As God the Holy Spirit will enable
me, I want to preach to you tonight from Numbers chapter four. The fourth chapter of the book
of Numbers. Numbers chapter four. My subject is Levite labor. Numbers chapter four. Let's read
just a portion of this chapter and get to sitting here. Numbers
chapter four, verse one. And the Lord spake unto Moses
and unto Aaron saying, take the sum of the sons of Kohath from
among the Levi after their families by the house of their fathers
from 30 years old and upward, even until 50 years old. all
that enter into the host to do the work of the tabernacle of
the congregation. This shall be the service of
the sons of Kohath in the tabernacle of the congregation about the
most holy things. And when the camp seteth forward,
Aaron shall come and his sons, and they shall take down the
covering veil and cover the ark of the testimony with it. and
shall put thereon the covering of badger skins, and shall spread
over it a cloth wholly of blue, and shall put in the staves thereof. And upon the table of showbread
shall they spread a cloth of blue, and put thereon the dishes,
and the spoons, and the bowls, and covers to cover withal, and
the continual bread shall be thereon. And they shall spread
upon them a cloth of scarlet, and cover the same with a covering
of badger skins, and shall put it in the stains thereof. I shall
put in the stains thereof. Verse nine, and they shall take
a cloth of blue, and cover the candlestick of the light, and
his lamps, and his tongs, and his snuff dishes, and all the
oil vessels thereof, wherewith they minister unto it. and they
shall put it and all the vessels thereof within a covering of
badger skins, and shall put it upon a bar, and upon the golden
altar, they shall spread a cloth of blue, and cover it with a
covering of badger skins, and shall put to the staves thereof. And they shall take all the instruments
of ministry, wherewith they minister in the sanctuary, and put them
in a cloth of blue, and cover them with a covering of badger
skins, and shall put them on a bar, and they shall take away
the ashes from the altar, and spread a purple cloth thereon,
and they shall put upon it all the vessels thereof, wherewith
they minister about it, even the censers, the flesh hooks,
and the shovels, and the basins, all the vessels of the altar,
and they shall spread upon it a covering of badger skins, and
put to the staves of it. In the next verses, we read about
the responsibilities of Gershom and Merarah and their sons. Some were to bear heavy, heavy
burdens. Some were to take care of the
furnishings in the tabernacle, those heavy, large pieces of
furniture. Others were appointed to carry
boards and sockets of silver. Others carried loads of curtains
and coverings and cords, and some carried the nails and the
cords that held the tabernacle in place. Then in verses 46 to
the end of the chapter we read, verse 46. All those that were
numbered of the Levites, whom Moses and Aaron and the chief
of Israel numbered, after their families and after the house
of their fathers, from 30 years old and upward, even unto 50
years old, everyone that came to the service of the ministry
and to the service of the burden of the tabernacle of the congregation,
even those that were numbered of them were 8,000 504 score 8,580 and according to
the commandment of the Lord that were numbered by the hand of
Moses everyone according to his service and according to his
burden and Thus were they numbered of him as the Lord commanded
Moses. Now, as you read that with me,
I suspect you thought as I did when I first read the chapter
thinking about preaching from it several weeks ago, what on
earth does this have to do with me? What does this have to do with
me? What does it have to do with you? If you'll give me your attention
for just a few minutes, I believe I will show you some things that
will be helpful to you. as you look at the scriptures
with me. Remember, the tribe of Levi was taken from the tribes
of Israel instead of the firstborn. God laid claim to the firstborn
of all. He said back in Exodus chapter
13, sanctify unto me the firstborn. Whatsoever openeth the womb among
the children of Israel, both a man and a beast in his mind. And he says concerning the tribe
of Levi, I've taken the Levites from among the children of Israel
instead of the firstborn. I've taken the Levites for the
firstborn. So the Levites being taken as
God's people for the firstborn, they are the priestly office
among the children of Israel. And as such, they're typical,
obviously, of our Lord Jesus Christ, our great high priest,
who is Jehovah's firstborn. The law of the firstborn, I have
no question at all, is principally prophetic of our Lord Jesus Christ,
who was to come into this world the virgin-born Son of God. The
firstborn, we're told specifically, opens the womb in birth, but
that's not what happens. The only firstborn who ever opened
his mother's womb in birth was the Lord Jesus, the virgin-born
Son of God. The womb is opened in conception,
not in birth, except in this case. Our Lord Jesus was born
of the virgin, the seed of the woman. He came here as a man
without an earthly father, a man who is God, that he might redeem
his people from their sins. He opened the virgin's womb that
he might accomplish redemption both for his mother and for you
and I, his people. He's the firstborn. As such,
he's our high priest, a priest after the order of Melchizedek.
