CONDITIONS UNDER WHICH LEVITICAL SERVICE IS RENDERED - CONTINUED
[p. 29] CONDITIONS UNDER WHICH LEVITICAL SERVICE IS RENDERED - CONTINUED
Numbers 7:84 - 89; Numbers 8:1 - 26
JT We have reviewed briefly the instructions referring to levitical service in chapter 4, noting that the family of Levi is divided into three families, each representing a particular phase of levitical service. The Kohathites having to do with divine Persons, the carrying of the truth relative to the revelation of God, and the inner things pertaining to His service. The Gershonites having to do with the curtains and hangings of the tabernacle, signifying the fellowship of saints, the principles that govern our fellowship; and the Merarites having to do with the boards, pillars and bars, signifying the persons of the saints as subjects of care. The three chapters 5, 6 and 7 intervening between the ordering of the service and the actual entrance on it in chapter 8, provide obviously for suitable conditions, in which the Levites maintain their service.
Chapter 5 deals with the cleansing of the camp, the expunging of all evil, especially leprosy, and the assembly’s unfaithfulness to Christ as seen in the law of jealousies. Then chapter 6 deals with the Nazarite, whose service runs on to the end of the dispensation; after he fulfils his service he can drink wine; there is thus the resumption of earthly relationships. There is in these chapters a suggestion of continuance until the end through the service of the Nazarite; the Nazarite referring particularly to Christ but also foreshadowing the saints. In chapter 7 we see the activity of love in the princes as representing the tribes; there is provision for the Levites, in the wagons and oxen, in order to facilitate their service; and then there is “the dedication-gift of the altar”. There is thus unity in appreciation of Christ, for the offering of each prince is the same; this is a most practical expression of the unity of the Spirit amongst the brethren, each prince having his day. The matter is spread out; God is so pleased with the love marking the tribes as thus seen, that He gives each prince a day, and then there is the aggregate of the offerings in these verses, 84 - 88. In the presence of all this, and consequent upon it, Jehovah speaks — a very great thought! Moses went in to speak to Him, but heard a voice speaking, as it says, “from off the mercy-seat which was upon the ark of testimony, from between the two cherubim”. So that we have the most authoritative speaking on the part of God. The chapter is peculiarly full of rich thoughts which are available to us, and which God would impress upon us, so that the service of the levites may go on unhindered.
EBG What is the point in each one having his day?
JT God is so pleased with what is presented that He would have it spread out. Love underlies the service of the princes, and instead of having the aggregate alone, we have each prince by himself with his offering, on his day.
EBG Did Barnabas have his day when he brought the price of his land and laid it at the apostles’ feet? He seemed to be contributing all that he had in relation to the work of God.
JT That is an excellent illustration of what is meant. The Spirit of God enlarges on Barnabas. The enemy doubtless saw the bearing of his action and what an excellent example it was, and sought to neutralise it by imitation — as he always does when a great principle of truth, or an evidence of love is set out. In Ananias and Sapphira we see the imitation, but they were exposed, and the judgment due fell upon [p. 31] them. The offerings in Numbers 7:10 - 88 are the dedication-gift of the altar. The Levites’ provision is at the beginning of the chapter, verse 3, where it says, “they brought their offering before Jehovah, six covered wagons, and twelve oxen”. It will be noted that they did not formally bring these offerings — the wagons and the oxen — for the Levites. They presented them to God, and Jehovah says to Moses, “Take it of them, and they shall be for the performance of the service of the tent of meeting, and thou shalt give them unto the Levites” (verse 5). Everything is presented to God, even the Levites themselves, so that all comes out from God afterwards. The way the Spirit mentions these men is very noticeable: “the princes of Israel, the heads of their fathers’ houses, the princes of the tribes, they that were over them” (verse 2). We are not left in any doubt as to who these men are.
JHB Why were the wagons that were given, “covered” wagons?
JT The idea is the protection of what they carry. It is a principle in christianity and with God, that His things, as in the wilderness, are not exposed.
