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LEVITICAL SERVICE

JT The brethren will be aware that the Levites represent the saints, particularly those who minister the truth, either as preaching or teaching, and that the families of the Levites were to carry the tabernacle. The idea of carrying is really burden bearing, and the Merarites were to carry “the boards of the tabernacle, and the bars thereof, and the pillars thereof, and bases thereof, and the pillars of the court round about, and their bases, and their pegs, and their cords, all their instruments, according to all their service”, and then it is said “by name ye shall number to them the materials which are their charge to carry”. That is not said of any of the material save that which the Merarites carried. The use of the word “name” is important, because it applies peculiarly to the saints. The Lord knows us by name. John the apostle says, “Greet the friends by name”. The apostles were named carefully, and others who followed. The seventy were not named, though the idea is there, but the twelve were named, and many others who laboured were named; even sisters were named, such as Phoebe, Mary, Martha and Lydia. I mention all these things to make the matter clear, that the type represents the saints personally, how they are cared for, as in a meeting such as this. Ephesians treats pre-eminently of the saints, even saying that we are raised up together, and made to sit down together in the heavenlies. We are thus cared for. The Lord says that He is Himself coming for us, to change our bodies and take us up into heaven, so that there is to be attention to us throughout, and it is for us to be available to give attention to those who wish to serve us. That was what was in mind, which I think you will appreciate.

^[p. 418] The Levites are divided into three families. In the third chapter it is according to their birth, and Gershon is first, being the eldest, but this chapter treats of them sovereignly. Kohath is first according to this chapter, whereas the earlier chapter speaks of the eldest first. In the beginning of the third chapter we have, “These are the generations of Aaron and Moses”, and lower down the sons of Levi are mentioned according to their birth.

AM You have called attention to the names. In the opening of this book it says, “These are the names of the men that shall stand with you”.

JT These are the princes, of course. The princes are alluded to there. They are said to be those who are summoned of the assembly, or when anything special has to be done in a military sense. There are twelve of them, taken from the tribes, but the Levites are taken just from the tribe of Levi.

WAS The sovereignty of God and the purpose of God are seen in these passages, are they not?

JT That is just what was in mind in chapter 4 as compared with chapter 3. Chapter 4 is the sovereign side, therefore the first taken is Kohath, whereas in chapter 3 Gershon is mentioned first. “Of Gershon, the family of the Libnites” (verse 21), and so on. The apostles were selected according to sovereignty, especially Paul. “He is a chosen vessel unto me”, the Lord says, then it is said as to Peter, “first... Peter”, showing that he was given that place sovereignly.

AM The family of the Merarites is last. Is that something like Paul, “last of all”, and then John himself is a typical Merarite, and he is the very last one who speaks to us.

JT The Lord said He would keep John to the end, and so it is that John brings in at the end one hundred and fifty-three great fishes. There were fishes taken according to Luke, a large quantity, so ^[p. 419] large that the net broke, whereas John says, “The net was not rent”, although there was a very large number and they were great fishes, which would point to the endurance and intelligence needed at the present time to continue the testimony. So Timothy is told by Paul to commit to faithful men what he had learned from him, and it is to run down to others also. It is a question of Paul’s teaching, the most elevated and precious of all the teaching of the apostles, and there can be no doubt that the Lord intends, now, as having passed us through much suffering, to develop endurance in us. Paul says of himself, “What sufferings... I endured”. He is specially mentioned in that light, so that the Lord says of him at the very beginning, “I will show to him how much he must suffer for my name”. It was a question of Paul learning how to suffer, so as to be an example for all of us, and that is particularly applicable to the present time, especially in certain sections. It is a period of remarkable sufferings, and they are not for nothing. They are not accidental. The Lord intends us to gain by them, and take them on in a special way. The physical sufferings are over for a while, but the sufferings for the testimony are not over. In the second epistle to the Corinthians, Paul enumerates his sufferings, even before they were finished, and they were a remarkable list.

JL You referred to the age limit. I was wondering whether it was a matter of youthfulness coming into the service and taking it on deliberately.

