NUMBERS LESSON 24
We will begin this lesson in Numbers 18:1 "And the LORD said unto
Aaron, Thou and thy sons and thy father's house with thee shall bear
the iniquity of the sanctuary: and thou and thy sons with thee shall
bear the iniquity of your priesthood."
This a change in the message from God. Up until now, the LORD
spoke to Moses, or Moses and Aaron. In this the LORD is speaking to
Aaron. In the last lesson, Aaron's rod bloomed, which gave
unquestioned authority of the priesthood to Aaron and his sons. We
found in the book of Leviticus that, God spoke to the people through
the Urim and Thummin of the high priest. Aaron's father's house was
the Kohathites. The mention of them has to do with the carrying of the
furniture, curtains, and boards of the tabernacle. The "bearing of the
iniquity" speaks of the responsibility to teach against iniquity.
Numbers 18:2 "And thy brethren also of the tribe of Levi, the
tribe of thy father, bring thou with thee, that they may be joined
unto thee, and minister unto thee: but thou and thy sons with thee
[shall minister] before the tabernacle of witness."
This is separating out Aaron and his sons to work in the holy
place, and in the holy of holies, while the other Kohathites do not
minister in the tabernacle. They just move the actual structure of the
tabernacle, when they move from place to place.
Numbers 18:3 "And they shall keep thy charge, and the charge of
all the tabernacle: only they shall not come nigh the vessels of the
sanctuary and the altar, that neither they, nor ye also, die."
Only Aaron and his sons are anointed of the oil of separation to
come into the holy place. The vessels can be handled only by them.
Even the carrying of the vessels from place to place, must be done by
Aaron and his sons. Anything in the holy place, or holy of holies, can
not be touched by anyone other than Aaron, or his sons. The penalty is
death to those who touch them. The penalty would be death for Aaron to
allow them to touch them, as well.
Numbers 18:4 "And they shall be joined unto thee, and keep the
charge of the tabernacle of the congregation, for all the service of
the tabernacle: and a stranger shall not come nigh unto you."
The stranger, in this verse, is someone who is not a Levite.
Numbers 18:5 "And ye shall keep the charge of the sanctuary, and
the charge of the altar: that there be no wrath any more upon the
children of Israel."
God does not want any more deaths. He explains this over in
detail, to show who has been anointed to do each job. They are not to
vary from what they are called to do. This is telling Aaron that he is
in charge of the tabernacle, and the altar, and is responsible at all
times for them. With the great honor of being called to be high
priest, goes great responsibility. He cannot point to someone else,
and blame them. He is the responsible one.
Numbers 18:6 "And I, behold, I have taken your brethren the
Levites from among the children of Israel: to you [they are] given
[as] a gift for the LORD, to do the service of the tabernacle of the
congregation."
We remember from previous lessons that, God separated out the
tribe of Levi to substitute for the firstborn of each family. They
belong totally to God. They are not even camped with the other tribes.
They are camped close to the tabernacle. The tabernacle is their
responsibility. The Levites have no land, or really, no private life.
They belong to God for His service.
Numbers 18:7 "Therefore thou and thy sons with thee shall keep
your priest's office for every thing of the altar, and within the
veil; and ye shall serve: I have given your priest's office [unto you
as] a service of gift: and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put
to death."
The entire tribe of Levi was given to Aaron, and his sons, and
actually to God, to serve in the things Aaron and his sons cannot do.
They are actually helpers. They help with the physical side of the
ministry, while Aaron and his sons are responsible for the spiritual.
Numbers 18:8 "And the LORD spake unto Aaron, Behold, I also have
given thee the charge of mine heave offerings of all the hallowed
things of the children of Israel; unto thee have I given them by
reason of the anointing, and to thy sons, by an ordinance for ever."
Aaron and his sons are to live of the offerings that come into
the tabernacle. They have no land, or no secular jobs. They are to
live of the gifts of the sanctuary. Actually, the people give these
offerings to God, and God shares them with Aaron.
Numbers 18:9 "This shall be thine of the most holy things,
[reserved] from the fire: every oblation of theirs, every meat
offering of theirs, and every sin offering of theirs, and every
trespass offering of theirs, which they shall render unto me, [shall
be] most holy for thee and for thy sons."
We go into greater details about all of these offerings in our
Bible study on Leviticus. For the lesson here, I believe it is showing
that Aaron and his family live of the offerings and sacrifices brought
to the tabernacle. Leviticus 2:3 "And the remnant of the meat offering
[shall be] Aaron's and his sons': [it is] a thing most holy of the
offerings of the LORD made by fire." I Corinthians 9:13 "Do ye not
know that they which minister about holy things live [of the things]
of the temple? and they which wait at the altar are partakers with
the altar?"
Numbers 18:10 "In the most holy [place] shalt thou eat it; every
male shall eat it: it shall be holy unto thee."
The holy place was the place for all meat offering, sin offering
and trespass offering to be eaten. This is speaking of things which
must be eaten inside the tabernacle. Many of the offerings, the entire
family ate of. The males mentioned, here, are the priests, who
symbolize all believers, male and female.