ELM What would correspond to the wagons today, in relation to your thought of the care of the saints?
JT It will be observed that the Kohathites had no wagons. That is well known, and it is because of the peculiarly spiritual and sacred character of what they had to carry; whereas the Gershonites had to carry the curtains and hangings, which would be heavy things; and the Merarites had the boards, bars and pillars. In christianity the wagons would denote material things to some extent. The Levites have to travel, and their burden is heavy. It is not that the Kohathite presents one man, and the Gershonite another; but two aspects of the same person are shown. The Kohathite is occupied entirely with spiritual matters, the revelation of God in Christ and what is essentially linked with [p. 32] this revelation.
ELM Does Joseph illustrate the Gershonite thought when he sent wagons for his father and his father’s household?
JT This provision takes account of physical necessities, your railroad and steamship expenses, or whatever material needs you may have; wagons represent provision against that. They are not exactly spiritual, yet they represent spiritual affections. They are not treated lightly. The material things given to a levite are not treated as common, for the giving is not because he is exactly in need, but because he is occupied in these sacred things. “Let him that is taught in the word communicate to him that teaches in all good things” (Galatians 6:6); that is the recognition of levitical service.
Ques Merari had more wagons than the others. In caring for individuals among the saints would you need more material in the way of love?
JT Yes. “Moses took the wagons and the oxen, and gave them to the Levites. Two wagons and four oxen he gave to the sons of Gershon, according to their service; and four wagons and eight oxen he gave to the sons of Merari” (verses 6 - 8). Paul had “the burden of all the assemblies”. He further says, “Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is stumbled, and I burn not”? (2 Corinthians 11:28,29).
TT The Lord on the cross committed His mother to the care of John. Would that answer to this service?
JT It answers to the Merarite service. John has the Lord’s mother handed over to him, which is in keeping with his gospel, stressing the idea of the persons of the saints. That is the Merarite service, pillars and boards. So the Lord’s mother was a treasure to be cared for. She was handed over to John as his mother, and John was to be her son; so that he would carry on the service in a very affectionate way — the near relation of mother and [p. 33] son existing.
ELM If there had been a breakdown on the part of Merari in connection with the saints, the position in Numbers 7:89 would scarcely have been possible. The tent of meeting must be intact, and each one must be there.
JT It is in the presence of the expression of this love and unity, where there are tribal affections and wealth, that you get this speaking from God. God honoured the circumstances. If you have a meeting going on happily in love, He honours it; He shows that He appreciates what is there; He loves to honour His people. The dedication-gift brings out the wealth Godward that marks the saints as dwelling together in love. It is really Ephesians in principle; the keeping of “the unity of the Spirit in the uniting bond of peace”, (Ephesians 4:3). Spiritually it is not the unity that is the outcome of mutual agreement, nor of a creed or catechism, nor an unwritten set of principles, but a unity that is the spontaneous outcome of love. These princes were separated from one another by considerable distances; the suggestion being that it was not by a literal mutual agreement or by collaboration, but rather, typically, that saints being scattered in different parts of the world are all subjects of the work of God and all have the Spirit, and the Spirit works in them the same thought, feelings and desires, so that each prince offers the same.
WF What is the connection of the Levites with this offering?
JT They serve in the light of it, because the princes are really the Levites in another sense; the same persons. In reading the types we have to be on our guard that we do not become legal, and that our minds are not governed by literal settings. We have to understand that these princes represent Israel. You will notice throughout the earliest chapters the constant recurrence of the expression, “the children of Israel” — what they did. The saints are viewed in that [p. 34] spiritual way. As you examine these vessels of silver you can see that they were full of things that denote the blessed humanity of the Lord Jesus. That is what the princes represented; they were formed, typically at least, in His nature; what He was as Man. In other words, the saints who are spiritual are formed in that kind of humanity. Then the golden vessels which were full of incense represent what Christ is Godward. The princes themselves are the vessels; all this has to be understood spiritually.
ELM Was Mary in John 12 one of the golden cups full of incense?