Hold your hands here in numbers and turn with me to Hebrews chapter
five. I want you to look at a couple
of chapters here. Hebrews chapter five, verse five. So also Christ glorified not
himself to be made an high priest, but he that said unto him, Thou
art my son, this day have I begotten thee. As he saith also in another
place, Thou art a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.
Melchizedek, who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered
up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears
unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard
in that he feared." What a statement concerning our Savior. He offered
up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears. This man, who is himself God,
as our great high priest, offered up prayers with strong crying
and tears, and was heard in that he feared. Verse eight, though
he were a son, yet learned he obedience by the things which
he suffered, and being made perfect, he became the author of eternal
salvation unto all them that obey him. God, and high priest,
after the order of Melchizedek." Skip over to chapter 7, Hebrews
7, verse 1. This Melchizedek, the king of
Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning
from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him, to whom also
Abraham gave a tenth part of all, first being by interpretation
king of righteousness, and after that king of Salem, which is
king of peace. Our Lord Jesus, he is the king
of righteousness. He is the king of peace. Without
father, without mother, without beginning of days, having neither
beginning of days nor end of life, but made like unto the
Son of God, abideth a priest continually. Now consider how
great this man was, unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave
a tenth, the tenth of the spoils. And verily, they that are of
the sons of Levi, who receive the office of the priesthood,
have a commandment to take tithes of the people according to the
law, that is, of their brethren, though they come out of the loins
of Abraham. But he whose descent is not counted
from them received tithes of Abraham and blessed him that
had the promises. And without all contradiction,
the less is blessed of the better. And here men that die receive
tithes, but there he received them of whom it was written that
he liveth. And as I may so say, Levi also
who receiveth tithes paid tithes in Abraham. For he was yet in
the loins of his father when Melchizedek met him. If therefore
perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, for under it the
people received the law, what further need was there that another
priest should arise after the order of Melchizedek and not
be called after the order of Aaron? Why would we need another
priest like Melchizedek if the priesthood of Aaron, the Levites,
and those who followed should bring perfection? Those things
were never intended for that purpose. They were intended to
be pictures of Christ who would come. Verse 12. For the priesthood
being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of
the law. For he of whom these things are
spoken, pertaineth to another tribe, of which no man gave attendance
at the altar. For it is evident that our Lord
sprang out of Judah, of which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning
priesthood. And it is yet far more evident,
for that after the similitude of Melchizedek, there ariseth
another priest. Who is this other one? Who is
made not after the law of carnal commandment, but after the power
of an endless life. For he testifieth, thou art a
priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek. For there is
verily a disindulging of the commandment going before, for
the weakness and unprofitableness thereof. For the law made nothing
perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did, by the
which we draw nigh to God. And inasmuch as not without an
oath, he was made a priest. For those priests were made without
an oath, but this with an oath, by him that said unto him, the
Lord swear and will not repent, thou art a priest forever after
the order of Melchizedek. By so much was Jesus made a surety
of a better testament, that is by the oath and promise of God.
And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered
to continue by reason of death. But this man, Because he continueth
ever hath an unchangeable priesthood, wherefore he is able also to
save them to the uttermost that come to God by him, seeing he
ever liveth to make intercession for them. For such in height
priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate
from sinners, and made higher than the heavens. Now watch this,
"...who needeth not daily as those high priests to offer up
sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people's.
For this he did once." This one who's a priest forever after
the order of Melchizedek offered up sacrifice for his own sins
and for the people's at one time when he offered up himself. For
the law maketh men high priests, which have infirmity. But the
word of the oath, which was since the law, maketh the Son, who
is consecrated for evermore. Jesus Christ, our high priest,
with one sacrifice, sacrifice by which He satisfies justice
for Himself when He was made sin for us, and satisfies justice
for His people by the sacrifice of Himself. Without question,
the Levites were also symbolic of faithful gospel preachers.
