Numbers 3:27-51  The Duties of the Levites – Part 2

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Numbers 3:27-51  The Duties of the Levites – Part 2

[Study Aired May 8, 2023]

Num 3:27  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.
Num 3:28  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.
Num 3:29  The families of the sons of Kohath shall pitch on the side of the tabernacle southward. 
Num 3:30  And the chief of the house of the father of the families of the Kohathites shall be Elizaphan the son of Uzziel. 
Num 3:31  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.
Num 3:32  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. 
Num 3:33  Of Merari was the family of the Mahlites, and the family of the Mushites: these are the families of Merari.
Num 3:34  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. 
Num 3:35  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. 
Num 3:36  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, 
Num 3:37  And the pillars of the court round about, and their sockets, and their pins, and their cords. 
Num 3:38  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. 
Num 3:39  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. 
Num 3:40  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. 
Num 3:41  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. 
Num 3:42  And Moses numbered, as the LORD commanded him, all the firstborn among the children of Israel.
Num 3:43  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. 
Num 3:44  And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 
Num 3:45  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. 
Num 3:46  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; 
Num 3:47  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:) 
Num 3:48  And thou shalt give the money, wherewith the odd number of them is to be redeemed, unto Aaron and to his sons. 
Num 3:49  And Moses took the redemption money of them that were over and above them that were redeemed by the Levites: 
Num 3:50  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: 
Num 3:51  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.

Introduction

This session looks at the roles of the Kohathites and the families of the sons of Merari, who were all part of the tribe of the Levites. It also takes a look at the payment of the redeemed amount resulting from the excess of the firstborns of Israel who were being replaced by the Levites as commanded by the Lord. We, His elect, are the laborers or the Levites who are replacing the firstborns. As our Lord Jesus stated, the laborers are always fewer than those who parade themselves as apostles of the gospel but are actually the firstborns who have been replaced. Such apostles think they have the legitimate right to lead the Lord’s people but are actually false apostles, deceitful workers who have transformed themselves into apostles of Christ.

Mat 9:37  Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; 
Mat 9:38  Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest. 

2Co 11:13  For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. 
2Co 11:14  And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. 
2Co 11:15  Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.

Num 3:27  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. 

Kohath is the second son of Levi, and the name Kohath signifies an assembly. As we know, there are two types of assembly in the sight of God – the Babylonian assembly and that of the elect. Since the Kohathites belong to the Levite order and not the priesthood, they represent Babylonian assembly or Jerusalem, which is in bondage with her children.

Gal 4:25  For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children. 
Gal 4:26  But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.
Gal 4:27  For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath an husband.

The names of the sons of Kohath are Amram, Izehar, Hebron and Uzziel. Amram means ‘exalted people’, Izehar means ‘anointed’, Hebron signifies ‘seat of association’ and Uzziel means ‘the strength of God’. What these names imply is that the Kohathites are associated with the exalted people of God (the elect) who are anointed through the strength of the Lord. This is affirmed through the following scripture:

Num 18:2  And thy brethren also of the tribe of Levi, the tribe of thy father, bring thou with thee, that they may be joined unto thee, and minister unto thee: but thou and thy sons with thee shall minister before the tabernacle of witness.

Num 18:4  And they shall be joined unto thee, and keep the charge of the tabernacle of the congregation, for all the service of the tabernacle: and a stranger shall not come nigh unto you.

Num 3:28  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.

The number of males of the Kohathites counted was 8,600. This means that being a Kohathite (the significance of the number 6) is all part of the process of giving birth to the new man who is after the image of Christ. As we are aware, it is as we come out of the Babylonian system (Kohathites) that Christ begins to transform us into new creatures, that is, the new man begins to be formed in us.

Col 3:10  And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:

Num 3:29  The families of the sons of Kohath shall pitch on the side of the tabernacle southward.

The families of the sons of Kohath were to dwell on the southward side of the tabernacle. Pitching their camp on the south side of the tabernacle of congregation means that their dwelling portion in this life is towards the sea. In other words, this group are those who start their journey with the Lord. However, the pull of the sea of flesh denied them from attaining the higher calling of the Lord.

Eze 48:28  And by the border of Gad, at the south side southward, the border shall be even from Tamar unto the waters of strife in Kadesh, and to the river toward the great sea.

Mat 13:22  He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful. 

Num 3:30  And the chief of the house of the father of the families of the Kohathites shall be Elizaphan the son of Uzziel. 

