became the official musicians for the nation (1 Chron. 23:30; 25:1–3). These two trumpets were used, not to accompany worship, but to communicate orders quickly to the camp of Israel. Not only did the leaders and people have to keep their eyes open and pay attention to the pillar over the tabernacle, but they also had to keep their ears open for the sound of the trumpets.

If Moses wanted to call an assembly of the people or the leaders, the trumpet blast would give the proper signal. Two trumpets would call the people, one trumpet would call the leaders. When it was time for the camp to move, the trumpets would give the signal for each set of three tribes to march, beginning with Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun at the east end of the tabernacle. The trumpets would also sound an alarm that commanded the soldiers to prepare for battle (Num. 31:1–6; 2 Chron. 13:13–15). Numbers 10: describes this trumpet blast as a prayer before God that He would give His people success in battle.

But even after the nation settled in the Promised Land, the blowing of the trumpets was important to remind them of the special festivals that were a part of their religious calendar (v. 10). The Feast of Trumpets ushered in the special religious events of the seventh month: the day of Atonement and the Feast of Tabernacles (29:1ff.; Lev. 23:23–43; Ps. 81:3). The blowing of trumpets announced the special celebrations of the Jewish people, including the beginning of the Year of Jubilee (Lev. 25:8–12).

Like the Old Testament people of God, the children of God today are awaiting “the sound of the trumpet” that signals our gathering together to Jesus as well as God’s declaration of war against a wicked world ready for judgment (1 Thess. 4:13–18; 1 Cor. 15:51–57). Until that hour, we remain a pilgrim people in this wilderness world, following His directions and serving Him faithfully.