JT Just so. It was what she had. All this is a question of persons — what they have by the Spirit.
WSS In Colossians 2:2,3 we read: “that their hearts may be encouraged, being united together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the full knowledge of the mystery of God; in which are hid all the treasures of wisdom and of knowledge”. Would that be in line with this?
JT Quite so. What is before us is a question of containing vessels, whether the saints are viewed individually, or as the assembly. We have the idea in the building of which David had the pattern: it contained treasuries (1 Chronicles 28:11). That is, persons who could keep things, like Mary, the Lord’s mother; she kept the things and pondered them in her heart. The persons of the saints now are represented in these vessels.
WSS Is it your thought that in the light of the wealth disclosed here, we would be encouraged to take up levitical service.
JT It has to do with conditions. The Levites are, perhaps, not provided for by reason of conditions. I believe these three chapters bring out the conditions in which the Levites are to serve, and to serve as pleasing to the Lord. In fact, they are offered to God as a wave-offering; He has something in them [p. 35] peculiarly; and then He gives them to Aaron and to his sons to do the service of the tent of meeting.
AHG What is the meaning of the three-fold presentation of the princes, “The princes of Israel, the heads of their fathers’ houses, the princes of the tribes” (chapter 7:2)? What is behind that?
JT It brings out what they were, the offices they filled: “heads of their fathers’ houses, the princes of the tribes, they that were over them that had been numbered”. “Heads of their fathers’ houses” gives the family setting; “the princes of the tribes” is a tribal setting. The idea of the tribe is a great subject in Scripture, denoting that love constitutes us capable of being manipulated, twelve being a very divisible number. The saints are in God’s hand for holy, wise manipulation; and I think their being “princes of the tribes” would bring out the love they had, this would show that they were under the Lord’s hand; and then it says, “they that were over them that had been numbered”, which would mean that they were conversant with the saints — they were persons who knew the brethren.
EBG At the end of chapter 7 “Moses went into the tent of meeting to speak with Him”, and it appears as though he was anticipated by Jehovah speaking. Does that give any suggestion of the importance of this communication?
JT I think Moses had something in his mind to say, but Jehovah asserts His liberty and desire to speak in those circumstances. It seems to be the taking up of a right on the part of Jehovah, but a very blessed one for His people, showing He is ready to speak in those circumstances. The circumstances furnishing Him with an opportunity of setting out the great principles and manner of His speaking, at all times. He speaks “from off the mercy-seat which was upon the ark of testimony, from between the two cherubim”. That is the ground of His speaking in general way, and it [p. 36] is a most blessed way. The speaking is full of what God is in Christ, full of mercy, of what God is in that blessed Person; it is speaking with authority. The cherubim denote authority. Speaking from God is at all times on this basis. There is authority in it. This was not simply for the one occasion; it is the great general principle of God’s speaking, and He takes advantage of these circumstances to assert it.
WF Is it connected with Exodus 25:22 where Jehovah had said to Moses, “there will I meet with thee, and will speak with thee from above the mercy-seat, from between the two cherubim which are upon the ark of the testimony”?
JT That was God’s intent. Now He has favourable circumstances, so He actually speaks, and that runs through the whole dispensation; when circumstances are favourable, He speaks to us. He would remind us that if He is not speaking, it must be that circumstances forbid.
ETS Do you think that as we offer, God will speak to us?
JT Yes; you may expect God to say something; so that it is well to understand that in His communications He takes account of the conditions that exist. In Luke 19:11 we read, “as they were listening to these things, he added and spake a parable”.
ELM What is the difference between the thought of God speaking, and the diffusion of the light of the lamp at the beginning of chapter 8?
JT The lamps are the result in the saints. If God speaks through the Mediator, the light is to be diffused; the candlestick is to cause it to shine.
ELM Is that how we would get the advantage and benefit of God’s speaking in the Mediator?
JT That is what I understand. Attention is called to the candlestick itself; the light of the lamps is “to shine over against the candlestick”. The perfection of Christ is seen as the light shines. As the Lord read [p. 37] and spoke in the synagogue at Nazareth — how morally beautiful He was! Every eye was fixed on Him. The seven lamps lighted would be the perfection of light in the saints or in the assembly by the Spirit.
