October 12, 2024
Please use the comment section on this page to share insights from today’s reading OR your own personal Bible reading.
Reading along with us in Numbers and Colossians? Here’s today’s reading:
Numbers 4 (NIV)
The Kohathites
1 The Lord said to Moses and Aaron: 2“Take a census of the Kohathite branch of the Levites by their clans and families. 3 Count all the men from thirty to fifty years of age who come to serve in the work at the tent of meeting.……Continue Reading
I read something interesting in a commentary on this chapter that helped me to appreciate the chapter a great deal…
“Much trouble is caused in the service of the LORD by those who desire a different calling than they have, or who are jealous of those who have a different calling, or by those who exalt one calling and abase another. Everyone has a place and a job, and all can set themselves to do it.”
God really has designed us with individual strengths and weakness, talents and gifts in order to make one working body. Often we either desire to do something outside of the will of God for us or fight against doing the thing we know He desires us to do. This chapter shows us that God has a design in making each person who they are and what their role is in His work and we need to pray, listen, and follow God to be sure we are doing the work He intended for us to do.
I was thinking about this too. We have such mindset of selfishness and “my rights” that we balk against the Lord’s calling. I think of motherhood or parenting in our modern day. It’s a “calling” that is set aside for personal fulfillment. There many other “callings” just by virtue of being a believer in a given circumstance.
While reading I couldn’t help myself thinking, the poor Levites have no choice. Yep, that’s right the Lord Himself has determined their vocation in life. Actually, what a blessing!
Numbers 4
The Levites all had their responsibilities, ministering in the Tabernacle. Even though the descendants of Kohath were to carry the most holiness of the Tabernacle, they were not to touch or look upon the items or they would die. The items had to first be taken down and covered properly by Aaron and his sons. This is how important it is to God our Creator as it should be with us. Thank God we have someone who stands in our place. {Lord Jesus Christ}. Notice the ages of the men that were to serve in this ministry. In this chapter; the ages are from 30 to 50. Numbers 4:3, 23, 30. However the ages are changed in Numbers 8:24-26 from 25 to 50. Perhaps this was for practical reasons. Like learning curve or lack of numbers. At any rate it probably doesn`t matter. But this is at the ages when men are in their prime. Most mentally and physically fit. This doesn`t prevent the older men after retiring from giving assistance to the younger men as needed. After all if men are growing in the Lord; they should have more godly wisdom, and experience to teach the younger men. There is still a role for everyone. God bless you brothers and sisters.
How striking the various elements of the tent of meeting and the care it took to move it. I couldn’t help think of how special and intentional people were the first time moving it as compared to the fiftieth or the hundredth. It just reminds us when it comes to the things of God that each time is special and we should approach our work whatever it is with an intentionality and enthusiasm even that is commensurate with the God we serve.
Numbers 4