Wednesday Evening
April 25, 2007
Numbers 8:1-26
Lamps, Levites, and Retirement
Dr. Ligon Duncan
III
I’d invite you to turn with me to Numbers 8. We have been
working through Numbers for a number of weeks now. The last time we were
together in Numbers, we were in the longest chapter in the Bible, Numbers 7;
that runs to 89 verses. And we said that it describes a unique event in Israel’s
history, a twelve-day event when gifts were brought to the tent of meeting–all
of the gifts the same, each brought by a tribal leader, one each day. The same
leaders brought the gifts as had been responsible for the census that was taken
and recorded back in Numbers 2. And we said, looking at that long passage, that
the passage highlights at least five things.
First of all, the importance and the function of
giving in worship. The gifts that were given were a picture of giving of the
tribes to God…the tribes giving themselves to God, so that giving in
worship was a physical, tangible picture of giving ourselves to the Lord. Of
course the Apostle Paul speaks of that in Romans 12:1,2–living sacrifices,
we are to be. We are to “present ourselves to the Lord as living sacrifices,
which is our reasonable [or spiritual] service of worship.”
Secondly, we said that this passage pointed out
the extraordinary privilege of meeting with God. All of these gifts were
designed around the tabernacle service. They were designed to provide for the
things that were going to be necessary for carrying out the tabernacle services,
and of course they were presented in the very context of meeting with God at the
tabernacle, and so they served to highlight the privilege that God’s people have
in coming to God and drawing near to Him, in meeting with Him, in engaging with
Him, in communing with Him, in fellowshipping with Him, in worshiping Him at the
tabernacle.
Thirdly, we said that this passage points out the
responsibility of hearing the word of God. And especially as we looked at
verse 89, we saw that stressed. It’s something we’ll see stressed again tonight,
by the way.
Fourth, we said that this passage points out the
necessity of cleansing and pardon and forgiveness, and the very sacrifices
that were offered indicated the need for cleansing, for pardon, for forgiveness,
if Israel was going to commune in fellowship with God.
And then, finally, we also said that verse 89 points
out the four-fold blessing that God gave to Israel as King, loving Father,
Teacher, and Provider.
Well, that brings us to Numbers 8 tonight, and this
is a passage that may well catch you by surprise. It outlines fairly easily. If
you look at verses 1-4, in them we have the instructions given by God to Moses,
and then from Moses to Aaron, concerning the lamps or the lampstands that were
to be used in the tabernacle.
Secondly, if you look at verses 5-22, you have a long
description of the requirements for ritual cleansing for the Levites. Here we
have a long description of (in verses 5-20) the consecration of the Levites, the
manner in which the Levites were consecrated.
And then in verses 20-21, you have a recounting that
the children of Israel, the Levites, the priests under the guidance of Aaron,
had done exactly what the Lord had told them to do regarding the consecration of
the Levites.
So that’s the second part of the chapter. The first
part of the chapter deals with the lampstands and how they are to be handled.
The second part deals with the consecration of the Levites. The third part deals
with the Levitical pension plan…well, actually not. It deals with retirement; a
mandatory age of retirement from the heavy lifting in the tabernacle is
specified by the Lord here.
And as we look at this passage tonight, I want to
draw your attention especially to six things.
The first one you’ll see in verses 1 and 2, and
that is simply this: That Moses conveys God’s word to Aaron faithfully. In
verses 1 and 2, Moses conveys God’s word to Aaron faithfully.
Then if you look at verse 3, there’s a second
thing we’re going to look at tonight. Here I want you to see Aaron obeying God’s
word fully.
Thirdly, I want you to look at verses 5-7, and
also 12, where the consecration of the Levites is explained, and especially
their cleansing is explained in light of the fact that they are sinners who need
cleansing. If they’re going to be used for holy purposes, they need to be
cleansed.
Fourth, as we look at the totality of what we
learn in verses 5-20, I want you to understand that Numbers 8 is what lies
behind Matthew 3:12-15 and the parallel passages regarding the baptism of Jesus.
It’s this passage that is behind and supplies us an important clue to the
understanding of Jesus’ own baptism. If you, like I did for so many years, ever
wondered why did Jesus need to be baptized? Well, Numbers 8 explains
it–especially in light of what Jesus says to John in Matthew 3.
