THE DISTRIBUTION OF THE LEVITES
[p. 360] THE DISTRIBUTION OF THE LEVITES
Numbers 8: 5 - 26; Joshua 21:1 - 18
JT We may be able to point out passages corresponding with those read in the New Testament, as the Lord may help, but there is one thing that should be noted at the beginning of such an enquiry, and that is, the rights of God over the people. The subject really begins in Exodus 13, where Jehovah lays claim to the firstborn. The principle of God’s rights is therefore dominant in the position of the Levites; whether we view them as carrying the burden here, as serving in relation to the tabernacle, or in their heavenly relation; the rights of God dominate their position. So that the tabernacle being set up in the wilderness, God refers to what the people owed Him. There were twenty three thousand firstborn approximately, besides the firstborn of cattle. He proposes that, instead of these twenty three thousand firstborn, He should have the tribe of Levi given to Him, and they were numbered every male from a month old and upward. There was a slight difference which was made up, because there are no loose ends in the ways of God, everything is adjusted accurately. Thus God secured the Levites for the tabernacle service. Then the several families are given their respective services, beginning with the Kohathites. Kohath was not the firstborn, so the principle of God’s rights in sovereignty comes in, and he takes him up for the most spiritual part of the service, as we may speak of it, in the carrying of the inward or most holy things. Then all the Levites were placed under the supervision of Eleazar, who is a spiritual personage called “the prince of princes of the Levites”, Numbers 3:32. They are under vigilant supervision. They are not allowed to do as they [p. 361] please; they are under a priestly prince who is over princes. Eleazar would be the spiritual element in the priesthood officially; whilst his father lived he had a peculiar place, reminding us, I think, that levitical service is under very scrutinising, spiritual supervision. The spiritual element would be seen here; I do not say that the Lord is not in it, but it is the spiritual element, I think: “Separate me now Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them”, Acts 13:2. The number of Levites from each family is stated. There were approximately eight thousand, which meant that about one third of the company was actually in the service, reminding us that whilst we are all held for service, we are not all in the service.
Ques Have we all levitical service to do in Christianity?
JT Yes, but we have to wait on the Lord for it, although we have the disposition to act.
Ques When you referred to the firstborn ones, you said that God, instead of taking up the firstborn, took the tribe of Levi. Is that representative?
JT It represents all the firstborn in the nation. It means, in connection with the rights of God, that He has taken up a dignified set of people for the ministry; they are not slaves, they are sons. They have equal dignity from a family point of view. Paul is not any greater than you or I as a Levite; his measure is greater, but his family dignity is not any greater.
Ques I suppose in the sense that he represents the firstborn. The firstborn would be the highest idea.
JT The idea is that it is a unique family; there is no family like that, for everyone in it has the same dignity, so that there is no inferiority from a family point of view; each one is a firstborn. But the next question is the measure. Romans 12 begins with the measure of faith that we have.
[p. 362] AL In Genesis the firstborn is invariably set aside.
JT The firstborn represents the natural order of dignity, which (as seen in Ishmael, Esau, Reuben, and so on) God rejects. The destruction of the Egyptian firstborn was on this line, but those of Israel being saved through substitution represent believers as taken up in the dignity of Christ, in whom the divine thought is set forth.
FI Would the firstborn stand more in connection with the family thought than with levitical service?
JT Yes, the family thought; God establishes His rights in taking up His servants. He settles their status; there is no question about that.
Rem And that status lies behind their levitical service.
JT It does, and it gives tone to it. God has the firstborn ones as His thought in the Levites at the beginning. So Mark puts it: “the beginning of the glad tidings of Jesus Christ, Son of God”, Mark 1:1.
JBC-l The inquiry as to the firstborn came immediately as they began to move out of Egypt, before they had crossed the Red Sea. It seems to emphasise how God connects it with the state of the people there, and what they were to be as a people entirely for Himself. The difference in regard to the redemption price would be, I suppose, to show that while the privilege of levitical service applies to the whole, it is not a thing to be taken up in a casual way; it is connected with exercises that appreciate the thoughts of God, and the preciousness of Christ.