TT In Acts 13:2 do we get a place where conditions were right, so that the Spirit was free to speak of levitical service, “Separate me now Barnabas and Saul”?
JT Exactly. Conditions available to God existed at Antioch, so that He speaks. It is well to notice in that section of Scripture, the service of Barnabas and Saul at Antioch first, and the giving on the part of those “well off” (chapter 12:29). These two brothers are then sent up to Jerusalem with that gift. The enemy sought to destroy the levites; and Barnabas and Saul come back, bringing with them John Mark; so that he is added to the levites at Antioch. And then we have the statement of the spiritual state of things in the assembly there. Hence the speaking by the Spirit in chapter 13.
LDM Is speaking a feature of this dispensation? At the opening of Numbers 7, the tabernacle is set up and anointed and hallowed, suggesting the dispensation of the Spirit.
JT Quite so; God speaks in that relation. It is the idea of “the temple of God” — a very comforting and blessed thought. The saints can come together and as together, afford conditions for the Spirit of God. “Do ye not know that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?” (1 Corinthians 3:16.) That is the ground we may take, and there would be conditions for divine speaking.
JM Is this the kind of speaking that Peter refers to? “If any one speak — as oracles of God”, (1 Peter 4:11).
JT That is right, from the temple or the oracle.
TT When Paul was speaking at Troas it says, that “there were many lights in the upper room” (Acts 20:8). Do [p. 38] you connect that with the scripture in Numbers — the speaking and the lights?
JT Yes, with the candlestick. Light goes with the speaking. I suppose the lights in Acts 20 would allude to the brethren who were present. What God was saying through Paul would be reflected in them.
ELM Have we in Numbers 8 the moral conditions that bear on the Levites? They are to be cleansed by sprinkling of water and by passing the razor over them. If the conditions among the saints make service possible, will this raise an exercise with the levites, as to their moral state?
JT That is so. We read in chapter 8:7: “thus shalt thou do unto them, to cleanse them: sprinkle upon them water of purification from sin; and they shall pass the razor over all their flesh, and shall wash their garments, and make themselves clean”. Moses was to do something, and they were to do something; that is, Christ does something for us, and then we do something. The razor deals with the removal of all natural growth, not only in relation to the head, but the razor was to be passed “over all their flesh”, showing how thoroughly it is to be done. The levite has to attend to himself as to all the natural growth, so as to make room for spiritual growth, what is of God; he uses the razor himself.
WSS Is it important that the levites were in the hands of Aaron. Would all levitical service be subject to that?
JT That is how the service goes on; Aaron offers them as a wave-offering before Jehovah, and then they are given to Aaron and to his sons, to perform the service of the tent of meeting. Aaron would typify Christ as Priest. He acts on the part of the children of Israel in offering the Levites, for they represent all; and then verse 11 says, “they shall perform the service of Jehovah”.
JHB What is the difference between verses 11 and 13? Both speak of the Levites as a wave-offering, but they were to be offered by Aaron in verse 11, and by Moses in verse 13.
JT Moses represents Christ’s authority; in verse 13 his authority comes out; it says “thou shalt set the Levites before Aaron, and before his sons, and offer them as a wave-offering to Jehovah”. Note how Aaron and his sons are recognized in this offering by Moses.
Ques Will you say a word as to the cleansing by Moses; is there any suggestion of new birth?
JT This goes beyond that. New birth is by the Spirit, “born of water and of Spirit” (John 3:5). This goes further, as to water, than new birth, it is more like 1 John 5, the application of the death of Christ in the sense of moral cleansing. The idea of the razor is in connection with what is of the flesh — fleshly conditions, which are thoroughly removed as by the power of the Spirit in the believer’s self-judgment.
ELM Would it have any bearing on the Lord’s words to the disciples in John 13:10: “He that is washed all over needs not to wash save his feet, but is wholly clean”?
