~~~~~ Lesson: Numbers: Chapters 3 & 4 (reading after lesson)

Both chapters again today are pretty straight-forward. They lay out the reason for the Levites being in charge of the Dwelling and spells out their specific duties- in great detail!

Note the difference between the sons of Aaron, who are consecrated priests allowed to enter the temple, and normal Levites, who are purified, and allowed to help transport and take care of the Dwelling.

Again, I'm going to throw out a couple of un-related discussion topics for us:

To live your life for Christ, you must believe in your need of:
1) training and study
2) prayer and action
3) God's grace and a living union with Him
4) a rule, a way of life.

Question: Which of these is your strongest area? Which of these is your weakest area?

Question: Are you a mediocre Christian right now? Have you been in the past?

By putting one question in the forefront of your mind, you can fulfill God's glory for you: "What else can I give you, Christ?"

Question: What else can you give?

(From "On Fire with Christ" by Frank Holland, Sr.)


~Reading: Numbers: Chapters 3 & 4

(3:1-13) The following were the descendants of Aaron and Moses at the time that the Lord spoke to Moses on Mount Sinai. The sons of Aaron were Nadab his first-born, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. These are the names of the sons of Aaron, the anointed priests who were ordained to exercise the priesthood. But when Nadab and Abihu offered profane fire before the Lord in the desert of Sinai, they met death in the presence of the Lord, and left no sons. Thereafter only Eleazar and Ithamar performed the priestly functions under the direction of their father Aaron.

Now the Lord said to Moses: "Summon the tribe of Levi and present them to Aaron the priest, as his assistants. They shall discharge his obligations and those of the whole community before the meeting tent by serving at the Dwelling. They shall have custody of all the furnishings of the meeting tent and discharge the duties of the Israelites in the service of the Dwelling. You shall give the Levites to Aaron and his sons; they have been set aside from among the Israelites as dedicated to me. But only Aaron and his descendants shall you appoint to have charge of the priestly functions. Any layman who comes near shall be put to death."

The Lord said to Moses, "It is I who have chosen the Levites from the Israelites in place of every first-born that opens the womb among the Israelites. The Levites, therefore, are mine, because every first-born is mine. When I slew all of the first-born in the land of Egypt, I made all the first-born in Israel sacred to me, both of man and of beast. They belong to me; I am the Lord."


The rest of chapter 3 and all of chapter 4 go on to explain in detail what each section of the tribe of Levi is in charge of: some take care of the tent and its coverings, others the statuary, others the gold, etc. Feel free to read the two chapters in full if you want to know the details.