JT Numbers is characterised by measurements, and especially the age limits specified. The military age is lower than the levitical age. There is no age limit given to the priests. The military age was from twenty years, and for levitical work from thirty to fifty, not from twenty to fifty, although there was a sort of novitiate beginning at twenty-five, which ^[p. 420] means that the younger brethren are to learn. They had to learn everything. When we are converted we know practically nothing. That is very important for young brothers to keep in mind. We all know the difference between the tradesmen and the learners, so the learners among the Levites had to begin at twenty-five, that is to say, they had to respect their elders, and to learn from them. Of course we learn from the Lord, by the Spirit. At the same time we learn from the brethren, and it is important that we should know that.

JL Timothy would be an example of that, learning Paul’s ways as they were in Christ.

JT He was sent to the Corinthians because of that, that they might learn from him Paul’s ways as they were in Christ. Hence we might say we are all dependent on each other. If others know more than we do, we should recognise it and get instruction from them, but we are to be dependent on the Spirit.

AM Would the age from thirty to fifty mean that the Levite would be strong all the time of his service?

JT That is it, it is a question of full manhood. Twenty-years would mean that a man can be soldiering and yet not be able to do levitical work.

AM-r Have we a typical setting of it in the opening of the Revelation, when John takes the place of a brother and speaks of the suffering on that line?

JT That is so. “I John, your brother and fellow-partaker in the tribulation and kingdom and patience, in Jesus, was in the island called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus”, Revelation 1: 9. That is, he is a brother to the saints. He does not address himself as an apostle here, but he is a brother to the saints in the tribulation and kingdom and patience, in Jesus. You have that in ^[p. 421] mind?

AM-r I was thinking of what you began with, that we should keep our eyes on men like that and seek to help and encourage them.

Ques How do you understand the difference between birth and sovereignty, as referred to in Gershon and Kohath?

JT It is seen elsewhere, and it is seen in the book of Exodus. The tribes on the shoulder pieces were recorded according to their birth, because the idea was that they needed strength, but on the breast-plate they were taken according to counsel, according to selection, hence Judah has the first place. Then again later you have Judah coming into the first place (1 Chronicles 5: 2), so that God reserves His rights in sovereignty at all times. He distributes as He pleases, and that is what we see in Ephesians, where the gifts are said to have been given from on high. “Having ascended up on high, he has led captivity captive, and has given gifts to men”. The Lord ascended up far above all the heavens. It is a very remarkable thing that those who receive gifts can be reckoned as getting them from above the heavens. Therefore we are told “he has given some apostles, and some prophets, and some evangelists, and some shepherds and teachers”, this last is one gift, one man having two functions, a shepherd and teacher. All this is very exercising and searching and profitable too, of course. As we are subject, we learn that God has rights over us, to do as He pleases, and send us where He pleases.

Ques Does Barnabas shine as a levite in Acts 11, where in his care for the assembly he went to Tarsus to seek for Saul, in order that the very best might be given to them for a whole year?

JT It shows how one brother should be concerned for another, to send for him, or write to him, or go and see him and ask him to come. I think it is ^[p. 422] very important that we should have liberty in that sense to urge each other forward, and the Lord indicates that He would have us to do it. Jehovah said, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” There was work to be done, and Isaiah said, “Here am I; send me”, and God sent him, because we are not to go of ourselves, as it is said, “How shall they preach, unless they be sent?” The divine idea of sending must always be kept in mind.

WAS A gifted brother would recognise his brethren’s request in that way to come and help them.

JT The Acts would indicate that. Barnabas went to Tarsus to seek out Saul. He might have written, but he went. It showed how zealous Barnabas was. The apostles knighted him. He was called that name by the apostles, which means, “son of consolation”. He was possessed of land and, having sold it, brought the money and laid it at the apostles’ feet.

WB In saying that we are not to go of ourselves, but are to be sent, you are not ruling out the thought of, “Let us return now and visit the brethren in every city where we have announced the word of the Lord, and see how they are getting on”.

