NUMBERS LESSON 6
We will begin this lesson in Numbers 4:1 "And the LORD spake unto
Moses and unto Aaron, saying,"
This message is to Moses and Aaron, because this message speaks
to them, as well as to the tribes.
Numbers 4:2 "Take the sum of the sons of Kohath from among the
sons of Levi, after their families, by the house of their fathers,"
We saw earlier God separating out the Levites from among the 12
tribes of Israel. Now, we see a further separation. The tribe of
Kohath is separated out for an even more specific calling from God.
The priests were Koathites. Now, we see this tribe honored more than
the others in service to God.
Numbers 4:3 "From thirty years old and upward even until fifty
years old, all that enter into the host, to do the work in the
tabernacle of the congregation."
Those who ministered were to begin when they were 30 years old,
and serve the LORD in the tabernacle 20 years. It is very interesting,
to me, that Jesus was 30 years old, when He began His formal ministry.
At the age of 30, the Hebrews felt that a man became fully mature and
could handle authority.
Numbers 4:4 "This [shall be] the service of the sons of Kohath in
the tabernacle of the congregation, [about] the most holy things:"
Only those who had been called of God for this purpose, could
handle the most holy things. Moses, Aaron, and Aaron's sons were all
from the tribe of Kohath.
Numbers 4:5 "And when the camp setteth forward, Aaron shall
come, and his sons, and they shall take down the covering veil, and
cover the ark of testimony with it:"
It appears, that even the veil, which separated the holy of
holies from the holy place, could only be touched by Aaron and His
sons, who had been consecrated for this holy work. It appears, the Ark
must be covered with this veil, to keep it from view.
Numbers 4:6 "And shall put thereon the covering of badgers'
skins, and shall spread over [it] a cloth wholly of blue, and shall
put in the staves thereof."
The badgers' skins would keep it dry and protected from damage.
It appears, the blue cloth was to be the outer covering. The blue
covering showed its heavenly origin.
Numbers 4:7 And upon the table of shewbread they shall spread a
cloth of blue, and put thereon the dishes, and the spoons, and the
bowls, and covers to cover withal: and the continual bread shall be
thereon:
The things in the holy place and the most holy place were not to
be open to public view, even as they travelled. Again, the blue cloth
let the world know these things were of a heavenly nature.
Numbers 4:8 "And they shall spread upon them a cloth of scarlet,
and cover the same with a covering of badgers' skins, and shall put in
the staves thereof."
"Scarlet" had to do with red, and showed the Bread provided life.
The badger skins were to protect from the elements. The staves were
put through rings, so the bearers would not touch the holy things.
They just carried them by the staves.
Numbers 4:9 "And they shall take a cloth of blue, and cover the
candlestick of the light, and his lamps, and his tongs, and his
snuffdishes, and all the oil vessels thereof, wherewith they minister
unto it:"
These were all holy things. The "candlestick" and the "Light"
therein symbolized the Light of Jesus. The blue was to keep the world
away from the holy things.
Numbers 4:10 "And they shall put it and all the vessels thereof
within a covering of badgers' skins, and shall put [it] upon a bar."
This is the same as the verses above. The badgers' skins were
slick, and could turn water. They were placed on the bar for handling,
so the bearer would not be in direct contact with the holy things.
Numbers 4:11 "And upon the golden altar they shall spread a cloth
of blue, and cover it with a covering of badgers' skins, and shall put
to the staves thereof:"Numbers 4:12 "And they shall take all the
instruments of ministry, wherewith they minister in the sanctuary, and
put [them] in a cloth of blue, and cover them with a covering of
badgers' skins, and shall put [them] on a bar:"
Again, the instruments of ministry and the golden altar must be
treated with holy care. They again, are covered in blue, and then
covered with the slick skin to keep them dry.
Numbers 4:13 "And they shall take away the ashes from the altar,
and spread a purple cloth thereon:"
This purple cloth speaks of royalty. This, possibly, is speaking
of separating the ashes from the live coals. The altar fire was never
to be put out completely. Leviticus 6:13 "The fire shall ever be
burning upon the altar; it shall never go out." The altar covered
with this purple cloth symbolizes the great sacrificial offering of
Jesus for all of us. John 19:2 "And the soldiers platted a crown of
thorns, and put [it] on his head, and they put on him a purple robe,"
Numbers 4:14 "And they shall put upon it all the vessels thereof,
wherewith they minister about it, [even] the censers, the fleshhooks,
and the shovels, and the basins, all the vessels of the altar; and
they shall spread upon it a covering of badgers' skins, and put to the
staves of it."
These are the instruments used in conjunction with the altar. Not
only is the altar holy, but everything that touches it, as well.
