This program of daily devotions is designed to take you through the Bible in three years. It is our desire to help you gain a better general understanding of God's Word.
Please understand that in a study this brief, we will be concerned with only the major emphases and context of the Scriptures.
Each day a devotion for one or two chapters is posted, beginning with chapter one of Genesis and going through chapter twenty-two of Revelation. You are free to print each page as it appears. If you miss a day, you may contact us and request that devotion. Please send your request, along with $.50 (p&h) for each page to:
Bruce McGee,Pastor
205 Adams
Columbia, LA 71418
HERE
Bro. Bruce's commentaries for the books of Genesis, Exodus, and Leviticus are
now available in hard copy for $7.50. Just mail your request for COMMENTARY ON GENESIS to the address above.
NUMBERS
1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
2 Speak unto Aaron, and say unto him, When thou lightest the lamps, the seven lamps shall give light over against the candlestick.
3 And Aaron did so; he lighted the lamps thereof over against the candlestick, as the LORD commanded Moses.
4 And this work of the candlestick was of beaten gold, unto the shaft thereof, unto the flowers thereof, was beaten work: according unto the pattern which the LORD had shewed Moses, so he made the candlestick.
The candlestick was the Menoriah, which had seven branches and lamps.
5 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
6 Take the Levites from among the children of Israel, and cleanse them.
7 And thus shalt thou do unto them, to cleanse them: Sprinkle water of purifying upon them, and let them shave all their flesh, and let them wash their clothes, and so make themselves clean.
8 Then let them take a young bullock with his meat offering, even fine flour mingled with oil, and another young bullock shalt thou take for a sin offering.
9 And thou shalt bring the Levites before the tabernacle of the congregation: and thou shalt gather the whole assembly of the children of Israel together:
10 And thou shalt bring the Levites before the LORD: and the children of Israel shall put their hands upon the Levites:
11 And Aaron shall offer the Levites before the LORD for an offering of the children of Israel, that they may execute the service of the LORD.
12 And the Levites shall lay their hands upon the heads of the bullocks: and thou shalt offer the one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering, unto the LORD, to make an atonement for the Levites.
13 And thou shalt set the Levites before Aaron, and before his sons, and offer them for an offering unto the LORD.
14 Thus shalt thou separate the Levites from among the children of Israel: and the Levites shall be mine.
Now God turns His attention toward sanctifying the Levites for their service to
16 For they are wholly given unto me from among the children of Israel; instead of such as open every womb, even instead of the firstborn of all the children of Israel, have I taken them unto me.
17 For all the firstborn of the children of Israel are mine, both man and beast: on the day that I smote every firstborn in the land of Egypt I sanctified them for myself.
18 And I have taken the Levites for all the firstborn of the children of Israel.
19 And I have given the Levites as a gift to Aaron and to his sons from among the children of Israel, to do the service of the children of Israel in the tabernacle of the congregation, and to make an atonement for the children of Israel: that there be no plague among the children of Israel, when the children of Israel come nigh unto the sanctuary.
God reminds them that these people are substituting for the "first-born" children
20 And Moses, and Aaron, and all the congregation of the children of Israel, did to the Levites according unto all that the LORD commanded Moses concerning the Levites, so did the children of Israel unto them.
21 And the Levites were purified, and they washed their clothes; and Aaron offered them as an offering before the LORD; and Aaron made an atonement for them to cleanse them.
22 And after that went the Levites in to do their service in the tabernacle of the congregation before Aaron, and before his sons: as the LORD had commanded Moses concerning the Levites, so did they unto them.
Again, we are reminded of the purpose of God's Word. It is for us to follow
23 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
24 This is it that belongeth unto the Levites: from twenty and five years old and upward they shall go in to wait upon the service of the tabernacle of the congregation:
25 And from the age of fifty years they shall cease waiting upon the service thereof, and shall serve no more:
26 But shall minister with their brethren in the tabernacle of the congregation, to keep the charge, and shall do no service. Thus shalt thou do unto the Levites touching their charge.
The age of service in the tabernacle is given from 25 to 50. Actually, from 25-30 they
Please continue to follow along in Bible study with us.
CHAPTER 8
This was the main light in the tabernacle, just as Jesus is the "Light" of the
church today. (See Exodus 25:31-36)
According to Exodus 25:37, seven other lamps were made which God now
commands to be used on the opposite side of the tabernacle ("over against").
These seven lamps give light, but they are not the MAIN light.
We, as Christians, are commanded to "walk in the Light." In Revelation 21:23
we are told that Jesus is the light of Heaven. There will be no need for sun
or moon there, because His glory is bright enough!
His glory is also enough to light the church today. He needs no other
lights. But He wants us to walk in His light and to be lesser lights
leading people to Him. ((See Matthew 5:14, Acts 26:12-18))
Him. God outlines seven things Moses is to do so that the Levites will be properly
prepared.
1. Sprinkle them with water (verse 7).
2. Shave the whole body.
3. They are to wash themselves and their clothes.
4. They are to bring offerings for sin (verse 8).
5. They are to publicly come before the tabernacle in the sight of all the people.
There the people are to lay hands on them acknowledging this separation to
special service (verses 9-11).
6. They are to put their hands upon the bullocks to be sanctified, thus acknoledging
their sin and need of a substitute (verse 12).
7. Then they will be brought before Aaron as a servant is brought before his
master (verse 13).
Only after these things are done will they be ready to serve God in holiness.
which rightly belong to Him. Since God has saved us from eternal death, we belong
to Him. It is His right to choose who will serve where and when. Sometimes others
serve in a capacity that substitutes for you and me.
PRAY FOR THEM! Sometimes you and I will serve substituting for someone else.
Are you a willing substitute?
with attention to detail. Sometimes I wonder about those who would say that
this great, majestic book is erred and flawed. How could an imperfect God save
imperfect people? And if He indeed is perfect, how could He author an imperfect book?
And if He wrote a perfect book, then why don't we FOLLOW His directions?
I admit that ALL of this majestic book is not applicable physically today. But it is
ALWAYS applicable spiritually. And God's Word teaches us that before
we begin serving Him there are certain DETAILS to which we must attend.
serve as apprentices. And after fifty they became teachers. There is a place of
service for everyone - any age. Our most active physical service should be in the middle
years where we are rearing children and early grandchildren.