Those men who labor in the word and doctrine of God. who labor
in the service of God's Israel. Gospel preachers are not priests. Let no one ever think of a preacher
as a priest. Sadly, preachers these days like
to be treated as priests, and they like to treat people as
though they were priests. That's the whole basis of this
silly, insane pastoral counseling business that goes on all over
the world. I am not your priest. I can't do anything for you.
I can't make any sacrifice to God for you. I can't show you
the will of God for you. I can't tell you what God would
have you to do in any circumstance. Someone just wrote to me the
other day asking me about moving somewhere. And I wrote him back
and I said, I ceased a long time ago trying to tell another man
what God would have him to do. That's not my business. That
is not my business. You seek the will of God, I'll
preach the gospel to you. You seek the will of God, I'll
show you what his book teaches, but I cannot be the spirit of
God for you, and I will not pretend to be a priest for you. But like
the Levites, those men who preach the gospel, faithful men, they
live to serve the house of God, and they live to serve the people
of God. Read Ephesians chapter four again, read it carefully. Pastors, evangelists, teachers. These men who are pastors, evangelists,
teachers, and a pastor is all three. These men who are pastors,
evangelists, teachers in the house of God, they are the ascension
gifts of Christ to his church. They labor in the house of God
in the word. They labor in the word. They
labor in the word. Sadly, sadly, there are few preachers
I know who labor in the word. And it's a reproach for them.
There are few preachers I know who labor in the word. God's
servants do. They labor in the doctrine. They
labor seeking a message from God for your souls. Their work,
like the work of the Levites in Numbers 4, is a work. It's a burden. It's a load. It's a weight. It's a labor. A lifelong toil and labor. Those Levites certainly are representative
of God's servants, faithful gospel preachers. And these Levites
were typical of all believers as well. We who are God's elect
are God's royal priesthood. We're called the Church of the
Firstborn, whose names are written in heaven. As such, we're God's
Levites, God's royal priesthood. And here in Numbers chapter 4,
the Lord God tells us how we are to serve Him as His royal
priesthood. You who are gods. You who are gods are priests. Men and women who live upon holy
things. Men and women who live in the
house of God, in the presence of God, serving God. Our Lord
Jesus Christ, the great head of the church, calls his redeemed,
all his redeemed, to his service. He lays upon each one a burden,
a burden which no one else can or should carry. Did you hear
me? If you're God's, You're called
of God to a work. You have a burden. You have a
responsibility in life as the priest of God that no one else
can carry. It's yours. It should be our
joy as believers to know what it is our shoulders were made
to carry. And we should gladly take up
the ennobling load. Oh, what a privilege. What a
privilege. God has made us his sons and
daughters. And making us his sons and daughters,
God has made us his priest, his Levites, his servants. The people
called of God to serve his church in our generation. He said, you shall be my witnesses. He breathed on his church and
gave us the Spirit of God and said, as the Father sent me,
so I send you. We are sent for the very same
purpose as our Redeemer was sent, for the saving of his elect,
for the in gathering of his people, in the moving of the tabernacle,
all the belongings in the tabernacle from place to place, there was
a tremendous division of labor. As we would think, the work of
the Gershonites looking after curtains could easily have been
done by a few people, but the Lord God chose 2,600 people to
do it. Certainly, this teaches us that
no work done for God is small, trifling, or insignificant. No work done for God. Small,
trifling, or insignificant. I just told you a little bit
ago about the experience that David and Betty are going through.
It's opportunity for you. Opportunity for you to serve.
A call, a visit. Pick up some groceries, take
them over, care. Oh, what a privilege to serve
God's people in their need. We have a responsibility, a responsibility
to do what God puts in our hands to do for his glory and the good
of his people. The packing up of these holy
vessels was done by Aaron and his sons, consecrated hands,
hands chosen of God for this work, hands belonging to men
named of God for this work. God said, I put this work in
your hands. You fold up the curtains. You spread those blue cloths
over the furnishings of the tabernacle. And they're set to do certain
things, the bearers of the tabernacle and the furnishings of the tabernacle.
