CONDITIONS UNDER WHICH LEVITICAL SERVICE IS RENDERED
[p. 14] CONDITIONS UNDER WHICH LEVITICAL SERVICE IS RENDERED
Numbers 5:1 - 10; Numbers 6:13 - 27; Numbers 7:1 - 9
JT The subject of levitical service begins in chapter 3, where we have the three sons of Levi mentioned according to their birth, and the number in each family. Chapter 4 gives the order of their service, beginning with Kohath the second son, who is placed first in the order of service; followed by the services of the Gershonites and Merarites. Then come three intervening chapters, 5 to 7 inclusive, before the subject is resumed. These chapters help as indicating the conditions amongst the saints which would ensure the liberty of the levites and facilities for profitable service. In chapter 8 we see how they are brought into service and presented to Jehovah, then given to Aaron and his sons to carry on the service.
EBG What is the burden of the intervening chapters?
JT The state of the camp, the dwelling-place of God. There should be no leper there. Trespasses should be dealt with, and as dealt with, the wealth of the priests is increased. If there be trespass, there is gain through it instead of loss. There is also the jealousy of the Lord as to any unfaithfulness in the turning away of the saints, and giving their affections to another — “the law of jealousies” (chapter 5:29). The Nazarite would ensure the continuance of the dispensation, for he goes on to the end, and links on with the coming dispensation, ensuring the continuance of the one and linking on with the next. The service has thus a wide outlook.
The wealth of the saints tribally is brought out in chapter 7. Love is acting in intelligence and unity. The princes are providing facilities for the levites: at the same time order is indicated. Sufferings, seen in [p. 15] the prominence given to the altar, are fully recognised as entering into the position, and then God speaks. In these circumstances we have divine speaking. There is also the candlestick not only giving light, but its own beauty appears, thus ensuring results and success in service, and the continuance typically of the present dispensation to the end. The Nazarite maintains the dispensation to the end; there is the favour of God towards His people; the blessing of Jehovah is assured. The prospect therefore is bright, calling for purity and loyalty to Christ, and also calling for sacrifice. The altar has great prominence in this chapter (Numbers 7), the princes of Israel calling attention to it in their gifts for its dedication. The dispensation is to be continued on these lines of sacrifice. There is also the wealth that enters into the position, and the unity that marks the tribes, for there can be no continuance of the dispensation according to God apart from practical unity expressed in the appreciation of Christ. That is the idea of chapter 7.
EBG Would the thought in chapter 5 be largely akin to the first epistle to the Corinthians?
JT Yes; the Corinthian epistles treat of the judgment of sin in the assembly, also of jealousy.
EBG Would the thought of continuance be seen in connection with the committal to faithful men, as in the case of Timothy? Do we see there the way that things are continued? Where would you say we have the teaching of the tribal thought to which you have alluded?
JT That is alluded to in Colossians and Ephesians — “love unto all the saints” (Ephesians 1:15). It is a great general thought. The names of these princes are not given in the order of the birth of the tribes, but in the order in which they are set around the tabernacle, so that they represent the position of the saints ordered according to the sovereignty of God and actuated by love. What is presented is not a collaborated action,
[p. 16] but an action out of love for Christ; so that whether a man lives in Australia or in England, he should be characterised by “love unto all the saints”. Unity is substantial, arising out of appreciation of Christ.
ETS What have you in mind in connection with levitical service?
JT I thought that we might look at the subject in the order in which it is presented in chapter 4. These features of service are applicable to us. Kohath is first, presenting one feature; Gershon another, and Merari another. It is obvious that the greatest service is ability to understand and carry what relates to divine Persons, the revelation of God; the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit; then the assembly, all that is inside, including the altar, which is quite intelligible. Then the next feature is in connection with carrying those principles typified in the curtains and hangings of the tabernacle. Can we carry out these principles? That would be Gershon. Then Merari deals with the boards and pillars, referring to persons, for we have to do with one another. Speaking generally, the service of the levites is headed up under these three classifications. What relates to divine Persons and revelation, to the principles governing fellowship, and then the saints. The last involves the length to which we will go to help a brother personally. It is quite obvious that all these features require these intervening chapters, so that we may carry out service effectively.
