Numbers 8:1-26
IN THE end of the last chapter we I read that Moses went into the tabernacle to speak to the Lord and he heard the voice of One speaking to him from off the mercy seat, from between the cherubim. It was the voice of God giving instructions as to the candlestick. And He said unto Moses: “Speak unto Aaron, and say unto him, When thou lightest the lamps, the seven lamps shall give light over against the candlestick.” It was Aaron (not the Levites) who was to light the lamps and keep them burning. It is the priesthood of the Lord Jesus in the presence of God that sustains the true light and testimony in this world. The light of the lamps was to throw light on the candlestick so that its beauty might be seen. The candlestick, or lamp stand, is a type of the Lord Jesus who is the true light of God, and the seven lamps sustained by the oil are but a type of the Holy Spirit. And so the Spirit’s blessed work is to glorify Christ in this world.
When we think of Numbers as the wilderness book, and that the people were getting ready to march, we can understand why these instructions as to the candlestick come in here. We need the Lord Jesus and the light of His presence to guide us on our journey. At the same time our walk and our ways through this world should be according to that light, which shines upon every page of Scripture.
Then too we as Christians are “light in the Lord"; we have that light within us. As we travel along through this dark scene, we are to let our light shine and so glorify the Lord Jesus our Redeemer.
After this followed the consecration of the Levites. We learned earlier that they belonged to the Lord and were given to Aaron and his sons for the service of the tabernacle. Here they are connected with every Israelite in a very special way. The Israelites laid their hands upon their Levite brethren and thus identified themselves with them as set apart for the Lord. They are thus seen as the people’s representatives and typically their service bonged to all God’s people.
The Lord said of the Levites, “They are Mine,” and we, who are typified here in the Levites, should always remember this in our service! We are called to serve in happy obedience to Him who has loved us and bought us with His precious blood, while at the same time we should be ready to serve all our brethren.
The years of service of the Levites was from the age of 25 to 50. No particular age limit was given for a priest. The descendants of Aaron were all priests. There are forms of service for the Lord which shall cease when we leave this world, but as priests we shall serve Him in His presence in the glory forever.
“Unto Him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and path made us kings and priests unto God and His Father; to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.”
ML-06/03/1973