With these three families, the family of the Levites, Kohath,
Gershon, and Merari. I'm not sure how you pronounce
that. I'm just guessing at Merari. Let me show you three or four
things concerning them. First, their work was varied. The sons of Merari had the charge
of the foundational things, sockets, pillars, boards, bars, and pins. In the setting up of the tabernacle,
those sockets and pillars would be the very first thing that
had to be set in their place. Foundation truths. essential
foundation truths are to be laid in the house of God certainly
this is the work of the evangelist but it's the work equally of
you who are gods as you communicate the gospel to folks we lay the
foundation truths continually William Romaine used to say that
no sermon should be preached that didn't have the three R's.
Ruined by the fall, redemption by the blood, regeneration by
the Holy Spirit. He's right. These are foundation
truths. And here the foundation things
have to do with redemption. Redemption by the precious blood
of Christ. The silver sockets speak of that
because they were made from the ransom price given for the souls
of the people. Redeeming blood first, first in order of priority, first
in order of witnessing, first in order of proclaiming the gospel.
We proclaim God's sovereignty in the substitutionary sacrifice
of his darling son by which he satisfied his justice and did
so with success. The sons of Gershom had the charge
also of uniting things. They had the coverings, the curtains,
and the hangings. They took the sockets and pillars
that were set out here by their brethren, but those sockets and
pillars are meaningless. The boards are meaningless without
the coverings. The coverings, in fact, is what
ties it all together. The coverings brings it all together.
Without the coverings, there wasn't any tabernacle at all.
This, too, is the work of the pastor. and the work of God's
people. We are, in fact, one in Christ. One body, one family, one church,
one kingdom, one in Christ. Being his witnesses, we as one
are entrusted with the gospel in this generation. And being
one in Christ, we testify one blessed experience of grace. One blessed doctrine of grace. The sons of Coeth then had the
charge of those things by which men would approach God. The vessels
of the sanctuary. The vessels were placed in position.
And by being in the positions they were in, they indicated
the way to God. Come, let me show you the way.
Let me show you the way. I have a picture sitting on one
of my bookshelves behind my desk in the office. Some of you ladies
who clean have noticed it. When Will was just a little boy,
we were with him down in Destin, Florida at the beach, and Will
and I are walking down the beach, and I'm leaning over about as
far as I can, holding his hand, and Faith got a picture of us,
just me guiding him along the way. That's what we are to do
with God's people, God's children. Take them by the hand and lead
them. Take them by the hand and show
them the way of life, of faith, of righteousness. The sons of
Coath had the charge of those things by which we approach God.
And thus, the man who preaches the gospel teaches sinners how
to come to God. You come to God by faith in his
son. You come to God believing on his son, not by believing
certain doctrines, not by believing certain creeds, not by being
able to recite certain words, but by believing on his son. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ
and thou shalt be saved is the testimony of the apostle. It
is the testimony of God's book. We call sinners to life in Christ
by faith in him. These gifts belong to the church
just as really as they belong to the tabernacle. Our Lord Jesus
gave some evangelists, some pastors and teachers for the perfecting
of the saints for the work of the ministry, for the edifying
of the body of Christ. Every pastor is an evangelist
and a teacher. Not all of you are called to
be pastors, evangelist, teachers. You are all called as God's priest
to serve his people in the generation you have, to serve his Israel,
to serve about the holy things. Second, the work of the Levites
was a work appointed to them by their Lord. No man takes this
work upon himself, but he that is called of God as was Aaron.
