Numbers 3:1-13
“These also are the generations of Aaron and Moses in the day that the LORD spake with Moses in mount Sinai.
And these are the names of the sons of Aaron; Nadab the firstborn, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. These are the names of the sons of Aaron, the priests which were anointed, whom he consecrated to minister in the priest's office.” (Numbers 3:1-3)
The word generation used here obviously refers to those generated by or descended from Moses and Aaron. Unfortunately the failure to understand this meaning created a lot of controversy in interpreting the passages in Matthew 24:26-34, Mark 13, and Luke 12, relating to the second coming of Christ. Moses’ sons were not given any special calling, but Aaron’s sons were selected to be priests.
“And Nadab and Abihu died before the LORD, when they offered strange fire before the LORD, in the wilderness of Sinai, and they had no children: and Eleazar and Ithamar ministered in the priest's office in the sight of Aaron their father.” (Numbers 3:4)
Of the four sons of Aaron chosen to be priests, two were killed for offering strange fire before the altar. Leviticus 8 and 9 describes the dedication of the Tabernacle and priests. God kindled the fire that consumed the original sacrifices. Leviticus 9:24-10:3describes the destruction of Nadab and Abihu. “And there came a fire out from before the LORD, and consumed upon the altar the burnt offering and the fat: which when all the people saw, they shouted, and fell on their faces. And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took either of them his censer, and put fire therein, and put incense thereon, and offered strange fire before the LORD, which he commanded them not. And there went out fire from the LORD, and devoured them, and they died before the LORD. Then Moses said unto Aaron, This is it that the LORD spake, saying, I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me, and before all the people I will be glorified. And Aaron held his peace."
Instead of using the fire God had started, Nadab and Abihu used fire from some other source. No substitute for the fire of God was acceptable. I am concerned that the substitution of psychological gimmicks for spiritual power, or human doctrine for the Word of God may is using false fire in our day. Eleazar and Ithamar were able to continue their priesthood.
“And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Bring the tribe of Levi near, and present them before Aaron the priest, that they may minister unto him. And they shall keep his charge, and the charge of the whole congregation before the tabernacle of the congregation, to do the service of the tabernacle. And they shall keep all the instruments of the tabernacle of the congregation, and the charge of the children of Israel, to do the service of the tabernacle.
And thou shalt give the Levites unto Aaron and to his sons: they are wholly given unto him out of the children of Israel. And thou shalt appoint Aaron and his sons, and they shall wait on their priest's office: and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death.” (Numbers 3:5-10)
Not only Aaron’s sons, but the entire tribe of Levi was chosen to minister to God. Aaron and his sons were to oversee the service of the other Levites, in caring for the tabernacle and in teaching the other tribes. In this regard, the priest’s job was much like that of the pastor or bishops responsibility for overseeing the church. Anyone who performed the duties who was not a member of the right family was to be executed. The New Testament requirements for pastors and deacons in I Timothy 3 and Titus 1 exclude unsaved or unspiritual men from the ministry in the same way. Far too often human standards are substituted for God’s.
“And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, And I, behold, I have taken the Levites from among the children of Israel instead of all the firstborn that openeth the matrix among the children of Israel: therefore the Levites shall be mine; Because all the firstborn are mine; for on the day that I smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt I hallowed unto me all the firstborn in Israel, both man and beast: mine shall they be: I am the LORD.” (Numbers 3:11-13)
In Exodus 13:11-15, God had commanded, “And it shall be when the LORD shall bring thee into the land of the Canaanites, as he sware unto thee and to thy fathers, and shall give it thee, That thou shalt set apart unto the LORD all that openeth the matrix, and every firstling that cometh of a beast which thou hast; the males shall be the LORD'S. And every firstling of an ass thou shalt redeem with a lamb; and if thou wilt not redeem it, then thou shalt break his neck: and all the firstborn of man among thy children shalt thou redeem. And it shall be when thy son asketh thee in time to come, saying, What is this? that thou shalt say unto him, By strength of hand the LORD brought us out from Egypt, from the house of bondage: And it came to pass, when Pharaoh would hardly let us go, that the LORD slew all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both the firstborn of man, and the firstborn of beast: therefore I sacrifice to the LORD all that openeth the matrix, being males; but all the firstborn of my children I redeem."
Now God makes it clear that he is claiming the tribe of Levi as a substitute for the firstborn sons. The other tribes are to give their redemption money to the tribe of Levi as a payment for taking their place. The responsibility to God would be met because someone else too their place, fulfilling the requirements of justice. Again we have an illustration of Christ fulfilling the requirements of the law for us, so we don’t have to. Romans 8:1-4 refers to this . “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.”
“These also are the generations of Aaron and Moses in the day that the LORD spake with Moses in mount Sinai.
And these are the names of the sons of Aaron; Nadab the firstborn, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. These are the names of the sons of Aaron, the priests which were anointed, whom he consecrated to minister in the priest's office.” (Numbers 3:1-3)
The word generation used here obviously refers to those generated by or descended from Moses and Aaron. Unfortunately the failure to understand this meaning created a lot of controversy in interpreting the passages in Matthew 24:26-34, Mark 13, and Luke 12, relating to the second coming of Christ. Moses’ sons were not given any special calling, but Aaron’s sons were selected to be priests.