Fifth, I want us to think for just a few moments
about the minimum age of Levitical ordination. There’s a textual problem in
Numbers. In Numbers 5, we’re told that the starting age for labor in the
tabernacle is…anybody?…25. But back in Numbers 4:22, the number is…30. So why
two different numbers? And I’m going to offer–let me just say ahead of time–a
speculation about that. I hope it is a biblically grounded speculation, but you
are under no obligation to take my speculation here as the only possible
explanation. There are in fact probably four or five different ways of
explaining this, but I think it’s a very interesting thing.
And then, sixth, I want you to see how God cares
for His servants, and you see this especially in verse 25 pertaining to the
retirement age of the Levites.
So we’re going to look at those six things together
tonight, but let’s begin by praying and hearing God’s word read. Let’s pray.
Father, this is Your word. We ask that You would
open our eyes to behold wonderful things from Your Law. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
“Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, ‘Speak to Aaron and say to
him, ‘When you mount the lamps, the seven lamps will give light in the front of
the lampstand.’’ Aaron therefore did so; he mounted its lamps at the front of
the lampstand, just as the Lord had commanded Moses. Now this was the
workmanship of the lampstand, hammered work of gold; from its base to its
flowers, it was hammered work; according to the pattern which the Lord had
showed Moses, so he made the lampstand.
“Again the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, ‘Take the Levites from among
the sons of Israel and cleanse them. And thus you shall do to them, for their
cleansing: sprinkle purifying water on them, and let them use a razor over their
whole body, and wash their clothes, and they shall be clean. Then let them take
a bull with its grain offering, fine flour mixed with oil; and a second bull you
shall take for a sin offering. So you shall present the Levites before the tent
of meeting. You shall also assemble the whole congregation of the sons of
Israel, and present the Levites before the Lord; and the sons of Israel shall
lay their hands on the Levites. And Aaron then shall present the Levites before
the Lord as a wave offering from the sons of Israel, that they may qualify to
perform the service of the Lord. Now the Levites shall lay their hands on the
heads of the bulls; then offer the one for a sin offering and the other for a
burnt offering to the Lord, to make atonement for the Levites. And you shall
have the Levites stand before Aaron and before his sons so as to present them as
a wave offering to the Lord.
“ ‘Thus you shall separate the Levites from among the sons of
Israel, and the Levites shall be Mine. Then after that the Levites may go in to
serve the tent of meeting. But you shall cleanse them and present them as a wave
offering; for they are wholly given to Me from among the sons of Israel. I have
taken them for Myself instead of the first issue of the womb, the first-born of
all the sons of Israel. For every first-born among the sons of Israel is Mine,
among the men and among the animals; on the day that I struck down all the
first-born in the land of Egypt I sanctified them for Myself. But I have taken
the Levites instead of every first-born among the sons of Israel. And I have
given the Levites as a gift to Aaron and to his sons from among the sons of
Israel, to perform the service of the sons of Israel at the tent of meeting, and
to make atonement on behalf of the sons of Israel, that there may be no plague
among the sons of Israel by their coming near to the sanctuary.’
“Thus did Moses and Aaron and all the congregation of the sons of
Israel to the Levites; according to all that the Lord had commanded Moses
concerning the Levites, so the sons of Israel did to them. The Levites, too,
purified themselves from sin and washed their clothes; and Aaron presented them
as a wave offering before the Lord. Aaron also made atonement for them to
cleanse them. Then after that the Levites went in to perform their service in
the tent of meeting before Aaron and before his sons; just as the Lord had
commanded Moses concerning the Levites, so they did to them.
“Now the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, ‘This is what applies to the
Levites: from twenty-five years old and upward they shall enter to perform
service in the work of the tent of meeting. But at the age of fifty years they
shall retire from service in the work and not work any more. They may, however,
assist their brothers in the tent of meeting, to keep an obligation; but they
themselves shall do no work. Thus you shall deal with the Levites concerning
their obligations.’”
Amen. Thus ends this reading of God’s holy, inspired, and
inerrant word. May He write its eternal truth upon our hearts.
I. Moses conveys God’s word to
Aaron faithfully.
Six things I want you to see briefly tonight, and
the first thing pertains to Moses’ conveying God’s word to Aaron faithfully, in
verses 1 and 2. Do you notice how this goes? God speaks to Moses, Moses
speaks exactly what God has spoken to him to Aaron, and then Aaron does what God
spoke to Moses and told Moses to speak to Aaron. And this is the perfect picture
of what a preacher is called to do: to convey God’s word without amendment to
his people; not to do what God has called someone else to do; not to change what
God has said, but to deliver the word of God to His people so that His people
can do what God has told them to do. And so we have here a perfect picture of
Moses, the preacher.