Numbers 18:11 "And this [is] thine; the heave offering of their
gift, with all the wave offerings of the children of Israel: I have
given them unto thee, and to thy sons and to thy daughters with thee,
by a statute for ever: every one that is clean in thy house shall eat
of it."
The heave offering and the wave offering did not have to be eaten
inside the tabernacle, and therefore, the whole family could eat of
it.
Numbers 18:12 "All the best of the oil, and all the best of the
wine, and of the wheat, the firstfruits of them which they shall offer
unto the LORD, them have I given thee."
The firstfruits are of the vineyard, as well as the orchard and
the gardens. Since they were not destroyed in sacrifice, they were
eaten of the family of the high priest.
Numbers 18:13 "[And] whatsoever is first ripe in the land, which
they shall bring unto the LORD, shall be thine; every one that is
clean in thine house shall eat [of] it."
Numbers 18:14 "Every thing devoted in Israel shall be thine."
When things were given to God in sacrifice, God in turn gave them
to the priest's family. The only ones forbidden to partake of it,
would be those who were unclean for some reason.
Numbers 18:15 "Every thing that openeth the matrix in all flesh,
which they bring unto the LORD, [whether it be] of men or beasts,
shall be thine: nevertheless the firstborn of man shalt thou surely
redeem, and the firstling of unclean beasts shalt thou redeem."
Earlier in these lessons, we learned that the firstborn of each
family was purchased back from God for 5 shekels of silver. The tribe
of Levi got the 5 shekels, because they substituted for the firstborn.
Now, we see that unclean beasts were purchased back, as well.
Sometimes, the owner of the unclean animal would kill it, rather than
pay the redemption money.
Numbers 18:16 "And those that are to be redeemed from a month old
shalt thou redeem, according to thine estimation, for the money of
five shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary, which [is] twenty
gerahs."
The shekels for redemption were silver. Isn't it interesting that
silver means redemption? The number 5 means grace.
Numbers 18:17 "But the firstling of a cow, or the firstling of a
sheep, or the firstling of a goat, thou shalt not redeem; they [are]
holy: thou shalt sprinkle their blood upon the altar, and shalt burn
their fat [for] an offering made by fire, for a sweet savour unto the
LORD."
The firstborn of the clean animals must be sacrificed to God.
They were not redeemed with money. In some way, each of the sacrifices
of the clean animals were a shadow of the great sacrifice that Jesus
made for us all on the cross.
Numbers 18:18 "And the flesh of them shall be thine, as the wave
breast and as the right shoulder are thine."
Aaron and his sons owned no cows, or other animals. The firstborn
was their portion. They shared with the altar of God. That is where
their meat came from.
Numbers 18:19 "All the heave offerings of the holy things, which
the children of Israel offer unto the LORD, have I given thee, and thy
sons and thy daughters with thee, by a statute for ever: it [is] a
covenant of salt for ever before the LORD unto thee and to thy seed
with thee."
Salt is a preservative, and when used in a covenant, showed that
the covenant would not be broken. It showed the covenant to be
forever. Salt, also, was a shadow of things that were incorruptible.
Numbers 18:20 "And the LORD spake unto Aaron, Thou shalt have no
inheritance in their land, neither shalt thou have any part among
them: I [am] thy part and thine inheritance among the children of
Israel."
This is just saying, they will not be allotted land, when they
get to the land of promise. Their inheritance is not in worldly
things, such as land and cattle. Their inheritance is in the things of
God. They will not be poor, because the offerings brought to the
tabernacle belong to them and God. Their living comes in the service
to God.
Numbers 18:21 "And, behold, I have given the children of Levi all
the tenth in Israel for an inheritance, for their service which they
serve, [even] the service of the tabernacle of the congregation."
Each of the twelve tribes of Israel brought 1/10 of everything
they earned to God. This 1/10 was used for the income of the tribe of
Levi. They had no other income. This was fair pay for their services
in the sanctuary.
Numbers 18:22 "Neither must the children of Israel henceforth
come nigh the tabernacle of the congregation, lest they bear sin, and
die."
This is speaking of the most holy place, where just the high
priest could go. The high priest carried blood into the holy of holies
for them on day of atonement, and they were cleansed of their sins.
They could not go in for themselves, lest they die. This is a type and
shadow of Jesus. Hebrews 9:6 "Now when these things were thus
ordained, the priests went always into the first tabernacle,
accomplishing the service [of God]." Hebrews 9:7 "But into the second
[went] the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which
he offered for himself, and [for] the errors of the people:" Hebrews
9:12 "Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood
he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal
redemption [for us]." Jesus opened the way into the most holy place,
when He was crucified. Matthew 27:51 And, behold, the veil of the
temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did
quake, and the rocks rent;"
Numbers 18:23 "But the Levites shall do the service of the
tabernacle of the congregation, and they shall bear their iniquity:
[it shall be] a statute for ever throughout your generations, that
among the children of Israel they have no inheritance."
