Reviewing Their Responsibilities

Korah and his followers had decided to assume the priesthood for themselves in Numbers 16.  God had destroyed them, and in Numbers 17, made if clear that position was to be held only by those he had chosen.  In Numbers 18 he described the responsibilities the priests and Levites.  It parallels the responsibilities of Christians today.  He starts with the priests, 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.” 

The priests’ first responsibility was for how the people worshipped God. Their second responsibility was for how they themselves performed their priesthood.  They were to bear the responsibility for any deficiencies(iniquity) in either area.   Today there are a number of people who want to be pastors and church leaders who have no idea of the responsibilities involved.  Just as the different priests had different responsibilities, God has given various responsibilities in the church.   Ephesians 4:11-16 describes these different jobs.  “And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.”

The apostles special mission was to lay the foundation for the church, teaching who Christ was and why he came, and teaching the people the basic principles of what God expected.  They were responsible for leaving the written word so that people could remember these things after the apostles died. As Peter said in II Peter 2:15.  “Moreover I will endeavour that ye may be able after my decease to have these things always in remembrance.”  II Peter 3:1 makes the point that both his books were written to stir up people’s memories.  Prophets served to fill in the gaps until the scriptures were completed, as I Corinthians 13:9-10 tells us.  “For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.  But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.” Evangelists or missionaries were to announce the gospel in areas where people had never heard, teaching the same things the apostles had taught.  Pastors and teachers were to teach and encourage the people who had heard to go on and serve the Lord.    The ultimate goal of each position was to bring people to a point of being like Christ, so that they deserve the appellation of “Christian” or “little Christ.”  In the process they should also become doctrinally grounded so that they stand for what God has said and are not swayed by people’s opinions. 

It was with this in mind that Paul wrote in II Timothy 4:1-5, “I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.  For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.  But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.”  The pastors and leaders of the church are going to be held accountable for how they have taught and led the church, and for how they have performed their ministry.   They need to do the entire job, including reaching out to the unsaved.   

The rest of the Levites were to help the priests with whatever was needed, even helping the priests offer the offerings when the need was too great.  They were always to be under the direction of the priests.  Numbers 18:2-5 tells us, “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.  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.  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.  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.”

They were not to try to take over the priest’s job, so that they didn’t experience the same consequences as Korah and his followers did.  Sinilarly, in the church today, God’s plan is for the people to follow the pastor’s leadership, helping wherever they may be needed.  Hebrews 13:17 commands,   “Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.”  They are not to blindly follow the leadership however.  Hebrews 13:7 commands, “Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation.”  They were to examine the leader’s life and teaching before putting them into positions of leadership, or if he does not continue to follow the scriptures.