The leader of the Kohathites is called Elizaphan which means ‘my God has protected’. The implication here is that in the grand scheme of the Lord, He is the one who is protecting the Kohathites to play the role of capturing the Lord’s children in Babylonian captivity until the set times that they are released to know Christ. 

Eph 1:11  In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:

Psa 137:1  By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept, when we remembered Zion. 
Psa 137:2  We hanged our harps upon the willows in the midst thereof. 
Psa 137:3  For there they that carried us away captive required of us a song; and they that wasted us required of us mirth, saying, Sing us one of the songs of Zion.

Num 3:31  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.

These Kohathites are to take care of the ark, the table, the candlesticks, the altars and all the vessels used in the Holy place. As we indicated in the previous study, the Kohathites, who were part of the Levites, are given to the elect to help them minister to the Lord. They do the initial leg work of using the law of Moses as our schoolmaster to lead us to Christ. After we get to know Christ through faith, we are no longer under their influence or the law of Moses. Today’s Kohathites also represent the Christian religion. They are focused on building and taking care of physical churches (tabernacle of testimony). In other words, they are protecting the legacy of the Christian religion.

Gal 3:24  Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. 
Gal 3:25  But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.

Num 3:32  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. 

Eleazer, the Priest, was the appointed leader of the Levites as he oversaw the work of the Levites. Eleaser means ‘God is help’. We can therefore say that the Lord Jesus Christ is the one who helps our brothers and sisters in Babylon carry out their work, which is related to the letter of the word which brings death. As we all know, all the good and the evil things that are happening in this world are all part of the plan of the Lord. As the Bible indicates, all things, whether good or evil, are being done for our sakes, the elect, including the work of the false apostles in Babylon.

1Co 3:21  Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours; 
1Co 3:22  Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours; 

Num 3:33  Of Merari was the family of the Mahlites, and the family of the Mushites: these are the families of Merari.
Num 3:34  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.

Merari was the last son of Merari. The sons of Merari were Mahli and Mushi. Mahli means ‘weak’, and Mushi signifies ‘yielding’. This spiritually means that since our flesh is weak, we naturally yield to the deeds of the flesh. That is what characterized our lives in Babylon as we were yielding to the deeds of the flesh because of what we hear from our leaders in Babylon.

Mat 26:41  Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.

2Pe 2:18  For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error.
2Pe 2:19  While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage. 
2Pe 2:20  For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. 
2Pe 2:21  For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. 
2Pe 2:22  But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.

The total number of the males that were counted for the families of Merari was 6,200. This signifies that the weakness of our flesh as man (the meaning of the number 6) serves as a witness (the meaning of the number 2) to our failure to inherit the promise unless the Lord intervenes by driving us out of Babylon (families of Merari).

Rev 18:4  And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.

The name Merari means ‘bitter’, which is part of the deeds of the flesh which we are warned by the Lord can disqualify us for the prize.

Heb 12:15  Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled; 
Heb 12:16  Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright. 
Heb 12:17  For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.

Num 3:35  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. 

The head of the families of Merari is Zuriel which means ‘God is a rock’. This is therefore to let us know that our Lord Jesus is the one who is actively involved in the affairs of the families of Merari who represent Babylon. 

Dan 4:17  This matter is by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones: to the intent that the living may know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basest of men.

The fact that the families of the Merari were required to dwell on the northern side of the tabernacle suggests that this group is far away from the sea of flesh. Thus, the sons of the Merari represent our brothers and sisters in Babylon who have escaped from the corruption that is in the world through lust of the flesh but are being entrapped into it due to false doctrines perpetrated by their leaders. This affirms our earlier assertion of the spiritual state of this group of the Levites.

2Pe 2:20  For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. 
2Pe 2:21  For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. 
2Pe 2:22  But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.

Num 3:36  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, 
Num 3:37  And the pillars of the court round about, and their sockets, and their pins, and their cords.

The responsibility of the sons of Merari was toward the frames of the tabernacle, the bars, the pillars, the bases, and all their accessories. In addition to this, they were to take care of the pillars around the court, with their bases and pegs and cords and the services connected with these. All these responsibilities relate to superficial aspects of serving the Lord. It has nothing to do with worshiping the Lord in truth and in spirit, which is the portion of the elect. What Jesus told the Samaritan woman at the well that they worship what they do not know is very relevant today. Many worship another Jesus thinking it is the Lord Jesus Christ.

Joh 4:21  Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. 
Joh 4:22  You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. 
Joh 4:23  But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him.
Joh 4:24  God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”

Num 3:38  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. 