JM Is not that seen in the different services? The Kohathites represent those that had a deep appreciation of Christ as to what He is for God.
JT They are taken up on the ground of their nobility — as we may call it — they were dignified. This thought preserves those who serve, from assuming that their service adds to them; on that line [p. 363] they are greater from a family point of view than their service can make them. It maintains you in freedom from that which came out in Korah and his company — they laid claim to the priesthood because they were Levites.
WH What you enjoy in secret is greater than anything you can do in the way of service.
JT The gospel of Mark begins thus: “Beginning of the glad tidings of Jesus Christ, Son of God”, Mark 1:1. The Son is the Servant.
EH The brother is greater than his gift.
Rem The Levite is taken in place of the firstborn, so that dignity is carried into his service; his service would be influenced in that way.
JT So that, as we were remarking the other evening, to serve rightly you have to see what Christ is in this respect. The Son is the Servant; this is the dignity He has set us up in; and then there is the scrutinising supervision that He has placed us under.
JM Would that be seen in those who have a deep appreciation of what is according to God, so that things would not be allowed that are inconsistent or unworthy?
JT Yes, and what one would remark is, that, in order to rightly lay hold of the position of the Levite and his service, we have to learn to think abstractly; we have to be on our guard as to how we look on the saints, we cannot say that the Levites are one class and the priests another class, for they are one and the same; you are a priest, and you are a Levite. So that the thing has first to be taken up in the principle of it. We can easily see that one may express it more than another, so that you can refer to him definitely as a Levite. Paul writes, “Ourselves your bondmen for Jesus’ sake”, 2 Corinthians 4:5. That is a levitical expression, so that “all things are yours. Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the [p. 364] world, or life, or death, or things present, or things coming, all are yours; and ye are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s”, 1 Corinthians 3:21 - 23. That is a reference to the Levite’s position.
JM You would not point out one or another as such, but you see the principle of it coming out in one and another.
JT It would be very misleading to make some Levites and others not. It expresses itself in some more than in others, and it is right to take account of such. A brother who devotes himself definitely to the ministry commends himself to the saints, he has to be taken account of specially as a Levite it is expressed in him. He is one of the eight thousand, so to speak; on the other hand, some are not expressing the service; they are held for it, but are not matured enough, or they may be neglectful in taking it up.
Rem In the Old Testament you get the service of the Levites in the wilderness, before you have it in the land; would you say that true levitical service comes from knowing the heavenly position?
JT They go together. The position in the land is referred to in Hebrews 12; we have come “to the assembly of the firstborn who are registered in heaven”, Hebrews 12:23. We have come to that. There again you have got to think abstractly, you have got to take account of the saints, from Pentecost to the coming of the Lord, as to what they are in their heavenly relations. You have come to them. I hope I am not misleading anybody by speaking about the abstract, but you have got to arrive at it that way. I am to take account of you as registered in heaven. I know you are, I know all the saints are, but in meeting you I may not be reminded of that. You may not be spiritual, or I may not be spiritual. I may not suggest to you when you meet me that my name is registered in heaven. If I am spiritual and heavenly minded I [p. 365] would suggest that to you, and you would prove in that measure what that scripture means; but then the fact that you may not meet many who are characteristically Levites in that sense does not mean that they are not Levites. You have the mind of God about them all.
JBC-l That would save us from being sectional in our use of things, or classifying the saints.
Rem One should have an influence in that company and be heavenly minded. They got cities in the midst of the tribes (Joshua 21) so that they should have an influence over the land.
JT Every abstract thought in Scripture must have a concrete corresponding one; but under certain circumstances, in order to obtain a right conception, we must be abstract.
Ques The claim of God on behalf of the firstborn was consequent on the Passover, and all were involved in the Passover. Does that mean that all are in time mind of God in connection with His claim over the firstborn, and therefore the thought of the Levite should not be confined to a few?
