Numbers 4: God's Holiness-No Compromising!
The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, "See that the Kohathite tribal clans are not cut off from the Levites. So that they may live and not die when they come near the most holy things, do this for them. Aaron and his sons are to go into the sanctuary and assign to each man his work and what he is to carry. But the Kohathites must not go in to look at the holy things, even for a moment, or they will die."
As Numbers opens, the Israelites are gearing up for a great adventure. Free at last from the chains of slavery, they are headed for the promised land. However, weeks, months, and then years in a hostile desert have seemed to melt the spirit of adventure. The Israelites act like people who have lost their moorings. In relentless detail, Numbers records a whole sequence of grumblings and rebellions.
The book begins with a long description of a census and proceeds into lists of laws and rituals. These were the official records of a nation, and each word had great significance for the Israelites. Chapters 1-14 share the same setting as the Book of Leviticus- the foot of Mount Sinai. Beginning with chapter 15, it's worth noting that the Israelites did not wander through the desert as an undisciplined mob. On the contrary, each tribe had an assigned place to camp. At the center of their camp was the Tent of Meeting (the tabernacle)- a visual reminder, each time they pitched their tents, of what should be at the center of their lives.
The precise instructions found in chapter 4 for moving the holy things reflected the awe and respect that were due God alone. Earlier in Leviticus, two of Aaron's sons had died while trying out their own version of worship, ignoring God's directions (Leviticus 10: 1-3, 6). Years later, King David's men flagrantly ignored these instructions, and one man, Uzzah, died as a result. There is no compromising God's holiness.
The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, "See that the Kohathite tribal clans are not cut off from the Levites. So that they may live and not die when they come near the most holy things, do this for them. Aaron and his sons are to go into the sanctuary and assign to each man his work and what he is to carry. But the Kohathites must not go in to look at the holy things, even for a moment, or they will die."
As Numbers opens, the Israelites are gearing up for a great adventure. Free at last from the chains of slavery, they are headed for the promised land. However, weeks, months, and then years in a hostile desert have seemed to melt the spirit of adventure. The Israelites act like people who have lost their moorings. In relentless detail, Numbers records a whole sequence of grumblings and rebellions.
The book begins with a long description of a census and proceeds into lists of laws and rituals. These were the official records of a nation, and each word had great significance for the Israelites. Chapters 1-14 share the same setting as the Book of Leviticus- the foot of Mount Sinai. Beginning with chapter 15, it's worth noting that the Israelites did not wander through the desert as an undisciplined mob. On the contrary, each tribe had an assigned place to camp. At the center of their camp was the Tent of Meeting (the tabernacle)- a visual reminder, each time they pitched their tents, of what should be at the center of their lives.
The precise instructions found in chapter 4 for moving the holy things reflected the awe and respect that were due God alone. Earlier in Leviticus, two of Aaron's sons had died while trying out their own version of worship, ignoring God's directions (Leviticus 10: 1-3, 6). Years later, King David's men flagrantly ignored these instructions, and one man, Uzzah, died as a result. There is no compromising God's holiness.
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Life Question: Do you think we take God for granted and approach him too casually?
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I try not to, but there have been times where I've definitely been guilty of this. It's easy for me to get so wrapped up in preparing for Sunday services- sound checks, music prep, instrument tuning, etc...that before I know it, we've already begun the first song of the service and I haven't really stopped for a moment to realize that God is present with us. For me, the one thing that I try to do before each service is to simply take a moment and glance at the big wooden cross that's placed on the platform and say a short prayer of thanks to Christ for all the blessings in my life.
1 comment:
In one sense we who have been given this huge gift of salvation and God's constant blessings can live like spoiled, overinduldged children. We know that we are forgiven for all that we do and can ignore the truth that this gift comes with a huge responsibility. "The life I live in the body I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me."
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