Numbers 4:15-5:28
Although the Kohathites had the wonderful privilege of carrying these holy vessels, they could not see them being covered. They had to wait until Aaron and his sons had covered them before going in to carry them. In applying this to ourselves, I have no doubt we learn that although such wonderful truths have been committed to us, we must hold them in all humility of mind. Alas, how some who have had a wonderful knowledge of the truth have tried to go beyond what was written, and have attempted to fathom the mystery of the Person of Christ, or explain away some of His glories, only to be smitten for their pride.
As we have noticed in a previous “Bible Talk,” the Levites did not begin their service until they were thirty years of age, although they were nuered from a month old. With what care they would undoubtedly be taught and trained until the time came when they were to serve the Lord in His appointed way. May we remind those who are younger too, that as the older ones are taken home, new responsibilities rest upon you, and it is only by diligent reading of the Word and prayer accompanied by a walk with God when you are young, that you will be able to “keep the charge of the Lord” in the place where the Lord has put you.
In the service of the sons of Merari (and in theirs alone) we notice that their service is given by name. As we have remarked before, their service typifies our service to the saints of God. How needful that we have an individual interest in each of the Lord’s people. We all like to be called by name, and if we are going to help the saints we should learn to know them by name. The Lord called Moses, Zaccheus, and Mary, by name, an dhow their hearts were melted in presence. Let us learn to have the same care one for another.
God dwelt in the midst of Israel and He could not have defilements in His presence, so He commanded that all lepers and defiled persons were to be put outside the camp. We are also told that if a man wronged another man, he was to make it right with the man he had wronged, as well as bringing a trespass offering to the Lord. It is not enough, if we have wronged someone, to own it to the Lord, we should also make it right with the person we have wronged, if at all possible. There was to be no passing over of sin among the people of God—all must be dealt with according to God’s holiness.
Then there was the trial of jealousy, when a husband thought his wife had been untrue to him. She was to be brought to the priest and tried by the bitter water. In type this would tell us of Christ, Israel’s true Husband (Isaiah 34:5), who could not allow His people to go on in their wicked ways, for if a husband in Israel did not try his wife when she was suspected, he was identified with her in the guilt. Alas, how untrue Israel has been to the Lord, worshiping idols, and then rejecting Christ when He came. All this is going to be manifested some day, just as the bitter water made known if the wife had been untrue. Through the terrible tribulation period, God will deal with Israel and then, since Christ took their guilty place in judgment, the godly will be brought to repentance and final blessing with their true Husband in the millennial day. For apostate Israel, who have no heart for Christ, it will mean their cutting off in judgment.
ML 07/15/1951