The Old Testament is for our edification – we can learn from it by looking at the things in it as examples for us
Num 1:45Num 1:45
English: King James Version (1611) - KJV
45 So were all those that were numbered of the children of Israel, by the house of their fathers, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war in Israel;
WP-Bible plugin So were all those that were numbered of the children of Israel, by the house of their fathers, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war in Israel;Num 1:46Num 1:46
English: King James Version (1611) - KJV
46 Even all they that were numbered were six hundred thousand and three thousand and five hundred and fifty.
WP-Bible plugin Even all they that were numbered were six hundred thousand and three thousand and five hundred and fifty.Num 1:47Num 1:47
English: King James Version (1611) - KJV
47 But the Levites after the tribe of their fathers were not numbered among them.
WP-Bible plugin But the Levites after the tribe of their fathers were not numbered among them.Num 1:48Num 1:48
English: King James Version (1611) - KJV
48 For the LORD had spoken unto Moses, saying,
WP-Bible plugin For the LORD had spoken unto Moses, saying,Num 1:49Num 1:49
English: King James Version (1611) - KJV
49 Only thou shalt not number the tribe of Levi, neither take the sum of them among the children of Israel:
WP-Bible plugin Only thou shalt not number the tribe of Levi, neither take the sum of them among the children of Israel:Num 1:50Num 1:50
English: King James Version (1611) - KJV
50 But thou shalt appoint the Levites over the tabernacle of testimony, and over all the vessels thereof, and over all things that belong to it: they shall bear the tabernacle, and all the vessels thereof; and they shall minister unto it, and shall encamp round about the tabernacle.
WP-Bible plugin But thou shalt appoint the Levites over the tabernacle of testimony, and over all the vessels thereof, and over all things that belong to it: they shall bear the tabernacle, and all the vessels thereof; and they shall minister unto it, and shall encamp round about the tabernacle.Num 1:51Num 1:51
English: King James Version (1611) - KJV
51 And when the tabernacle setteth forward, the Levites shall take it down: and when the tabernacle is to be pitched, the Levites shall set it up: and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death.
WP-Bible plugin And when the tabernacle setteth forward, the Levites shall take it down: and when the tabernacle is to be pitched, the Levites shall set it up: and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death.Num 1:52Num 1:52
English: King James Version (1611) - KJV
52 And the children of Israel shall pitch their tents, every man by his own camp, and every man by his own standard, throughout their hosts.
WP-Bible plugin And the children of Israel shall pitch their tents, every man by his own camp, and every man by his own standard, throughout their hosts.Num 1:53Num 1:53
English: King James Version (1611) - KJV
53 But the Levites shall pitch round about the tabernacle of testimony, that there be no wrath upon the congregation of the children of Israel: and the Levites shall keep the charge of the tabernacle of testimony.
WP-Bible plugin But the Levites shall pitch round about the tabernacle of testimony, that there be no wrath upon the congregation of the children of Israel: and the Levites shall keep the charge of the tabernacle of testimony.Num 1:54Num 1:54
English: King James Version (1611) - KJV
54 And the children of Israel did according to all that the LORD commanded Moses, so did they.
WP-Bible plugin And the children of Israel did according to all that the LORD commanded Moses, so did they.
Just doing some reading, and I came across a curious thing in the book of Numbers.
Earlier in this chapter is says time and time again that they were numbered according to those old enough to go to war.
This sets an environment to this instruction that indicates a defensive attitude.
It appears as though the instruction that follows in chapter 2 about the tribes and their positions in relation to the tabernacle, are to do with protecting the Tabernacle from attack.
Judah would be on the East side.
Issachar is next to Judah.
Then Zebulun next to them – it indicates maybe the other side from Issachar – so Judah in the middle, with these two covering either side but on the east side of the Tabernacle.
Reuben was on the South side of the Tabernacle.
The tribes of Simeon and Gad were either side of Reuben.
The West side: Ephraim, with Manasseh and Benjamin.