It’s interesting that Moses here is told by the Lord
to tell something to Aaron that Moses himself is not allowed to do. The thing
that Aaron is to do is something that is unique to Aaron’s own responsibility.
Aaron alone has the responsibility of fulfilling these tasks. Moses delivers the
word of the Lord, but it’s Aaron’s responsibility to fulfill this particular
word of the Lord.
And so we’re seeing a beautiful picture of the
preacher declaring God’s word to His people. That’s what the minister of the
gospel is called to do: to declare God’s word, God’s message, to His people. All
around us we see preachers that view their task otherwise. Sometimes they view
their task as to offer some sort of political commentary on the times.
I well remember reading a story by Harry Blamire, the
brilliant British scholar who was a student of C.S. Lewis, and who taught at
Kent and at Oxford, telling the story of going to a funeral of a young child who
had died. And the funeral homily, the message by the clergyman there, was a
railing attack on the local city water authority for failing to provide clean
water, which had eventuated in this child’s taking in some sort of bacteria and
dying. And so the funeral message was an assault upon the city water authority.
And Harry Blamire simply commented that “We went there looking for comfort from
God’s word, and we got a diatribe against the city authorities, which comforted
no one’s soul with the eternal saving truth of the gospel.” And so often we see
that in our culture today — ministers who look for “something else” to say to
the people of God. Moses is a beautiful example of what a preacher is supposed
to do: to preach God’s message, God’s word; to deliver it without amendment; and
to apply it faithfully to the people of God. There’s the first thing we see:
Moses the preacher faithfully conveying God’s word to Aaron.
II. The sinner listens and
obeys.
But there’s another thing I want you to see here.
Aaron the sinner listens and obeys. Remember, Aaron has not always been
obedient in his task. Aaron, once upon a time (at the cajoling, at the
beckoning, at the begging, at the prompting, at the call of the Israelites) made
a golden calf. But in this case, Aaron obeys God’s word fully.
It’s a beautiful picture of grace, isn’t it, that
Aaron is even here to do this? Aaron certainly deserved to fall under God’s
judgment for the role that he played in the idolatry of the golden calf
incident, but here he is hearing God’s word from his brother Moses, and obeying
fully that word, we’re told in verse 3. He hears the instructions regarding the
lampstand, and Moses simply says this:
“Aaron therefore did so. He mounted its lamps at the front of the lampstand,
just as the Lord had commanded Moses.”
He did exactly what God had called him to do. He obeyed
God’s word fully. And so we not only see Moses the preacher declaring God’s word
faithfully in verses 1 and 2, we see Aaron the sinner listening and obeying
God’s word fully in verse 3.
III. The reason the Levites were
required to be cleansed.
But then, thirdly, throughout the order of service
that is given for the consecration of the Levites, we see the reason why the
Levites were required to be cleansed. It is because they were sinners.
Listen to the language again of verses 6 and 7:
“ ‘Take the
Levites from among the sons of Israel and cleanse them.’”
Isn’t it interesting that the focal point of this
consecration ceremony is — what? Cleansing. The point of the symbolism is –
what? Cleansing. Cleansing from what? Cleansing from sin. Sacrifices are offered
in this consecration ceremony. What kind of sacrifices? Sin offerings. Guilt
offerings. Burnt offerings for atonement. What’s happening? The Levites are
being consecrated into the service of the Lord, but they’re sinners, and so
sacrifices have to be made for them to make them fit and acceptable for the
service that they are being called to. And so we’re told, for instance in verse
8, “ ‘Let them take a bull with its grain offering…’” and a second bull for a
sin offering, and present the Levites before the tent of meeting, and do this in
front of the whole congregation of Israel. So all of Israel was to see these sin
offerings being offered for the Levites. The Levites are cleansed and purified
in this ritual because they were sinners being called into a holy service.
It’s also interesting, isn’t it, that the Levites
through the ritual are clearly indicated to be substitutes for whom? For the
first-born of Israel, and by extension, for Israel as a whole. What is to
happen? The whole congregation comes and does what? Lays their hands on the
Levites, and then the Levites are presented to the Lord. And the sacrifices are
offered on their behalf, and then they’re allowed to go into service. And what’s
the picture? The picture is that the Levites are stand-ins for the whole
congregation of Israel, and they are especially stand-ins for whom? For the
first-born of Israel, because God had by rights laid claim to all the first-born
sons and animals of Israel, but in their place He had accepted instead–the
Levites. And so in the ritual, Israel lays their hands on the Levites, thus
indicating that the Levites are their representatives, their substitutes.
