Numbers 1:47-54 – Consecrated to serve

The Levites were the descendants of Levi, the third son of Jacob whom Leah bore to him. They were made the custodians of the temple and were also given the role to guide the people of Israel in worship. The three well known of the Levites were Moses, Aaron, and Miriam, whom God used while the people of Israel were in bondage in Israel. Moses  of course was the leader and Aaron the priest, and Miriam was the prophetess.

In this first census taken to list the number of military men of Israel, God specifically instructed Moses to exclude the Levites. They were given a dedicated function to be custodians of the Tabernacle. Their key roles included taking charge of the Tabernacle and all its furnishings. It was their duty to assemble and dismantle the Tabernacle and to ensure its safe transportation. Being a consecrated tent, the Tabernacle was holy to the Lord and had to be handled with care. Hence anyone other than the Levites who were assigned to the task would be put to death if they unworthily drew near to the Tabernacle and touched it. The Tabernacle, the place of worship, was the central feature for the nation of Israel in their journey. Hence, the other tribes of Israel were instructed to set their camps around the Tabernacle to avoid any desecration of this consecrated place of worship. Being custodians of the Tabernacle, the Levites were responsible to guard it. And so the people did as Moses instructed them to do, for this was what God had commanded.  

Let us draw lessons for our application from these verses. Firstly, we can see how God values worship. It is central to the believers and must take the central place in the community of the redeemed. God deserves only the best. When it comes to the worship of God, the best must be given to Him. Every person, every instrument, and every program designated for this sacred purpose must be wholly dedicated and consecrated. Any offering to God must be offered with the utmost seriousness of intent.

Secondly, when it comes to handling sacred articles, we are told in the last sentence of verse 51 that God forbade “outsiders” from touching them. This suggests that only consecrated people should be used in worship. No one should serve God without the repentance of sin. The instruction that the Levite should camp around the Tabernacle was by way of protecting the place of worship from unwanted elements, so that wrath would not come upon the people. God will not allow pure worship to be desecrated, so must we.

Thirdly, the best worship always begins with our attitude. This is a function of the mind that sets the motivation and manner we will approach God. The attitude we adopt to approach God reveals how much we value and esteem Him. Thus to adopt an attitude of reverence is critical when we come to worship. Great worship must always begin with an attitude of reverence. No one can afford to be nonchalant or careless when we come to worship God. We must offer to Him worship with the best of attitude.

Like the Levites, we are consecrated by Christ to serve. We have been cleansed by His blood so that we can draw near confidently to serve the Mighty God. It is an honor to serve God, so make sure to offer only the very best to Him.