JT That would be a very serious danger; the point is to get the abstract thought, that which is the mind of God regarding them, and then look for the concrete or practical expression of it.
JBC-l The apostle Paul, in speaking to the Corinthians, says “I speak as to intelligent persons do ye judge what I say?” 1 Corinthians 10:16. When he spoke to them he spoke to them on the line of intelligence, as Levites, he did not grade them, but he exercised their conscience as to how they felt about it; he would promote exercise; had he classified them the result would have been far different.
JT To illustrate the abstract — Paul says: “Purge out the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, according as ye are unleavened”, 1 Corinthians 5:7. We
[p. 366] might say, According as ye should be, but it is “according as ye are”, 1 Corinthians 5:7.
JM The danger with us would be to limit the character of the Levites to those in whom it comes out, instead of having the full thought of God.
JT Yes. There were twenty three thousand of them, and there were only eight thousand actually in the service; they were all Levites, every one of them from a month old and upward. In Numbers 4 the sons of Kohath are taken for the service of the tabernacle from thirty years old up to fifty years; but when you come to the question of the service being taken up here (chapter 8) we have a provision for twenty five years old, which refers to the young brothers. The exercise with everyone who is serving should be to express the thing. Paul brings before the Corinthians what the thing is, as we have said. Clericalism had been creeping in, that is, the idea of a clergyman and his flock or congregation, whereas ministers belong to the congregation; 1 Corinthians 3:22.
Rem Was not Korah’s thought to lay claim to the spiritual, while he was not spiritual?
JT Yes, they were claiming to be priests because they were Levites. They were working backwards. The clerical principle answers to this today. Priesthood underlies levitical service. Clericalism ignores the fact that all Christians are priests and Levites. This cuts at the root of the whole clerical system.
Ques When you say all Christians, it would not be confined to men?
JT No, sisters, of course, are included. The masculine in the types has reference to the intelligence and energy that are to mark all Christians, those who have the Spirit. In taking account of the males in a military way, they were numbered for service from twenty years old and upwards, all that were numbered were put into service. That is, as [p. 367] soon as I have the Holy Spirit, as I understand it, I confess the Lord; that is a public thing, you confess the Lord and stand by your confession; it is not aggressive, but you stand by it; you may be attacked, yet you stand by your confession. Everyone who is numbered is put into service. But not so the Levites, because maturity is required for service. You do not know salvation if you do not confess the Lord; but to serve the Lord is another matter.
JBC-l To be numbered from a month old and upwards, would mean, that the exercises of the heart and its movements in regard to things would be coloured by the levitical outlook. The apostle would put the Corinthians on the line of desire in connection with service. So he gives, in both epistles, the thought of levitical service. Do you not think that a good deal might come into the actual soul history that would be coloured by a levitical character very early?
JT I think that is right; and so in both epistles he brings the idea forward; the first is “All are yours”, 1 Corinthians 3:22: the Christian has to accept that, whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas. They would represent, I suppose, the three kinds of service. Then in the second epistle he says: “We preach not ourselves”, 2 Corinthians 4:5. That is what they were doing at Corinth, they were putting one servant up against another; there was a party spirit, measuring servant by servant. “What hast thou which thou hast not received?” 1 Corinthians 4:7. All was from Christ for the assembly, and so there was no room for boasting. But then he says, in regard to my preaching, when I preach, I do not preach myself, I preach “Christ Jesus Lord; and ourselves your bondmen for Jesus’ sake”, 2 Corinthians 4:5. These are hints for us, as to levitical service; I can understand a young brother at Corinth saying: Through the apostles’ remarks I understand the principles governing the Lord’s service.
[p. 368] Ques Would you say a word as to the Levites being brought into service at twenty five?