The North side: Dan, with Asher and Naphtali.
And the Levites ringed the the Tabernacle inside the other tribes.
So what we have is a set position for each tribe around the Tabernacle, when travelling and when encamped, which means that every side is protected by three tribes, and it numbers these tribes according to the number of “every male from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war;”
Now we know that many things in the OT are not directly to the church today, but the things are recorded for our edification – in other words, we can take the principles and apply them to our situations.
The thing that caught my eye about this is that it was not the job of the Levites alone to protect the Tabernacle.
It was the job of all of Israel in the places that the Lord had set them.
We often think that it is the place of just the Pastor to protect – after all we read things such as:
Tit 1:7Tit 1:7
English: King James Version (1611) - KJV
7 For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre;
WP-Bible plugin For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre;Tit 1:8Tit 1:8
English: King James Version (1611) - KJV
8 But a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate; men: or, things
WP-Bible plugin But a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate;Tit 1:9Tit 1:9
English: King James Version (1611) - KJV
9 Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers. as...: or, in teaching
WP-Bible plugin Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.Tit 1:10Tit 1:10
English: King James Version (1611) - KJV
10 For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision:
WP-Bible plugin For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision:Tit 1:11Tit 1:11
English: King James Version (1611) - KJV
11 Whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre's sake.
WP-Bible plugin Whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre’s sake.
This puts the burden of dealing with these “unruly and vain talkers” upon the “Bishop” in this passage.
We have the idea sometimes though, that it is up to the Pastor alone to guard the flock.
Don’t get me wrong here – it is primarily my job, but in fact if you search out “false prophets” you get no verses addressed specifically to Pastors.
As the “overseer” (Acts 20:28Acts 20:28
English: King James Version (1611) - KJV
28 Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.
WP-Bible plugin), as the one who watches for your souls (Heb 13:17Heb 13:17
English: King James Version (1611) - KJV
17 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. have...: or, guide
WP-Bible plugin 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.), of course it is my job to protect our flock here.
But what we see in this picture from the OT is that it was not the Levites alone who protect the Tabernacle.
It is any and every man who is able to defend – remember “all that were able to go forth to war;”
And that lines up with NT instruction regarding false prophets and false teachers:
1Jn_4:1 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.
John was not writing to only the Pastor, but to “my little children” – all the saved.
Peter was not writing only to the Pastors of churches when he wrote:
2Pe_2:1 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.
Peter was writing to:”…. them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ:”
What I think we can glean from this illustration from Numbers is that ultimately it is the job of the Levites to protect the “tabernacle”, but the people who are able to go to war are to be the first line of defence.
When an attacker comes, it is important that each family is protected by the leader of that family – the tribes were to stay in their tribes and defend that section assigned to them.
What I see here is by this illustration is a principle:
That God assigns each and every one of us a place around the heart of this church (the Tabernacle, so to speak).
Where the Lord has placed you, it is your job to defend. But in defending the heart of this church, you do it as a family – that means that you must protect your own tribe from these attacks.
What Father will not protect his own family?
If your family is between the enemy and his goal, you will protect your family and by doing so, you will protect the heart of this church.
But we do not do so alone – if the attack came from the East, you can be sure that Issachar and Zebulun would not just sit back and say “Judah can take care of this by himself”.
They would come to the aid of Judah.
So you do not defend all alone, but knowing that there are others close by ready to help.
And knowing also that the Levites are always there as a line of final defence, to back up and help you to protect the heart of this church.
We have on occasion false teachers come in, and I am pleased to say that I have seen just this principle in action here many times.
We must protect our own family, we must protect those around us, and we must protect the heart of this church.
And the heart of this church is each of us, serving the Lord, according to His Word.
As I read this, I saw a principle in parallel that we can and should follow.
I will do my best to guard and protect, but if I know that there are others who on the watch and who are ready, then it gives us all a greater confidence of sticking to the narrow way.
Remember:
2Pe 2:1 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.