JT The Lord’s action there indicates something like this.
ELM Does John 15:3: “Ye are already clean by reason of the word which I have spoken to you”, suggest that moral cleansing had come to pass?
JT The water is always the death of Christ in some sense. There is no other way of cleansing. There are two features in relation to death: the judicial side, which deals with one’s sins; then there is the moral side which deals with one’s state;, so that in order to serve, the latter must be applied.
Ques Would you say that in Acts 15, where Barnabas wanted to take Mark, he was not prepared to pass the razor over Mark’s [p. 40] flesh?
JT That is so. The bringing of Mark down from Jerusalem, mentioned in Acts 12, would mean that Jerusalem was contributing an additional bond between the work of God in Jerusalem and what was among the gentiles. Mark’s failure afterwards does not alter that. His failure showed that he had not passed the razor thoroughly over himself. The razor would remove all natural growth including family links. The levite is one who has said to his father and mother, “I have not seen him”, (Deuteronomy 33:9). Mark failed in that, but nevertheless potentially he was a levite; as we see afterwards, Paul says of him, “he is serviceable to me for ministry”, (2 Timothy 4:11).
JM Why are the priests anointed in Leviticus 8 but in Numbers 8 the Levites only cleansed?
JT The priesthood really covers the whole levitical position, for the same persons are in view. The Levites were given to the priests; united indeed with Aaron in his service. In this sense the Levite merges in the priest.
EBG In Numbers 8:20 we read that they “did to the Levites according to all that Jehovah had commanded”, and then “the Levites purified themselves ... and afterwards the Levites came in to perform their service in the tent of meeting”. These things are definitely taken up and become practically evident amongst the brethren.
JT That is what this chapter teaches. It shows that everything proceeded according to divine direction. “This is that which concerneth the Levites: from twenty-five years old and upward shall he come to labour in the work of the service”. It appears as if the procedure here is so pleasing to God that he reduces the age to twenty-five, which would mean an increase in the number of levites. Where conditions are pleasing the number is increased: instead of beginning at thirty they are to begin at twenty-five. The way it is stated seems to me to suggest that it is God’s pleasure in what He finds in the procedure, that He [p. 41] delights to see the brethren serve, and would lower the age so as to include more.
ELM The age was again reduced by David. Would that suggest that at the end of the day the age is again decreased? (1 Chronicles 23:24 - 27).
JT In David’s day the age was reduced from twenty-five to twenty, as if the more spiritual the circumstances, the more God would increase the Levites. He would encourage young men and young women to come forward, and not to be deterred by age. “Let no one despise thy youth”, (1 Timothy 4:12). You cannot help your youth, but to let no one despise it implies that I overcome the disadvantage by increased spirituality and sobriety.
ETS It is interesting to see that there is nothing rigid with God; He enlarges what He delights in.
WSS Does Numbers 8:23 suggest a new speaking based on the conditions?
JT That is right; it comes in here remarkably. God speaks as to the age being reduced after they had already taken up the service as stated in verse 22; “the Levites came in to perform their service in the rent of meeting before Aaron, and before his sons; as Jehovah had commanded Moses concerning the Levites, so did they to them. And Jehovah spoke to Moses, saying, This is that which concerneth the Levites: from twenty-five years old and upwards shall he come to labour in the work”. It is as if Jehovah would express His pleasure in what had preceded. There is a great call for levites; a very great need for active workers. By the last words of David the age for service was lowered to twenty (1 Chronicles 23:27). The reason is given there; it is because they did not have to carry any more. It would apply more to assembly service. Here no reason is given; so the inference is that God is pleased with these conditions, and would encourage young men and women to take [p. 42] up their levitical service, for every saint is held for levitical service from a month old and upwards.
AC What have you in mind in saying there is need for levites?
JT The need for servants of all kinds is very great; the Lord would say of every one: “The Lord hath need of him”, (Mark 11:3). The need is so great, and He has pleasure in the service. It says in Haggai 1:8, “I will take pleasure in it”.