JT That is a good point. Paul said that to Barnabas. It brought out some feeling, but it was overcome. It is a good thing to go and see the brethren.

AM-r Do we see that illustrated in Samuel’s moving round to see the brethren?

JT Yes. He made a circuit every year.

AM-r I was wondering about the expression in the third chapter, “All Israel... knew that Samuel was established a prophet of Jehovah”. That would be an encouragement to the brethren.

JT His mother asked God for him. His name really indicated that he was asked for. Paul himself ^[p. 423] was separated from his birth, we are told, but he went on in the flesh in his natural way for many years; still God had separated him from his birth. So Samuel was lent to the Lord, a remarkable thing. Hannah said she lent him to the Lord, that is, she gave him up, she sacrificed him. Mothers and fathers are challenged by Hannah in that sense. She gave up her son and placed him in the house of the Lord. God answered her faith by converting him, and speaking to him, and He let none of his words fall to the ground.

AM-r What do you understand by “from Dan even to Beersheba”?

JT It is a question of the geography of the country, Dan in the north, Beersheba in the south. Beersheba was the place of the oath, where Abraham went and dwelt after he had offered up Isaac, committing everything to God.

Ques Is it important to notice the word used in Numbers 4: 3 — “all that enter into the service”, or labour? (see the Darby Translation note to “service”).

JT Quite so, it is really work; it is not holiday making. The Levites’ work is a real kind of work, for instance carrying things over the desert, sometimes in a hot sun. There is a further note as to the severity of the service. It is no light service. Paul’s “last of all” service indicates that. He says he laboured more than they all, meaning that he was the greatest levite of all.

Rem You are suggesting to us that the persons of the saints have to be carried through in the affections of those who serve.

JT We have to care for each other. From one converted from the Roman Catholic system we do not expect so much as from others who know better. He is the subject of the work of God, and we have to be careful so as not to destroy him. Paul speaks beautifully of Phoebe, how she cared for the saints,

and of Lydia too. She says, “If ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house and abide there”. She cared for the saints.

GMcK In 1 Samuel 3: 1 it says, “A vision was not frequent”, and in verse 20, “All Israel, from Dan even to Beersheba, knew that Samuel was established a prophet of Jehovah”.

JT The idea is that the knowledge of Samuel became universal. The people knew him. The saints knew Paul in his day, and Mr. Darby too in his day. Persons who serve the Lord thus become known universally.

JL Paul and Barnabas were a whole year at Antioch. Do you think we qualify in that way in our local gatherings?

JT Paul was sought out by Barnabas, and he was brought to Antioch where the work was to be done. The work was to be done at Antioch, and Paul had to learn in subsequent years, when he would have gone to a certain place, that the Spirit suffered him not. Then “a vision appeared to Paul in the night; there stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us. And after he had seen the vision, immediately we endeavoured to go into Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us”. He did not go into Asia, he came into Europe, and from the outgoings of Europe the work of God goes on. Thus the Lord is assuring that His people know more about the earth, and that is not for nothing. God has made the brethren acquainted with the earth. If He wants to send one to South Africa, he knows where he is going; or if He wants to send one to America, he knows where he is going. God has made the world smaller and better known by the wars. It is a matter of the Lord. “The earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof”. He can use it as He pleases. He takes one day out of each week.

^[p. 425] The Lord is saying, I want one day, hence John says, “I became in the Spirit on the Lord’s day”. He was concerned and respectful of the Lord’s choice of a day, so that he would not weaken it and do anything against it. He observed it as much as possible, according to the dispensation, not in a legal way. In Israel He had the seventh day, now it is the Lord’s day. The earth is the Lord’s too. It is His right to claim it. We are to understand that the Lord has a right, whether to our property; if He wants a site for a meeting-room He asserts His right to it, or to our time, or whatever it is that He asserts His right to, and this enables us to take our relative positions, so that in every thing we are subject to God.

JL So if the Lord claims one day of the week, it is for us to give it to Him.