“And Nadab and Abihu died before the LORD, when they offered strange fire before the LORD, in the wilderness of Sinai, and they had no children: and Eleazar and Ithamar ministered in the priest's office in the sight of Aaron their father.” (Numbers 3:4)
Of the four sons of Aaron chosen to be priests, two were killed for offering strange fire before the altar. Leviticus 8 and 9 describes the dedication of the Tabernacle and priests. God kindled the fire that consumed the original sacrifices. Leviticus 9:24-10:3describes the destruction of Nadab and Abihu. “And there came a fire out from before the LORD, and consumed upon the altar the burnt offering and the fat: which when all the people saw, they shouted, and fell on their faces. And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took either of them his censer, and put fire therein, and put incense thereon, and offered strange fire before the LORD, which he commanded them not. And there went out fire from the LORD, and devoured them, and they died before the LORD. Then Moses said unto Aaron, This is it that the LORD spake, saying, I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me, and before all the people I will be glorified. And Aaron held his peace."
Instead of using the fire God had started, Nadab and Abihu used fire from some other source. No substitute for the fire of God was acceptable. I am concerned that the substitution of psychological gimmicks for spiritual power, or human doctrine for the Word of God may is using false fire in our day. Eleazar and Ithamar were able to continue their priesthood.
“And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Bring the tribe of Levi near, and present them before Aaron the priest, that they may minister unto him. And they shall keep his charge, and the charge of the whole congregation before the tabernacle of the congregation, to do the service of the tabernacle. And they shall keep all the instruments of the tabernacle of the congregation, and the charge of the children of Israel, to do the service of the tabernacle.
And thou shalt give the Levites unto Aaron and to his sons: they are wholly given unto him out of the children of Israel. And thou shalt appoint Aaron and his sons, and they shall wait on their priest's office: and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death.” (Numbers 3:5-10)
Not only Aaron’s sons, but the entire tribe of Levi was chosen to minister to God. Aaron and his sons were to oversee the service of the other Levites, in caring for the tabernacle and in teaching the other tribes. In this regard, the priest’s job was much like that of the pastor or bishops responsibility for overseeing the church. Anyone who performed the duties who was not a member of the right family was to be executed. The New Testament requirements for pastors and deacons in I Timothy 3 and Titus 1 exclude unsaved or unspiritual men from the ministry in the same way. Far too often human standards are substituted for God’s.
“And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, And I, behold, I have taken the Levites from among the children of Israel instead of all the firstborn that openeth the matrix among the children of Israel: therefore the Levites shall be mine; Because all the firstborn are mine; for on the day that I smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt I hallowed unto me all the firstborn in Israel, both man and beast: mine shall they be: I am the LORD.” (Numbers 3:11-13)
In Exodus 13:11-15, God had commanded, “And it shall be when the LORD shall bring thee into the land of the Canaanites, as he sware unto thee and to thy fathers, and shall give it thee, That thou shalt set apart unto the LORD all that openeth the matrix, and every firstling that cometh of a beast which thou hast; the males shall be the LORD'S. And every firstling of an ass thou shalt redeem with a lamb; and if thou wilt not redeem it, then thou shalt break his neck: and all the firstborn of man among thy children shalt thou redeem. And it shall be when thy son asketh thee in time to come, saying, What is this? that thou shalt say unto him, By strength of hand the LORD brought us out from Egypt, from the house of bondage: And it came to pass, when Pharaoh would hardly let us go, that the LORD slew all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both the firstborn of man, and the firstborn of beast: therefore I sacrifice to the LORD all that openeth the matrix, being males; but all the firstborn of my children I redeem."
Now God makes it clear that he is claiming the tribe of Levi as a substitute for the firstborn sons. The other tribes are to give their redemption money to the tribe of Levi as a payment for taking their place. The responsibility to God would be met because someone else too their place, fulfilling the requirements of justice. Again we have an illustration of Christ fulfilling the requirements of the law for us, so we don’t have to. Romans 8:1-4 refers to this . “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.”
Praise God that He fulfilled the law and imputed His righteousness to whosoever puts their faith in His death, burial and resurrection as the only way to Heaven.
ReplyDeleteThanks as always for the excellent and thorough post.
God bless,
Laurie
To be honest here, I always found a problem with this Scripture. Here, Moses is instructed that every firstborn which "opens the matrix" must be a boy. Am I misreading this, or should I ask whether if the firstborn is a girl, should she be presented to the Lord in the same way as would a boy? Weren't there any female firstborn among the ancient families in Israel?
ReplyDeleteThe angel of death had only killed the male firstborn in Egypt, and so only the male firstborn were included in the need for redemption. Joshua 17:3-4 describes a situation where one of Manasseh's descendants had no sons, so obviously female firstborn were common, they just didn't need to be redeemed.
ReplyDelete