It was Moses, Aaron and his sons who were required to dwell on the East side of the tabernacle. It is from the East that the sun of righteousness rises with healing in its wings. This affirms that Moses, Aaron and his sons, who represent the priesthood, symbolize the elect who are first to experience the rise of the sun of righteousness in this life.

Mal 4:2  But for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings. You shall go out leaping like calves from the stall. 
Mal 4:3  And you shall tread down the wicked, for they will be ashes under the soles of your feet, on the day when I act, says the LORD of hosts.

The wicked in Malachi 4:3 refers to our old man who we are destined to tread down.

We are told in Numbers 3:38 that the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death. The stranger represents all those who are not called and chosen but are forcing themselves into the kingdom of God. Our Lord Jesus mentioned that the kingdom of God has suffered violence since John the Baptist as strangers try to usurp the rightful owners (the elect) through their perceived will. 

Mat 11:12  From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and the violent take it by force. (ESV)

As we know, the kingdom of God, which rightfully belongs to the elect, is given but is not there to be taken. Many people of various religions of this world including Christianity are typical examples of strangers coming nigh to take what belongs to the elect and are therefore put to death as shown in verse 38. Being put to death means they are blinded with thick darkness by the Lord and kept until judgment as shown in these verses: 

2Pe 2:1  But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. 
2Pe 2:2  And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed. 
2Pe 2:3  And in their greed they will exploit you with false words. Their condemnation from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep. 
2Pe 2:4  For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to chains of gloomy darkness to be kept until the judgment; 

2Pe 2:9  then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment until the day of judgment, 
2Pe 2:10  and especially those who indulge in the lust of defiling passion and despise authority. Bold and willful, they do not tremble as they blaspheme the glorious ones,

Num 3:39  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. 

As indicated in the previous study, the Levites needed to be counted. The reason the Levites were counted was that since they were required to replace the firstborns, it was necessary that the number of Levites had to be equal to the number of firstborns of Israel and that any shortage would then be redeemed. The number of the Levites counted was 22,000. On a positive note, this number suggests that we, the elect, who are replacing those who have been shown mercy are called and chosen to become witnesses of Christ. 

Rom 11:30  For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief: 
Rom 11:31  Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy. 
Rom 11:32  For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all. 

Num 3:40  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. 
Num 3:41  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. 
Num 3:42  And Moses numbered, as the LORD commanded him, all the firstborn among the children of Israel.
Num 3:43  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.

Spiritually, the Levites replacing the firstborn of the children of Israel is a foretaste of the fact that the Lord’s election is no longer dependent on a person’s pedigree or his or her birth. Paul made this clear when through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, he made the statement that it is not one who is born a Jew that counts, but a Jew is a person who worships the Lord in truth and in spirit. 

Rom 2:28  For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: 
Rom 2:29  But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.

The number of the firstborn counted was 22,273. This means that at the completion of the ages (the significance of the number 7), all those who were initially shown mercy will become witnesses of Christ (the significance of the number 2) as they go through the process of spiritual maturity through judgment (the significance of the number 3).

Num 3:44  And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 
Num 3:45  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. 
Num 3:46  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; 
Num 3:47  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:) 
Num 3:48  And thou shalt give the money, wherewith the odd number of them is to be redeemed, unto Aaron and to his sons. 
Num 3:49  And Moses took the redemption money of them that were over and above them that were redeemed by the Levites: 
Num 3:50  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: 
Num 3:51  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. 

The amount of money paid to Aaron and his sons as a result of the difference in number between the firstborn and the Levites was 1,365 shekels. This amount shows us the sacrifice that our Lord Jesus Christ made on our behalf for us to be considered part of the commonwealth of God’s people.

Eph 2:12  That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: 
Eph 2:13  But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. 
Eph 2:14  For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;
Eph 2:15  Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; 
Eph 2:16  And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby: 
Eph 2:17  And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh. 
Eph 2:18  For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.

The redeemed amount of 1,365 shekels shows us that we need to have the same mind with Christ or to be united with Christ (the significance of the number 1) in our lives here as men (the significance of the number 6). This is achieved by the process of spiritual maturity through judgment (the significance of the number 3). All this is possible by grace through faith (the significance of the number 5). This grace through faith is made possible through the Lord’s sacrifice with His life. We, the elect, are those who have been redeemed through the precious blood of Christ. 

Eph 1:7  In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; 
Eph 1:8  Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence; 
Eph 1:9  Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: 
Eph 1:10  That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:

May the Lord be merciful to us as He continues to redeem us!! Amen!!

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