Read Numbers 3 here (text coming …) or at Bible Gateway.
The Hebrew paragraphs:
3:1-4 {p} The sons of Aaron who ministered as priests
3:5-10 {p} Aaron and sons attend to his priesthood, Levites attend to Aaron and the tabernacle
3:11-13 {p} YHVH has taken the Levites instead of every firstborn
3:14-26 {s} Number the Levites/ Gershon
3:27-39 {s} Kohath/ Eleazar/ Merari/ camp of Moses and Aaron/ number of Levites
3:40-43 {p} The number of the firstborn males
3:44-51 {p} The redemption money for the firstborn given to Aaron
That the Levites are not numbered with the children of Israel has been a Repeating Pattern since the beginning of the book. In fact, the Levites are set apart from the rest of Israel (“set apart” is the definition of holy). Now we learn that the Levites are set apart in the place of the firstborn:
Then YHVH spoke to Moses, saying, “Now behold, I Myself have taken the Levites from among the children of Israel instead of every firstborn who opens the womb among the children of Israel. Therefore the Levites shall be Mine, because all the firstborn are Mine. On the day that I struck all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, I sanctified to Myself all the firstborn in Israel, both man and beast. They shall be Mine: I am YHVH.” Num 3:11-13
We have previously seen in the Law, that the firstborn son of the family received the blessing and the birthright, and he would act as mediator and priest for his family and his family’s clan when the father passed away. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob all built altars and offered sacrifices and called on the name of YHVH. When Israel first came out of Egypt, it was still this way.
And Moses wrote all the words of YHVH. And he rose early in the morning, and built an altar at the foot of the mountain, and twelve pillars, according to the twelve tribes of Israel. Then he sent young men of the children of Israel, who offered burnt offerings and sacrificed peace offerings of oxen to YHVH. Exo 24:4-5
So when did everything change? At the golden calf. The children of Israel made for themselves a golden calf, and sacrificed to it, and worshiped it.
Now when Moses saw that the people were unrestrained (for Aaron had not restrained them, to their shame among their enemies), then Moses stood in the entrance of the camp, and said, “Whoever is on YHVH’s side– come to me!” And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together to him. Exo 32:25-26
The sons of Levi were the ones who came at the call, “Who is on YHVH’s side?” The sons of Levi slew three thousand idolaters that day, and sanctified themselves as on YHVH’s side from that day forward. So now, in Num 3, God is formally declaring that the Levites will serve Him in all things regarding Aaron and the tabernacle, instead of the firstborn sons of the children of Israel.
I have always wondered why Aaron remained in his office, or even remained alive, even though the Scripture seems to say that he was the one who made the golden calf. The above Scripture seems to say that Aaron did not restrain the people, not that he led them or condoned what they were doing. At that stage of his ministry and growth (he had not yet been consecrated in his priesthood) he may have felt coerced, and did not feel he had the authority of Moses to restrain the people. It just goes to show that we humans are completely inadequate at judging the thoughts and intentions of people’s hearts. How important it is for us to leave questions of who will be saved in YHVH’s capable hands. Some things are too high for us!
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