I think the Lord has helped us as to Kohath’s service. Our moving forward depends on this service of the priests, for the levites cannot move apart from the priests. It is a question of priestly condition, particularly in regard to Kohath. I think the Lord has helped us as to these great things — the Lord’s deity and sonship. There is the carrying of the ark, the table, the candlestick, etc., and carrying them in adverse surroundings; for we have to contend [p. 17] with opposition.
WSS A word more about appreciation of Christ would help us. There is much detail which is of value as bringing the Lord before us, in His Person, and what is connected with Him.
JT Chapter 4:4, says, “This shall be the service of the sons of Kohath in the tent of meeting; it is most holy”. The ark is mentioned first. It is not a question of Christ in absolute deity, but what He is as become Man — the veil of separation is to be put over the ark when it is to be carried; meaning that the priests understand that there is no man like Him — He is alone. The veil of separation would mean that He is unique — separated from all others. The veil, and the badger skins put over the ark, mean that He was apart from sin, holy, harmless, undefiled, not outwardly merely, but inwardly; and the curtain of blue over all is to bring out that He is heavenly — “the Son of man who is in heaven” (John 3:13). The saints are viewed in the service in this way as occupied with carrying Christ in testimony, understanding what all these things mean, and thus He is guarded against all attacks.
ELM Would the passage speaking of the ark at rest suggest the privilege of peaceful and quiet contemplation of the glory of that Person?
JT Quite so. Hebrews opens up to us access inside, and I believe that manhood is thus developed. To see what He is apart from what men said about Him; “Whom do men say that I am?” (Mark 8:27). In the holiest you see what God thinks of Him; what He is before God.
FF Is the carrying seen in our daily lives?
JT That is the thought. In your house, business, etc., you are a Kohathite.
ELM Is that the idea of testimony — Christ borne on priestly shoulders?
JT Exactly, publicly carried. You can carry an appreciation of the Lord, and maintain it in your soul in your ordinary daily occupation wherever you may be, that is the idea. By the power of the Spirit you [p. 18] are capable of holding that in its integrity against all attacks. We may be able to speak of these things here, but to hold them in the face of opposition is the point.
JTS Would the apostle be helping the Corinthians on the line of the uniqueness of Christ when he wrote “Is the Christ divided?” (1 Corinthians 1:13) and “the second man out of heaven” (1 Corinthians 15:47)?
JT Yes; the first point the apostle touches on in his exhortations is the divided state the Corinthians were in as affecting Christ. If there is division amongst us it is really an attack on Christ.
The unity in Numbers 7 is by the appreciation of Christ on the part of all belonging to the tribes. We are now before the altar and our appreciation of Christ is expressed in unity; that is testimony to God. It is our “using diligence to keep the unity of the Spirit in the uniting bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:3). In 2 Corinthians 1:19 Paul says “For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, he who has been preached by us among you (by me and Silvanus and Timotheus), did not become yea and nay, but yea is in him”. The man is as good as his word, he does not say “yea” and do “nay”. All these things appear as the features of Christ are wrought in us by the Spirit.
JTS The Son of God said He was altogether what He said He was.
JT Precisely, and Paul is in keeping with that. He was in accord with the Son of God, and his word was not “yea” and “nay” but “yea, yea” (verse 17). The reason he did not go to Corinth at that time was because he loved them.
ELM Would there be the springing up of Nazarites, if the assembly were exercised to maintain holiness and practical righteousness together with fidelity to Christ in affection? The faithful wife of chapter 5 gives birth to a Nazarite, [p. 19] chapter 6.
JT In chapter 5 there is the absolute exclusion of the leper; and there are details as to the commission of “any of all the sins of man”; things that happen, alas, even amongst the people of God. But what is contemplated is that the priests become wealthier. There is a state capable of adding a fifth part; and if there was no kinsman it was to be given to the priest, and to God through the priest. Although terrible things happen, they, through the rich grace of God, work out for wealth. All these happenings make for success if we are really with God; there is thus no occasion for despair, although there will be need for the deepest humiliation and self-judgment.
The procedure with the woman as to loyalty to her husband is most searching. The thing is worked out in her lower affections, and there is no escape from what goes on. The “bitter water that bringeth the curse” is solemnly interesting. It is composed of “holy water” and dust of the floor of the tabernacle. The tabernacle is where God is, whether in this town or any other, and this dust is found where He is. It is different dust from that outside, for it speaks of death as it is before Him, and as seen by Him, worked out from the death of Christ.