Then the Levites lay their hands on — what? They lay
their hands on the sacrifice. Thus indicating what? That the Levites’ sins have
been placed on the sacrifice. Then the sacrifice is offered, thus indicating
what? That the sacrifices have been accepted instead of the judgment that was
due to the Levites.
Now remember that scene, because it’s going to help
you understand the next point. Because my next point is this: Not only were the
Levites cleansed and purified in this consecration ritual…this is, by the way,
one of the many levitical baptisms. The book of Leviticus is filled with
baptisms, and the book of Numbers records some of those baptisms as well, and
this baptism is the baptism that was applied…the application of water that was
applied at the time of the consecration of the Levite. And it was done precisely
because they were sinners in need of grace, in need of sacrifice, called to a
holy service as representatives of Israel.
IV. Jesus’ baptism and levitical
baptism.
But what I want you to see fourthly here is that
Jesus’ baptism has behind it this levitical baptism. Turn with me to Matthew
3 and look especially at verses 13-15.
Matthew 3:13-15:
Matthew tells us that
“Jesus arrived from Galilee at the Jordan coming to John, to be baptized by him.
But John tried to prevent Him, saying, ‘I have need to be baptized by You, and
do You come to me?’ But Jesus answering said to him, ‘Permit it at this time;
for in this way it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.”
So we see here Jesus’ public ministry beginning with
baptism.
What’s that about? Just as the beginning of levitical
priests’ ministry began with consecration, with ceremonial purification, with
cleansing, with baptism, so Jesus’ ministry begins with a baptism. But of course
the irony here is that He who knew no sin submitted to John’s baptism. And what
did John call his baptism explicitly? It was a baptism of repentance. It
was a baptism of repentance; and so what does John say when Jesus comes to him
for baptism? He says, ‘Lord, I have need to be baptized by You! Why are You
coming to me for me to baptize You? You need to be baptizing me!’ We see
something here of John’s humility. Don’t you just love this man? This bold
prophet of the Lord who would stand up to the face of kings, when he sees the
Messiah coming to him and asking for baptism, his humble heart shows through,
and he says, ‘Lord, I’m not worthy to baptize You. You don’t need the baptism of
repentance. I need to be baptized by You.’ God has further honors for those
whose spirits continue low when their reputations rise, and here is John at the
very height of his ministry. Multitudes are following him, and he’s
acknowledging that he is not worthy to baptize Jesus; in fact, that he is in
need of Jesus’ baptism of him.
But then Jesus explains. He says, “John, permit it at
this time, for in this way it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.”
In other words, Jesus is saying, ‘John, you’re right. You do need to be baptized
by Me. But we need to do this to fulfill all righteousness.’[ And that’s
a technical phrase indicating the fulfillment of God’s commands pertaining to
those who are called into His service, and it has behind it Numbers 8.]
And there are at least six things that are set forth in Jesus’ baptism that have
in the background this passage, Numbers 8.
First of all, Jesus’ baptism by John links John’s
ministry to the ministry of the coming Messiah. It affirms John’s ministry
as from the Lord, and it links John’s ministry to Jesus’ building upon it. ‘This
fulfills all righteousness’ because John is playing the role of Elijah, who was
preparing the way for the messenger of the covenant, the Messiah, the One
anointed of the Lord. And so Jesus is saying ‘This fulfills all righteousness,
John. It links your ministry to Mine.’
Secondly, it was a way of definitively revealing
to John the person and work of Christ. You remember John is wrestling with
doubts, even though he said, “Behold, the Lamb of God who comes to take away the
sins of the world.” When John is thrown in prison, he sends word to Jesus: “Are
You the One we’re looking for, or is there another?” Jesus knew that John was
going struggle, such a momentous message did he have to deliver. And again, the
fact that Jesus submits to the baptism links his revelation to John’s baptism
and actually is a way of addressing John’s doubt.
Thirdly, it symbolizes Jesus’ identification with
His people and with their plight. It’s a way of confirming the rightness of
John’s message. John’s message and John’s baptism of repentance stresses what?
The one great need we have is forgiveness of sins. You can have everything else
and not that, and it doesn’t matter. The one great need that we have is
forgiveness of sins. But Jesus, the sinless One, by submitting to that baptism,
is taking the place of His people.
And this is the fourth thing that we see: It shows
publicly that Jesus is the Messiah who comes to take away the sins of the world.
It identifies Him as the sin bearer by receiving the baptism of repentance
even though He was sinless. ‘Yes, John, you’re right; I don’t need the baptism
of repentance. But I’m going to take it anyway, because My people do, and I am
going to accomplish what is necessary for their forgiveness in their place,
though I have no sin in Me.’