JT We are not to sacrifice our privileges on the Lord’s day for a bigger salary.

Now, to proceed with our subject, we may allude to the idea of the boards. It says in verses 31 and 32: “The boards of the tabernacle, and the bars thereof, and the pillars thereof, and bases thereof, and the pillars of the court round about, and their bases, and their pegs, and their cords, all their instruments, according to all their service; and by name ye shall number to them the materials which are their charge to carry”. I think that has to be paid special attention to, because it is only found in this particular service, referring to the saints, as we get them in the epistles, and particularly in Ephesians. So it says in Ephesians 4: 7, “To each one of us has been given grace according to the measure of the gift of the Christ”, and then we have, “He has given some apostles, and some prophets, and some evangelists”, and so on. Now that word “some” refers to persons, the persons of the levites. It is not that they get gifts of so and so, but they are ^[p. 426] themselves the gifts. Paul is a gift, and such a gift, and then we have the other designations down to the end of verse 11, and then it goes on to say, “with a view to the work of the ministry”, that is what is in mind, “with a view to the edifying of the body of Christ; until we all arrive at the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, at the full-grown man”. That is, all the saints are to be brought to this, to the full-grown man, “in order that we may be no longer babes”, persons who do not grow in a spiritual way “tossed and carried about by every wind of that teaching which is in the sleight of men, in unprincipled cunning with a view to systematised error”. That is what the wicked teachers around have in mind, systematised error. You may say that all the denominations are characterised by this. They are systematised according to men, and therefore they become error. “But, holding the truth in love”, that is where real personality comes in.

JM Did Paul himself have a good start in regard to that? The Lord said to Ananias, “He has seen in a vision a man by name Ananias coming in and putting his hand on him, so that he should see”. Would that help Saul in regard to what the Lord later had in view for him in the work of the ministry?

JT The Lord names him to Ananias, and Ananias names him as well, “Brother Saul”, showing that he knew him too. The fact is that the Lord mentions these two brothers to each other. He mentions Saul’s name to Ananias, and He mentions Ananias’ to Saul.

Ques Would the naming to us of these material things in Numbers 4 preserve us in our dealings with the saints and help us in regard to our spirits?

JT I think one of the greatest things is to love the brethren, and if we are to love them we must respect them, and they are identified by their names.

^[p. 427] The Lord says that our names are written in heaven, so that we are not to speak ill of a name written in heaven.

GMcK Peter stands up in the midst of the brethren and the names were about one hundred and twenty. The next time he stands up in the midst of the eleven.

JT The one hundred and twenty names indicate rather those given by the Spirit. The hundred and twenty are not the gifts, but when Peter comes to identify himself, he identifies himself with the gifts. Therefore he stands up with the eleven, and that is important. The gifts are to be recognised. The generality of the saints must distinguish themselves from the gifts, so that when the converts came into evidence they said to Peter and to the rest, the other eleven, “What shall we do, brethren?” They recognised persons who could help them. It is very important that we should. It is said, “Obey your leaders, and be submissive”, Hebrews 13: 17. So the idea of understanding the names, and the identification of the persons by the names, is most important. We are to use them with respect.

Ques Do you mean the names are connected with specific gift?

JT If there is specific gift, like Paul. But the names of all the saints are written in heaven, and we are to clothe them with affection. Hence when Paul writes the epistle to the Romans, evidently there were a large number of persons in Rome, and he salutes them, and he has something commendable to say about them, and what he had to say about them showed that they were identified with the testimony of God.

Rein. We would address them properly as holding the truth in love. You mentioned that in reference to the promoting of personality.

JT John says, “to the elect lady”. How delicately John speaks about that sister! “The elect lady and her children, whom I love in truth”, and again he says, “for the truth’s sake”. So that we have examples there of paying special respect to persons who are distinguished in the service, as “the elect lady”, and Peter says, “She that is elected with you in Babylon salutes you”. That is another point. We are not to be characterised by socialism, but have respect for one another, and if there is special distinction we have to notice it. I think all these things are very practical, especially now when socialism is coming into evidence perhaps more than ever. We have to recognise whet God honours. “Honour to whom honour” is due, we are told.