I would like the brethren to speak freely about the service of the Levites because there are many coming forward in the Lord’s service. I believe the Lord would help us to see the threefold nature of the service, all under the priests’ influence and direction.
AHG Would you say a little more as to the second feature of the service in connection with principles?
JT I do not know anything more important at the present time. Our attention has lately been drawn to the principles of Bethesda, and I believe the Lord intends us to take notice of this matter, because a large proportion of those amongst us do not know anything about those principles, and very little as to those on which we gather. A Gershonite ministry [p. 20] would thus be helpful, in calling attention to the defective principles which were brought to light in the Bethesda controversy, and which obtain widely at the present time. These defective principles involve looseness amongst the people of God.
ETS How do you apply what is said about Gershon in connection with the hangings?
JT The curtains were to cover and protect. They were carefully measured, as you know. Chapter 4:24 - 26 says, “This shall be the service of the families of the Gershonites, in serving, and in carrying: they shall carry the curtains of the tabernacle ... and all that is to be done for these things shall they perform”. There is no doubt that these allude to divine principles, as already said. These curtains and coverings suggest the great principles of gathering, showing how the precious things of God can be protected; the precious truths as to the Deity and all that flows from it, also the Spirit and the assembly. How can these things be preserved save by the protection which the fellowship of the Son of God affords? The inner curtains were of byssus, involving the more spiritual relationships of the brethren with one another. The outer coverings were rougher, involving death, so that taken together they suggest the idea of exclusiveness.
Rem All these represent principles now seen in the saints so that what is inside is protected.
JT If approached from the outside with a view to attacking what is within, it is seen how uncompromising the saints are.
Rem As there is an appreciation of Christ, these principles are maintained, so that what is inside is protected.
JT That is so. In 1 Corinthians 10 fellowship is a public thing, and involves confidence in one another as well as integrity and loyalty to Christ. “We, being many are one loaf, one body” (verse 17) involves that what you refuse, I also refuse. We are in a holy partnership,
[p. 21] and consistency requires loyalty to the principles governing us and to each other.
ELM Would the curtains with the beautiful blending of colour suggest the varied glories of Christ? Are these divine principles interwoven and worked out in the texture of the saints?
JT These are the inner ones, forming with the boards the immediate dwelling-place of God. In them the brethren are contemplated as together in love for one another, which is the beautiful work of the Spirit.
ELM Our relations with one another in the Spirit are thus clothed with beauty, so that we are not marked by cold formalism, but consider each other as those “called into the fellowship of his Son”.
Ques Would 2 Timothy 2 correspond to this?
JT Yes. Separation from iniquity, and following righteousness, faith, love and peace together as those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.
JW What form does the service of the Gershonite take today? Would it be ministry amongst the saints?
JT There are those qualified of the Lord to minister the truth as to these principles, and the service of such is specially in view here. In another sense all are levites; that is as holding the principles and refusing evil. It is done when alone, there is loyalty to the brethren even when not under their eyes.
Rem The former would be, “Laying these things before the brethren, thou wilt be a good minister of Christ Jesus” (1 Timothy 4:6).
JT Yes — “a good minister”.
WSS Would the carrying of the curtains of the entrance be suggestive in connection with persons seeking fellowship?
JT Yes. There is a great deal of food for contemplation here, and the Lord will help us into it. He would have young believers conversant with what they are brought into, so that they may be preserved [p. 22] from looseness and may see that there is something worth while.
EBG Have you in mind that the principles which should govern us are to be retained and passed on by way of positive ministry? Take, for instance, the question of Bethesda, to which allusion has already been made. Obviously the detail connected with it is deeply involved, but protection from the operation of such false principles would lie in the building up of the saints by a ministry of what is according to God. As thus built up the saints would detect anything which is not in accord with divine principles?
JT Just so. The old are more or less conversant with these principles, but the young are not; there is a poor apprehension of the ground on which we gather.
WF The principle of unity has been pressed in such a way as to set aside the conditions of fellowship.
JT A Gershonite service would take care of all that, because the carrying of these things under the direction of the priest would mean that they are valued in all circumstances.