JT Well, there you are beginning to do a little, and you take notice of those that are already serving according to God. It is a most important thing for the young brothers, and indeed for all of us, to take account of those servants whom God has owned, who are long in the service. As a novitiate, they were to be five years in the service, like apprentices before being entrusted with work they are subject to the journeymen; they have to watch how things are done, and thus learn. Mark’s gospel has all this in view.
EM Timothy learned from Paul.
JT Elisha learned from Elijah. Instead of entering the lists publicly, he waited on his ministry, and accompanied Elijah, pouring water on his hands.
JBC-l The gospel according to Mark was not the product of the five years novitiate; it was really the product of the service from thirty years onward. What comes out in connection with John Mark was the education that took place in those five years; so that the heart may be encouraged in regard to its discipline, in regard to what is levitical. If a little girl desires to wash dishes, you might point out to her that she would break too many, but if you discourage her over much, by and by she will dread doing it at all. True exercise in levitical service will lead on to what is in accord with God’s pleasure.
Rem It would not be out of place, in speaking to the young, to point out the prospect that is open to them, and of being in the path of service for the Lord.
JT And that they are all taken account of, not simply those who are more active in the service. All who have the Spirit are numbered from a month old; it is a remarkable thing that it is not from birth simply. In a babe there is some little response at the end of a month, there may be very little, but it is [p. 369] there. The Lord, at the age of twelve years, sets an example; He was thinking about His “Father’s business”, Luke 2:49; and notice, He is hearing and asking questions, and they “were astonished at his understanding and answers”, Luke 2: 47. You see the combination of things, He is not assuming too much, He is “hearing them and asking them questions” (Luke 2:46) and then — “his understanding and answers”, Luke 2:47. And then when His parents sought Him He says: “did ye not know that I ought to be occupied in my Father’s business?” Luke 2:49. He recognises the rights of God; all that is levitical.
JM You would grow up into it and acquire it in that way.
JT It says, he “advanced in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and men”, Luke 2:52.
JM So John Mark was not prepared to learn under the apostle; had he kept on in his apprenticeship, he would have been saved a good deal. The thought of an apprentice is very important.
JT Yes; Mark had left Paul and Barnabas, he “had not gone with them to the work”, Acts 13:58. Later Barnabas and he sailed away to Cyprus. Mark had failed as a Levite, and through natural feeling Barnabas also failed.
Rem In Joshua 20 the Levites obtain cities; they are in the land now.
JT When they come into the land the work is not so strenuous as in the wilderness. I think one thing the Lord is perhaps reminding us of is, that there should be more scope for service, whether it be priestly or levitical. Small meetings afford more room for service, priestly and levitical. In large meetings many are hindered for want of room. The Lord has more interest in the increase of the number of meetings, than in their size. “The assemblies ... increased in number every day”, Acts 16:5.
Rem Before one can take up levitical service,
[p. 370] must there be the conscious dignity of the Levite’s calling?
JT I think so, otherwise it is a form. The danger is that in starting out as a “labouring brother” I assume a dignity that I did not possess before. Of course, those who minister the truth should be held in honour by the saints, but as in the family their service does not add to them.
EM It is the same thought in the heavenly Jerusalem; she comes down with the dignity of God; the knowledge and enjoyment of sonship are there.
JM In Romans 16 there are many labourers mentioned; would that be on the levitical line? There are sisters there as well as men.
JT I think so. Of course it goes beyond it almost, it goes to martyrdom; Priscilla and Aquila were Levites, and they staked their own necks for Paul.
Ques Why did you suggest that the Lord desires more Levites? Would that arise in connection with the numbering from twenty years? Would it have a connection with the assembly?
JT Yes. David prescribed that they should commence at twenty years; he, of course, inaugurated an entirely new system; it involves headship. In the recognition of the Head you have, I think, more scope for the younger ones. The dividing into twenty four courses indicated an entirely new system which involves headship. If meetings increase there is more scope for service in younger ones. Under David, great room was made for the Levites, and by his “last words” they were numbered from twenty years, but their place was “by the side of the sons of Aaron for the service of the house of Jehovah”, 1 Chronicles 23:28. That is, their service was to be subservient to the priesthood.