Numbers 4:15 "And when Aaron and his sons have made an end of
covering the sanctuary, and all the vessels of the sanctuary, as the
camp is to set forward; after that, the sons of Kohath shall come to
bear [it]: but they shall not touch [any] holy thing, lest they die.
These [things are] the burden of the sons of Kohath in the tabernacle
of the congregation."
We see, from this, that only Aaron and his sons can touch these
holy things, even to wrap them for travel. The actual carrying is done
by other members of the tribe of Kohath. They just pick up the staves
and carry it with the staves. If they touch any of the things other
than the staves to carry it with, they will surely die.
Numbers 4:16 "And to the office of Eleazar the son of Aaron the
priest [pertaineth] the oil for the light, and the sweet incense, and
the daily meat offering, and the anointing oil, [and] the oversight of
all the tabernacle, and of all that therein [is], in the sanctuary,
and in the vessels thereof."
Eleazar had a very important calling, next to his father Aaron's
calling. He was to fuel the light, to see that it never went out.
Again, this light symbolizes the "Light" of the world {Jesus Christ}.
His power is never diminished. The "sweet incense" symbolizes the
prayers of the saints that rise to heaven. The "anointing oil"
symbolizes the Holy Spirit of God. Then, we can safely say, that
Eleazar cared for the spiritual things of the temple. Next to Aaron,
he was the overseer.
Numbers 4:17 "And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron,
saying," Numbers 4:18 "Cut ye not off the tribe of the families of the
Kohathites from among the Levites:"
Even though they were set aside for special service, the
Kohathites were to still be part of the Levitical tribe. The tribe of
Levi was small compared to the other tribes of Israel. The Kohathites
were an even smaller group of the Levites.
Numbers 4:19 "But thus do unto them, that they may live, and not
die, when they approach unto the most holy things: Aaron and his sons
shall go in, and appoint them every one to his service and to his
burden:"
All of the Levitical tribe was chosen of God for work in the
ministry. The only difference was that the High priest, Aaron, and his
sons, the priests, were the only ones of the tribe to handle the holy
and the most holy things. Even they could not touch them unless it was
for the purpose of carrying out God's wishes pertaining to them. For a
Levite, who was not a priest or the high priest to touch these holy
things, would mean certain death. This must be seen from the spiritual
standpoint, as well. The high priest is like the great High Priest
Jesus Christ. It, also, sometimes is speaking of the leader of the
church. The "priests" symbolize all believers in Christ. The world, or
worldly people, do not have that close association with the Lord that
the Christians and their leaders do.
Numbers 4:20 "But they shall not go in to see when the holy
things are covered, lest they die."
The holy vessels and the Ark were hidden from public view at all
times. Curiosity seekers could die looking at the most holy things. In
the following Scriptures, you can see the seriousness of this type of
breaking in to see God, or the Ark. Exodus 19:21 "And the LORD said
unto Moses, Go down, charge the people, lest they break through unto
the LORD to gaze, and many of them perish." I Samuel 6:19 "And he
smote the men of Beth-shemesh, because they had looked into the ark of
the LORD, even he smote of the people fifty thousand and threescore
and ten men: and the people lamented, because the LORD had smitten
[many] of the people with a great slaughter."
Numbers 6 Questions
1. God had separated the Levites from the other tribes of Israel, in
this lesson He is separating the __________ out of the Levites.
2. What were the ages of those separated out to work for God?
3. The author found that it was very interesting that Jesus was
_______ years old, when He began His formal ministry.
4. Why was this age chosen for the time to begin to minister?
5. What tribe was Moses and Aaron from?
6. Who were the only ones who could touch the holy things?
7. Who took the veil down for traveling?
8. What was the Ark covered with for travel?
9. What kept the Ark dry?
10. Why did they use a blue cloth to cover it?
11. What did they put over the table of shewbread?
12. The things from the holy place and the most holy place were not
open to __________ ______.
13. What did the "scarlet" covering symbolize?
14. How were the bearers to carry these holy things?
15. What did the "candlestick" and the "light" symbolize?
16. The purple cloth speaks of ________.
17. Quote Leviticus chapter 6 verse 13.
18. Quote John chapter 19 verse 2.
19. What will happen if some of the sons of Kohath, other that Aaron
and his sons, touch the instruments directly?
20. What is under supervision of Eleazar?
21. What does this perpetual "Light", in verse 16, symbolize?
22. What does the "sweet incense" symbolize?
23. What does the "anointing oil" symbolize?
24. What did God tell Moses and Aaron not to do, in verses 17 and 18?
25. Who were the only ones allowed to touch the holy things?
26. Who do the "priests" symbolize?
27. Quote Exodus chapter 19 verse 21.
28. Quote 1 Samuel chapter 6 verse 19.
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