Fifthly, it shows the Father’s anointing of Jesus
for this work of ministry. Even as the Levites were set apart for service
through this ceremony of consecration, so the Father sets Jesus apart and shows
His seal of approval on His ministry through the consecration of baptism.
And then, finally, it shows Jesus’ willingness to
receive His ministry; that He is willing for the hands of all the people to
be laid on Him that He might bear their sins and provide their forgiveness as
the sacrifice, because Jesus does not lay His hand on another. He is the
priest and the sacrifice simultaneously, and so He bears the sign of His people
— baptism by water for the forgiveness of sins — though He does not sin Himself,
and is not sinful and needs no repentance, and needs no forgiveness, because in
His person and in His work, in His ministry and in His sacrifice, He is going to
provide the basis of their forgiveness of sins. And all this is in the
background of this levitical ceremonial cleansing, or baptism, or purification
here in Numbers 8. Jesus’ baptism has behind it this levitical baptism.
V.
Age limits for the priesthood.
Well, there’s another
thing I want you to see, and you see it if you turn over to Numbers 8:24.
“This is what applies to the Levites: from twenty-five years old and upward they
shall enter to perform service in the work of the tent of meeting.”
Now if you check the parallel passages in Numbers 4 and in
I Chronicles 23, what you’ll find is that in both of those passages, the age is
thirty. So why the difference? Well, first of all remember that this passage is
out of chronological order. There’s a logical order that’s being followed here,
and there are many excellent speculations on the part of the commentators, but
this is the one that caught my attention.
Could it be that the age of ordination was raised
from twenty-five to thirty after the event of Aaron’s sons, Nadab and Abihu,
offering strange fire on the altar? In both Chronicles, later in Israel’s
history, and earlier chronologically in the story of Numbers, the age given is
thirty. Now of course some of the rabbis speculated that 25-30 was an apprentice
period, and their official service began at thirty. But could it be that the
very event of Nadab and Abihu eventuated a change in the starting date of
ordination for the Levites? I don’t know. I don’t know. But it’s an interesting
thought.
VI. God’s care for His servants
by mandating their retirement.
The sixth and final thing I want you to see is in
verse 25. Here we’re told that “…at the age of fifty years they shall retire
from service in the work and not work any more.” No. I mean you can
imagine…one, life expectancy in the wilderness wouldn’t be like it is for us;
secondly, the work that the Levites did was back-breaking labor. And so from age
forty to fifty these men did heavy manual lifting, and what is explicitly said
in Numbers 8:24-26 is this: There were two types of labor that the Levites did,
the manual labor of lifting, and then guard duty. Levites above the retirement
age of fifty were allowed on a voluntary basis to go back and assist their
brother Levites in the guard duty, but they were not allowed to get back and do
the heavy lifting; and I think it is a beautiful picture of how God cares for
His servants. God never uses and abuses His servants. He knows their
limitations, He knows their needs. He does not ask them to give what is
unreasonable. He looks out for them. He protects them. And so I believe that
what we have in Numbers 8:25 is a beautiful picture of God’s providential care
for those who have reached an age where the duress and the demands of the labor
of the Levites in the tabernacle service, well, it’s time for those labors to be
over. There’s another labor waiting. Yes, they can continue to help their
younger brethren guard the tabernacle; yes, they can serve the Lord in other
ways. But now their days of heavy lifting are over. So it’s a reminder to us,
isn’t it, that in the Lord’s service we never have the right simply to use
someone up. We must always think of their best interests, even as the heavenly
Father cares for His servants.
Well, there you see it. Moses’ faithful word to
Aaron; Aaron’s obedience to God’s word fully; the Levites baptized (or
consecrated, or purified, or cleansed) because they were sinners; Jesus’ baptism
finding its root here in Numbers 8:5-20; God’s perhaps raising the age of
ordination, or providing for a five-year apprenticeship before the Levites went
into service; and then, God caring for His servants.
There’s actually so much more in this passage. It is
an exceedingly rich passage, but we’re reminded again of the abiding relevance
of the word of God, even in the book of Numbers.
Let’s pray.
Heavenly Father, thank You for Your word. Thank
You for the truth of it, for the way it is pertinent to us this day. We ask, O
Lord, that we would learn, that we would obey, that we would embrace and delight
in every word of Your truth, Old Testament and New, in Jesus’ name. Amen.
[Congregation sings The Doxology]
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