Ques If the truth were held in love amongst us, especially amongst those who serve, it would tend to growth generally, would it not?

JT I think it would. An elder is not to be rebuked sharply. The quality of the rebuke is named, “but exhort him as a father”. Then again the younger women have to be treated carefully, “as sisters, with all purity”, and the younger men as brothers. The brethren ought to know, therefore, where each is.

GMcK “Until we all arrive... at the full-grown man”. Holding the truth in love, we are to grow up to Him in all things.

JT That leads us to see how the persons of the saints are taken up, so as to arrive at the measure of the stature of the fulness of the Christ. We are to keep clear of systematised error. We have come into a system ourselves; we have to understand that too. Holding the truth in love, we are to grow up to Him. We are not to be promiscuous; we have definitely in mind that we are to “grow up to him in all things, who is the head, the Christ: from whom the whole body, fitted together, and connected by every ^[p. 429] joint of supply, according to the working in its measure of each one part”. So that we cease to be merely listeners or bystanders, but we are in the things thoroughly and know them. Paul says, “That ye should know”, Ephesians 1: 18. The angels desire to look into the all-various wisdom of God that is circulating among the saints. We should be equal to our calling. We are called and fitted together, we are part of the assembly. We know what is meant when the brethren come to the care meeting. We are not to be commonplace in our language, we ought to have a language that belongs to us spiritually, so that we are to name things rightly and name each other rightly.

Ques When Apollos came to Ephesus, did Priscilla and Aquila see something in him that was of value? Then “they took him unto them, and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly”, Acts 18: 26.

JT They discerned at once what a gift he was, and they took him to them, not in a public way, but they would speak suitably to him, especially Priscilla who was a sister. She with her husband would talk to him. One can understand the suitability and the modesty that would mark her.

Ques Have you that in mind as an indication of holding the truth in love?

JT We do not always have to speak of it. A sister can hold it. She cherishes what she hears.

WAS So we might qualify in our priestly service by appreciating the gift in another brother.

JT Very good. The Lord has been pleased to take away many of the elder brethren. We have to bow to that and to remember that one generation is taken away and another comes, and I believe another has come now. After this period of terrible sufferings God has great things for them, and these scriptures that we are ^[p. 430] speaking of help us, I am sure, to hold the truth in love. The Lord would give special ability to speak of it, but everyone is to hold it, and in love.

Ques Is this feature seen in Aaron? “Is not Aaron the Levite thy brother?”

JT That is a good point. He is called “the Levite”. I do not think there is another called “the Levite”. He was the leading one. In Numbers 3 we are given the generations of Aaron and Moses. It is very remarkable as approaching this subject of levitical service. It is a question of the generations of Aaron and Moses, so that we have to look back to these two heads in regard to the service, and we have to see that Aaron was the brother — “Aaron the Levite thy brother”. Paul in his epistles connects several persons with himself in addressing the brethren. In the first epistle to the Corinthians we have Sosthenes the brother, sometimes we have Timothy, showing that he is going to carry with him the brotherly element in what he has to say.

AM-r Does Peter come into that well when he says, “Our beloved brother Paul”? He holds the truth that Paul has been pressing, and he says, “Our beloved brother Paul”.

JT That is a good point. Paul had to rebuke him at one time, and now he calls him his beloved brother. Paul was holding the truth in love when he rebuked Peter.

GMcK The Lord in speaking to the woman in John 4 exposed her, but He held her in love.

JT She had disgraced the name of woman, so to speak, but the Lord held her.

AM There is only one other brother who has the dignity of being named in Ephesians. Is he a typical product of this kind of teaching?

JT I would say that. The subject here in Numbers begins with the generations of Aaron and ^[p. 431] Moses, Aaron representing the levitical service, and Moses representing intelligence and authority. These two things go together, and they go together in these epistles. We do not want to be legal about it, but to hold it in liberty.

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