The Merarite would teach us that while holding these principles we must not lose a brother. Those seeking the continuation of these features of levitical service would be actuated by the desire to retain every true brother. I may assert principles too far: in holding them I must be wise so as not to lose a brother.
ELM If we maintained the loops of blue and the clasps of gold binding the curtains together, we should be greatly helped in handling the boards.
JT You see how all this worked out in the Acts where difficulties arose. The truth was maintained at Jerusalem (Acts 15), and the gentile believers were preserved as well; there was no cleavage. The enemy was seeking to drive a wedge between the Jews and the gentiles, but there were Gershonites and Merarites there. We cannot afford to lose a [p. 23] brother.
HC In Hebrews 13:13 it says, “Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach”, and later, “Know ye that our brother Timothy is set at liberty” (verse 23). Would you connect the first scripture with a Gershonite’s service and the second with a Merarite’s service?
JT Yes. The Merarite is concerned about persons.
AHG Would that come out in 2 Corinthians 2:7 where the apostle writes of showing grace: “lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow”? Principles are maintained in the first epistle and grace in the second.
JT Exactly. Even the man that had been so wicked must not be lost. I believe that if the Gershonite and Merarite sides of service are combined, we shall not lose our brethren. Although some may have to be cut off in discipline, you do not wish to lose one. You hold principles and the brother with them.
FAD That is the burden of the apostle’s exercises in Corinthians: anxiety as to the effect of his first letter, lest Satan should get an advantage.
JT Quite so. There were others involved in evil, and, bad as they were, he lets the matter stand until the obedience of the whole is secured. If he attempted to deal with all those offenders, it might result in a break-up of the assembly, but generally they are all brought to the truth. The angel of God says to Paul, “God has granted to thee all those that sail with thee”, (Acts 27:24). But in sailing the apostle did his best to advocate right principles of navigation, but they were rejected. The ship would have been saved had the master heeded Paul. They refused his advice as to navigation, but all that sailed with him were saved, though in a humiliating way.
EBG This truth would help us in regard to those who are not walking with us. We would be true to the principles, but have the persons in view as [p. 24] possibilities.
JT Yes. I believe that the Merarites’ service would be greatly supported by John’s ministry. He gives us to understand how everything of the work of God is to be valued, however little it may be. We should certainly say, There is not much in Nicodemus, he has not left the council. Well, he said something in the council (John 7:50,51), that was profitable, and in due course he is identified with the Lord, taking a valuable part in the service (John 19). John’s ministry would remind us that everything of the work of God is to be preserved and nothing lost.
JC Does John 17 illustrate your thought?
JT It is a Merarite setting. The Lord was looking after persons, He is also asking the Father to effectuate much of the truth that we have been considering.
EBG We need help and wisdom in connection with the subject of principles and persons. We feel the necessity of holding the former, but when we come to practical application we find how difficult it is at the same time to secure persons. How are we to be helped?
JT The Lord Himself will help us as we feel the need. You know how much the supply of the Spirit of Christ is needed, if you are to save a brother. It is very hard to secure “a brother offended” (Proverbs 18:19). It is one of the most difficult things with which we have to contend. You see how a Merarite service has the brethren in view — they are the “boards”. Literally you wonder how they got such large trees in the wilderness. The boards were a cubit and a half wide, and were made “standing up”. They were about twenty-one inches wide; made of acacia. The idea of value is there, and suggests to us what the saints are.
JTS Would Romans 14 and 15 help us to think tenderly of the saints? The expression, “for God has received him” (Romans 14:3); and again “him ... for whom Christ has died” (Romans 14:15); also, “Wherefore [p. 25] receive ye one another, according as the Christ also has received you to the glory of God”, (Romans 15:7).
JT That is how Romans builds you up for the assembly and for the service of God. Romans provides the boards, and calls attention to the value of them. You cannot get boards like them ordinarily, and so it says in Numbers 4:31,32, “the boards of the tabernacle ... and by name ye shall number to them the materials which are their charge to carry”. The idea of “name”, is to call attention to the importance of each item.
WSS The boards being of acacia wood would call attention to the brethren being like Christ. It is the expression of our appreciation of Christ.