OJM What is the meaning of a period being [p. 371] placed on their term of service? They are not to serve after fifty years of age?
JT That means that God would have your best; He will not be put off with the fag end of your life. A man is at his best from thirty to fifty.
LM But in our spiritual history does it not go on until the end of one’s days?
JT Spiritually you never should get over fifty; Caleb never did, nor Moses. In the full recognition of the Spirit you preserve your youth even in literal old age.
JBC-l It is the Levite’s own fault if he gets beyond fifty.
WW Would there be a danger of entering upon public service too soon?
JT It is a great thing to watch how other people serve; it is seen in a man like Paul. One is thus not serving for his own ends; he is not seeking a place amongst his brethren; he is ready to promote the interests of Christ amongst them, and the Lord is with him in that, but He is not with him if he is seeking for anything else. You see the great care that was to be observed as regards the sanctification of the Levites; and how they should be before God; they were presented to Him; a “wave offering before Jehovah”, (Leviticus 7:30) corresponding with the Lord in the gospel of Mark; how delightful to God the Lord was in His service; every step of that way was delightful to God. Further, they were given over to Aaron and his sons, that is, Christ and the assembly. This contemplates what is peculiarly spiritual in the Levite’s relations. He is wholly devoted to Christ and the assembly.
Rem One would greatly desire to see such spiritual conditions amongst the saints, so that things would be preserved for God in every way.
JT Among other things, the epistles to the Corinthians present levitical ministry, as we have [p. 372] been saying. Aaron and his sons are in view. The apostle is labouring to bring about true spiritual relations in the saints, and how the Levites should regard them. At the end of the second epistle he shows how he laboured for the assembly — how he suffered and toiled for all.
JBC-l With regard to the service of the Levites here (the Kohathites, Gershonites and Merarites), it was to be continually under the eye of the priest, so as to be preserved. Particularly so in the case of the Kohathite; if he handled the holy things uncovered, he would be cut off. Would not that show the gravity of being connected with the holy things?
Ques When you speak of watching how other people serve, do you speak of what may be seen in any meeting?
JT Paul says: “What ye have ... seen in me” (Philippians 4:9) — You look for those whom God approves; God has His own way of showing that He approves a servant; his service is effective; Paul, of all others, is an example for us (next to the Lord). Those who were to follow were to do what they had heard and seen in him.
SL We have a great heritage in those who have gone before.
JM And you would greatly desire to see that spirit continued amongst the saints.
JT The pouring of water on the hands of approved servants — mark you — it is a question of what they are doing; you want to make anyone whom God is using as effective as ever you can. That is the idea.
Rem You were calling attention to the words of the apostle: “Ourselves your bondmen for Jesus’ sake”, 2 Corinthians 4:5. That was in view of the Corinthians taking up levitical service, in the way in which he was taking [p. 373] it up.
JT I think he was leading them up to it. The apostle Paul, in writing to Timothy, reminds him of his (Paul’s) manner of service, but at the same time he very tenderly recalls Timothy’s tears, faith, and so on. What a levitical example we have in the apostle!
WW We speak of washing one another’s feet, what kind of service is that?
JT It is refreshment. Pouring water on the hands has the same effect; it refreshes for work.
Rem It would be sympathy with the workman.
LM And a word of encouragement as well. The word ministered has done one good, and so there is a word of cheer to the one who has been ministering.
JT In levitical service it is of great importance to see that we are offered up to God. God is pleased to make us, as Paul said, the savour of life unto life, or death unto death.
Ques I think Romans 12 was referred to in connection with levitical service, is that right?
JBC-l When I referred to it, I had in mind that it would be the first indication of the levitical movement in one.
Ques God had said, the Levites shall be mine. Would the presenting of our bodies “a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your intelligent service”, (Romans 12:1) be the answer to that?