AHG What is the idea of age as applied today?
JT It is a question of spiritual maturity. In this book the military age is twenty, the levitical age is thirty. There is a modification of the latter here, but there is no modification of the military age; there is nothing below twenty. The modification of the levitical age here is obviously because God was pleased with what resulted; that everything went on as He required it; the circumstances were delightful to heaven.
EBG Was the modification because of the existence of increased need, or because of increased wealth becoming evident amongst the people?
JT All those things would enter into it, but I think it was because God was pleased with what resulted. It is stated that “as Jehovah had commanded Moses concerning the Levites, so did they to them”.
TT After Paul’s faithfulness at the end of Acts 15 he parts from Barnabas and gets Timothy, and then we read of great increase and great success in service. Is that in line?
JT That is a good illustration of increase of the levites. Paul lost Barnabas, but he got Timothy — and apparently Barnabas too, later, and Mark.
JTS Jehovah says, “the Levites shall be mine”. Would not that be a great leverage for this service?
JT That is a very precious word. Is that how you regard yourself, that you belong [p. 43] to God?
JTS Is it not for that reason that “always abounding in the work of the Lord” (1 Corinthians 15:58), was stressed and encouraged. There was a censure upon the failure of the Tekoites to do this, “their nobles put not their necks to the work of their Lord”, (Nehemiah 3:5).
JT The call is very insistent for more levites, active levites. All true christians are levites and are held for service, but the putting of the necks to the work, the doing of things, is what is lacking.
Ques What is the thought as to separation here? Before the Levites are serviceable, they are separated from the children of Israel.
JT I think it is to bring out clearly that they represented the rights of God; all the firstborn were His by right, in view of the fact that they were saved from Egypt. The firstborn belong to Jehovah, and these were taken instead, so the separation would make that thought stand out. The Levite is entirely for God; He says, “that the Levites may be mine”. Then He gives them to Aaron and to his sons, but before that, they are offered as a wave-offering by Aaron to Jehovah, on the part of the children of Israel; that is, the children of Israel are represented. Therefore it is a question of God’s rights over us, that He might have us for service.
EBG What is the thought in serving no more, retiring from the labour of the service?
JT I think the retirement indicates that the service requires spiritual power. It is not that a man of fifty loses his spiritual power, but it is God calling attention to what is required. The levite should see to it that he never loses his strength, that he never gets beyond fifty! The exigencies of the service require full manhood. If I am like Moses I never lose full manhood. Even if he is a hundred and twenty, he is in full manhood, in full vigour of life.
WF The keeping the charge seems to be distinguished [p. 44] from serving. The levite still continues to keep the charge, does he not?
JT He is there; but God is asserting what the exigencies of levitical service require. It can only be taken up in the vigour of life. God will not have it otherwise.
WH Do you think Barnabas saw the need for levitical service when he went to find Saul (Acts 11:25)?
JT I think that is right, he knew he was suited for the work to be done.
Rem The Lord honoured his service. Barnabas was a man full of the Holy Spirit, he had used the razor.
JT He is put forward as a typical levite.
WL How would speaking from the mercy-seat stand in relation to levitical service?
JT All service is carried on in the light of the communications God is making. A man who disregards current communications, the speaking of the Spirit, is disqualified. Every levitical service is carried on in relation to that.
WSS The resources of the assembly come into evidence here. As coming into the service it is not only a question of what one has, but of what is available. Chapter 7 indicates a sphere of great wealth.
JT Yes. And then, the divine speaking is always authoritative, but first of all it is from the mercy-seat; it is a question of what God is towards us in mercy; then it is from above the ark, implying that the Person of Christ is involved; then “from between the two cherubim”, which is a question of authority. There is authority in the speaking, but it is marked by these features, and I think the levites would characteristically take that on. None would disregard anything coming from the Lord, in that way.
[p. 45] Rem The gospel of Mark ends with the Lord at the right hand of God, and the disciples going forth preaching everywhere.
JT Yes; things are carried on from that point, the right hand of God; and the preaching is marked by authority.