Can you imagine others making sockets and coverings and vessels
and setting up another tabernacle? Many do who are not called of
God. And they set up another worship,
another tabernacle, another God, and another Jesus. God's servants
are sent working together as the people appointed of God to
proclaim the gospel of his grace. Each one, each pastor, each preacher,
each member is chosen of God. Appointed of God to a specific
work. appointed for a specific time. He's gifted for that work. He's
gifted for that purpose. He's ordained to do it for a
specific time. These Levites were to serve from
20 years old to 50 years old. Why such a brief period of time? I'm sorry, from 30 years old
to 50 years old. Why such a brief period of time? He's telling
us that those who serve God, serve God with the maturity of
manly faith. They serve God with purpose and
determination. Yes, we're called of God, we're
gifted of God, we're sent of God. We have faith because God
gives us faith. But we're here because we want
to be. And we do what we do because we want to. We worship him because
we want to worship him. We serve him because we want
to serve him. You, my brother, you, my sister,
have a charge laid upon you from God. I don't have any idea what
it is. I don't have any idea what it
is. I would not pretend to tell you
what it is. But God created you. and put
you where you are with the gifts and abilities you have for a
purpose. Find for yourself what God would
have you to do and do it with all your might. Do it for the
glory of God. Do it for Christ's sake. Be ready
always to do what God would have you to do at the drop of a hat. I mean that, at the drop of a
hat. ready to do what God would have
you to do. Pastors, men called to preach
the gospel, ought to heed what we're taught here in Leviticus. God has a place for a man, and
he gifts that man for that place, fits him for that place, and
he's unfit for any other place. I'll tell you a story I don't
think I've ever shared with you. Several years ago, it's been
20, 25 years ago, maybe more, at least 25 years ago, I had
a call from some folks out in the Bay Area in San Francisco
and asked if I would consider coming out to pastor the church.
And I said, no, I'm where I need to be. And I had no question
about that. I said, I'd be happy to help you. I'd be happy to
come out and preach for you and help you get a pastor. How big's
your church? I said, I don't know. I guess
we have about 35, 40 people who are members of the church. They
said, man, we got over 600 members. I said, that doesn't matter to
me. They said, what do they pay you? I said, what they're able
to. But we can do this. That doesn't matter to me. I'm
where I need to be. But I thought I would have a little fun with
my daughter. She was in school over at University
of Kentucky. So I called her that evening
and I said, Faith, There's a church out in San Francisco that's been,
asked me to come be their pastor, and your mom and I have been
praying about this, and I think we're gonna do that. About the
time I got that out, Faith started to laugh out loud. She said,
Dad, you wouldn't last five minutes in San Francisco. And I said,
you're right. I just thought I could get by
with it for a little bit. No, I wouldn't. I've been made of
God to serve here. I'm interested in no other place.
You are made of God to serve where God puts you, in the place
where you are. First Corinthians chapter 7,
Paul speaks, and he said, if you're called being a servant,
don't care for that. Serve God where you are. He says
to me and Jimmy, who are called of God as slaves, he said, don't
pay attention to that. Serve God as slaves. Serve God
where you are. That's our business. Serve him
readily and serve him cheerfully. Here's the third thing. These
Levites were united in all things. The Gershonites were not jealous
of the fellows who were from the family of Mirari. They were
not jealous of the folks from Coes' family. They all served
God together. They all worked under the guiding
will of God, by the Spirit of God, for the honor and glory
of God, for the benefit of God's people. Their burdens were different,
but their aim was one. There are diversities of gifts,
but the same Spirit. It is the same God which worketh
in all. They sought the good of the Lord's house, the kingdom
of God. By each one using the gifts trusted
to him as God's steward, we show the manifold grace of God serving
Christ together. Years ago, someone suggested
that if the Lord were to send two angels into this world, one
to rule the mightiest empire on the earth and the other to
sweep the streets in that empire. It wouldn't matter one whit which
he was sent to do. God teach me to serve him just
that way where he's put me for his glory according to his will. One more thing, the Levites were
rewarded for their work. The Lord became to them their
portion and their inheritance. They had no inheritance among
the children of Israel. God said, I will be their portion. I am
their possession, saith the Lord. Those who consecrate themselves
to the work of God find their all in him. They that wait at
the altar are partakers with the altar. They that wait on
the Lord are partakers with him, his mercy, his grace, his strength. And at last they will hear him
say, well done, thou good faithful servant. Enter thou into the
joy of thy Lord. I got done preparing this message,
oh, just a little while ago, and I sat back and scratched
my head and began to wonder. I wonder what God might do with
one congregation of Levites, people utterly devoted to Christ. Utterly devoted to the gospel. Utterly devoted to the glory
of God. Utterly devoted to the will of
God. Utterly devoted to the people
of God. And I ask God to do this. Make me such a Levite. More and more with every day.
with every hour, with every breath, to readily, willingly give myself
to this blessed, blessed work. It's called the work of Christ,
the work of Christ, the fulfilling the will of God, doing the things
of God for the glory of God. Oh, what an honor, what a privilege
if God would allow you to do that. If God would give us grace
so to serve him. Amen.