JT Yes. You begin with the body, it is for God, and you present it; but you have much more to learn after that, for there is more than your body involved. It is a great thing, however, to place oneself, as it were, on the altar of God for service. It is “intelligent service”.
JBC-l The illustration of Elisha coming under the ministry of another, and watching how he serves, has a great deal more in it than we might perhaps note at first. Did not the apostle Paul give a lead as to the development of what is levitical, when he wrote in regard to Timothy: “I have no one like-minded who will care with genuine feeling how ye get on”, Philippians 2:20? Besides being a comfort to Paul, and to the saints as a whole, he would really give an indication as to how levitical exercises and development might be helped on with them.
OJM In the land it is influence rather than service that is exercised.
JT It is, one might say, a question of whether I am an Ephesian Christian. Ephesians gives our place in heaven, and Philippians is the influence that flows out from that. It is said that the second Man is out of heaven, or of heaven, “and such as the heavenly one, such also the heavenly ones”, 1 Corinthians 15:48.
JM The influence would flow out from that.
JT Yes; so if you study Philippians you get there the kind of man that has heavenly experience, and exercises a heavenly influence amongst his brethren. This is what is in view in the chapter before us; Joshua 21.
Ques The Kohathites had a greater influence than the others, why was that?
JT I think they were a more spiritual family among the Levites. You cannot be any greater than being a firstborn one, registered in heaven; all the Levites have the same position; but then there may be, and in fact you see in some, more spirituality than others; and I think the family of Aaron coming in, in connection with Judah and Benjamin, would perhaps have a bearing on the house. The house was to be in Jerusalem, and Judah had a place in the purpose of God in this connection. The position of the Kohathites, with Aaron’s children, would probably have reference to this. The study of Philippians brings out what is meant here; and, as has been said, it brings out a man like Timothy, he is the kind of man to influence the saints according to God; he had the mind of Christ. “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 2:5); the same descending mind marked Timothy: “I have no one like-minded who will care with genuine feeling how ye get on”, Philippians 2:20. And so, in the third chapter he says: “Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord”, Philippians 3:1. And his “finally” brings in as much as he had previously said; showing how full his heart was of this great theme — he begins to speak of what the thing was to him; he really pours contempt on all earthly dignity; Christ was all to him. And then he says, “I pursue, looking towards the goal, for the prize of the calling on high of God in Christ Jesus ... . Our commonwealth has its existence in the heavens”, Philippians 3:14 - 20 and so on. That is a man that has influence in a heavenly way here.
WW That is the kind of man that can go down.
Ques And you connect that man with the city?
JT Yes. That was, as it were, where he lived. The “commonwealth” is a reference to that.
JBC-l In John’s gospel, when you get the nature of the Lord’s ministry indicated in regard to Nicodemus, what He says to him is: “Thou art the teacher of Israel and knowest not these things?” John 3:10. That gives a very serious exercise as to the loss of influence. He does not speak to him as the ruler of a small section. He puts the whole solemn and serious character on it — a ruler in Israel influences the whole.
JT Yes: “thou ... knowest not these things”, John 3:10. Then He goes on to speak about what He knew, what came down from heaven. “We speak that which we know, and we bear witness of that which we have seen, and ye receive not our witness. If I have said the earthly things to you, and ye believe not, how, if I say the heavenly things to you, will ye believe?” John 3:11,12. “No one has gone up into heaven save he who came down out of heaven, the Son of man who is in heaven”, John 3:13. I think there, he goes to the full height of what we are speaking of.
[p. 376] The Lord brought in what was heavenly. Later in the same chapter, the Baptist recognises the supremacy of Him who “comes out of heaven”. The bringing in of what is heavenly here marks John’s gospel. In chapter 20 we are brought into association with Christ as the ascending One, as His brethren, so that we might be in keeping with this great thought. As was said, Ephesians gives the heavenly position of the saints; Philippians, the resulting influence here. The Levite had forty eight cities, extending throughout Israel, so that their influence was universal.