When the land is divided, after they finally get to the promised
land, there is no land allotment for the Levis. They live of the
tabernacle. Their inheritance is in the LORD. They receive gifts of
the people with the altar of the tabernacle.
Numbers 18:24 "But the tithes of the children of Israel, which
they offer [as] an heave offering unto the LORD, I have given to the
Levites to inherit: therefore I have said unto them, Among the
children of Israel they shall have no inheritance."
Everything that is not consumed by fire, and all of the tithes
are, actually, for the use of the tribe of Levi. We listed earlier,
the few separate offerings, which were for Aaron and his sons. The
great portion of the gifts and sacrifices are to be divided with the
members of the tribe of Levi.
Numbers 18:25 "And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,"
The earlier part of this lesson was addressed to Aaron. Now, the
LORD speaks to Moses.
Numbers 18:26 "Thus speak unto the Levites, and say unto them,
When ye take of the children of Israel the tithes which I have given
you from them for your inheritance, then ye shall offer up an heave
offering of it for the LORD, [even] a tenth [part] of the tithe."
We have been studying that the tithe, 1/10 of everything the
Israelites made, went to the Lord, and in return would wind up in the
hands of the Levites. This is, now, saying that everything the Levites
received from God must be tithed, as well. They were to pay a tithe to
God for use in the tabernacle. The heave offering, we remember, had
to do with offering first to God.
Numbers 18:27 "And [this] your heave offering shall be reckoned
unto you, as though [it were] the corn of the threshingfloor, and as
the fulness of the winepress."
Even though the living came from tithes paid to God in the
tabernacle, the tithes must be paid on all they received, by the
Levites. This is a living, the same as the farmer gives of his crop,
and the vinedresser gives of his wine.
Numbers 18:28 "Thus ye also shall offer an heave offering unto
the LORD of all your tithes, which ye receive of the children of
Israel; and ye shall give thereof the LORD'S heave offering to Aaron
the priest."
These offerings of the Levites actually go to Aaron, the high
priest.
Numbers 18:29 "Out of all your gifts ye shall offer every heave
offering of the LORD, of all the best thereof, [even] the hallowed
part thereof out of it."
This is saying, everything they receive in way of payment for
their services, must be tithed to the Lord, and in turn to the high
priest. It matters not whether it is money, or gifts of some sort or
other. Everything must be tithed to the Lord.
Numbers 18:30 "Therefore thou shalt say unto them, When ye have
heaved the best thereof from it, then it shall be counted unto the
Levites as the increase of the threshingfloor, and as the increase of
the winepress."
The Levites took tithes of the people, and the high priest took
tithes of the Levites. Everything they receive should be treated the
same as if it were earned money, like the grain, or wine production.
Everything, and everyone, tithed.
Numbers 18:31 "And ye shall eat it in every place, ye and your
households: for it [is] your reward for your service in the tabernacle
of the congregation."
This is for the family, as well as for the priest. This is their
living.
Numbers 18:32 "And ye shall bear no sin by reason of it, when ye
have heaved from it the best of it: neither shall ye pollute the holy
things of the children of Israel, lest ye die."
The person offering it must give it as a tithe. It is tithed to
the LORD. There is provision made for it to be used of those who
minister of the things of God. If they minister the things of God, it
is correct for them to live of the offerings.
The lesson in this is that all must give their share to the Lord.
It is not a sin for the minister to live of the gifts to the church.
Numbers 24 Questions
1. What is different about this message?
2. _______ rod bloomed.
3. What did this do for the priesthood of Aaron?
4. We found in Leviticus that, God spoke to the people through the
_________ and ____________ of the high priest.
5. Aaron's father's house was the ___________.
6. What did the "bearing of the iniquity" mean?
7. Who was Aaron to bring with him to minister helps to him?
8. What could the other Kohathites not do, that Aaron and his sons
could?
9. What is the penalty for someone, other than Aaron or his sons,
to touch the holy things?
10. Who was the stranger in verse 4?
11. The Levites substituted for the ___________ of all Israel.
12. Where do the Levites camp?
13. What are the Levites, other than Aaron's and his son's, job?
14, Quote Leviticus chapter 2 verse 3.
15. Quote 1 Corinthians chapter 9 verse 13.
16. What offerings were eaten in the sanctuary?
17. Why could the entire family eat of the heave and the wave
offering?
18. What is the one restriction about eating of it?
19. Who did the firstfruits go to?
20. When they brought the firstborn of their animals to be sacrificed,
who got the meat?
21. What was the price to buy back the firstborn son?
22. The shekels for redemption were ________.
23. What were all the sacrifices a shadow of?
24. Salt is a ____________.
25. When used in a covenant, what did the salt show?
26. What was the tithe?
27. Who carried the blood into the holy of holies on day of atonement?
28. Quote Hebrews chapter 9 verse 7.
29. Quote Hebrews chapter 9 verse 12.
30. When was the veil of the temple rent?
31. Do the Levites tithe?
32. What lesson can we all learn from this?
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