Numbers 18:2-32
God cannot pass over sin, but since we have such a Great High Priest and Advocate the Lord Jesus— God can go on with us now as His people, even though we are so weak and failing, just as He could go on with Israel through the priesthood. of Aaron. Now, as priests (for every believer is a priest), we are to lay hold of this according to God. There is that which is suited to His presence, and we are to act thus, as Aaron’s sons did on God’s behalf.
Because of this charge and responsibility—as well as privilege (for the very service was a “gift”)—they could share in the offerings of the Lord. In this we can see that while there is a deep responsibility in serving the Lord, there is also a special joy for our own souls in it. The more we speak of the precious work of Christ in all its various aspects, the more we get spiritual food for ourselves, just as the priests who offered the sacrifices received a portion of them for themselves and their families. All who were in the families of the priests were to eat the meat offering, the trespass offering, and the sin offering, in the most holy——or as a most holy thing. It is a serious thing, as well as a blessed thing, to have to do with the sins of the people on God’s behalf; it is to think of the cost of that perfect work which Christ accomplished, as well as the grace that meets the needs of the people through it.
Then there was the firstfruits of the land which were offered to the Lord, and they were to be the priest’s portion, as well as the flesh of all the firstlings of clean animals offered to the Lord. These are typical of the joys of seeing God’s blessings to souls—of His harvest being gathered in, of souls being born again, and of any measure of devotedness seen among the children of God. All these things rejoice the heart of one who serves the Lord, and are like the “priest’s portion.”
Indeed, there will be a reward for any service to the Lord, for God will never be any man’s debtor, The Lord told Aaron that the Levites because of then service were to receive the tithe (one tenth) which the children of Israel offered to the Lord of all their possessions, as well as having a place of nearness to Him. We who are saved can taste something of the joys of serng the Lord, in a measure even now as we shall in fullness above. What a privilege to act for Him here. How often we draw back from the responsilities of such a path, thus missing the joys that are only known in it. Even children can do little things for the Lord, which He values much. The enemy of our souls would tell us of all the hardships of following and serving the Lord, but will never tell us of the joy that is to be found in yielding ourselves wholly to Him. The Levites did not have a foot of ground which they could really call their own, but the Lord said, “I am thy part and thine inheritance,” and surely that was more than enough. He undertook to provide for all their needs, giving them the best of all the increase of the land, through the tithe which they received, and all this because they served Him. Of course our blessings now are heavenly, not earthly, but let us be sure that the Lord will undertake for all our needs, and give us even better things to enjoy than the Levites of old, making our cup truly run over. Let us willingly give ourselves to the Lord, for He is worthy, is He not?
ML 11/11/1951