JT That is the idea. In the salutations at the end of Romans, the apostle leads up to these features of Christ in each person. He calls attention to the value of the boards as represented in the persons he mentions. You see how valuable a brother is. There are more salutations in Romans than in any other epistle, so that it is a fundamental principle to value the brethren. Faith is “operative in the acknowledgement of every good thing which is in us towards Christ Jesus”, (Philemon 6).
AHG Would Philippians 2 give us the spirit in which this Merarite service is carried out?
JT Quite so. The mind of Christ as taking the path of humiliation is to be in us.
EM Is there anything to be gleaned from the fact that the service of Gershon and Merari is under the hand of Ithamar the priest, but not so with the service of Kohath?
JT Kohath’s service is the more spiritual, hence Eleazar is mentioned particularly in chapter 4. It will be noted from verse 16 that he has charge of the oil and fragrant incense, and continual oblation, and the anointing oil, and the oversight of the whole tabernacle. It alludes to the fact that Eleazar represents spirituality [p. 26] and priestly discrimination amongst the brethren. While Aaron lived he represents more what is in the saints by the Spirit than Christ officially. You have in every gathering spiritual brothers and sisters; they watch over everything, and provide for the glory of Christ. They may not say much, but they see, and the levites feel that they are there. Ithamar is also a son of Aaron, but he does not represent what is spiritual in the same way as Eleazar. He has to do with the Merarites and Gershonites.
Ques In connection with the maintenance of principles, is it not encouraging to see that the thought of unity is stressed in connection with the curtains? They should be one whole. There may be the tendency to give up the truth to secure unity, whereas it is by the maintenance of right principles that unity according to God is secured.
JT The brethren are better served that way. With many, there is no idea of Gershonite service. Although Israel was to dwell alone, the question raised is — “Who can count the dust of Jacob, and the number of the fourth part of Israel?” (Numbers 23:10).
FW Did Priscilla and Aquila in Acts carry out their service effectively in connection with Apollos?
JT They did. They recognised that he was a great personality, but he needed to be shown “the way of God more exactly” (Acts 18:26) and they served him that way. Someone might have said, What is the use of troubling Apollos as to details? Look at the work of God, look at the converts he gets! But Priscilla and Aquila thought differently, they desired to make him more effective. He is commended by the brethren, but not until after their service to him.
EBG He was a remarkable instance of the work of God.
JT Apollos came from Alexandria, evidently he was not a convert of the apostle Paul’s.
EBG Apollos coming forward from a totally [p. 27] unexpected quarter, would remind us of the boards appearing in the wilderness.
JT He illustrates the boards being made “standing up”, (Exodus 36:20).
WF He had the light of John the baptist’s ministry.
JT Many today have similar light, and have instincts which make for the assembly but they need adjustment by the truth.
Ques Would John’s writings help us as to this in a special way?
JT You will find the Merarite service all through John’s gospel; much is made of persons. He stresses greatly John the baptist, and he makes much of the two that left John and followed Jesus, and of Simon, Philip, Nathanael, Nicodemus, the woman at the well, the family at Bethany and Mary Magdalene; then at the end he mentions the one hundred and fifty and three “great fishes” (chapter 21:11). These would be persons secured through the gospel.
Rem There are persons who might be despised naturally, but the point is to see whether the marks of the work of the Lord are there. In John 1 the Lord finds Galileans.
JT Yes, and Philip finds another — that is the principle throughout the gospel of John, it is to bring out persons, and so the Lord in chapter 20 comes where the disciples were.
WSS In John 11 the Jews take account of the Lord’s feelings in regard of Lazarus. Outsiders can see it.
JT Yes. That chapter brings out suggestions of what we are speaking of. He loved each of the persons mentioned.
RR In John 8, when they brought the woman to the Lord they were pretending to maintain principles but were not careful to save the person. The Lord was concerned about retaining the person. When the truth [p. 28] governing the matter was maintained they went out, but the woman remained.
JT He said, “Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more”, (John 8:11). To revert to Numbers 8, we see how the levites were taken and offered to God, and how God gave them to Aaron. You have levitical service in such circumstances, and that may be looked for.
Ques Are the princes in chapter 7 the product?
JT Levitical work is brought to pass in these circumstances in connection with the tribes. Love in activity is in view.
EBG There is abundant material for the carrying out of this service.
JT That is the suggestion. The princes are representative of the tribes, so that all the saints are contemplated, and we have great wealth expressed in unity.