“The Lord spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the tent of meeting, on the first day of the second month, in the second year after they had come out of the land of Egypt, saying, ‘Take a census of all the congregation of the people of Israel, by clans, by fathers’ houses, according to the number of names, every male, head by head. From twenty years old and upward, all in Israel who are able to go to war, you and Aaron shall list them, company by company.’ But the Levites were not listed along with them by their ancestral tribe. For the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, ‘Only the tribe of Levi you shall not list, and you shall not take a census of them among the people of Israel. But appoint the Levites over the tabernacle of the testimony, and over all its furnishings, and over all that belongs to it. They are to carry the tabernacle and all its furnishings, and they shall take care of it and shall camp around the tabernacle.” (v1-3,47-50)
Moses and Aaron are tasked with performing a census on 12 out of the 13 tribes of Israel to determine how many “war-ready” men there were. The Levites were exempted from the census because they are set aside for God’s holy work (priests and caring for the tabernacle) and are not to participate in any fighting.
Today, we are called to be more like the Levites than the other 12 tribes. The Levites were not only called to a life of peacemaking and caring for God’s people, they were also commanded to protect the tabernacle (the place of God’s presence) and live around the tabernacle (at the “heart” of the camp, or nation).
Paul has many things to say regarding Christ honoring behavior: “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth. So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies; you know that they breed quarrels. And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.” (2 Tim 2:15,22-26)
If we are to follow God with a pure heart, as Jesus did, we will look more like the Levites than we will any other tribe. We will be peacemakers, not instigators. Caring for God’s people will be on our hearts, and we will place ourselves at the heart of our nation. We will take steps to be discipled, and make disciples for Christ. We will love the Lord with all we have, and love our neighbors as ourselves. We will pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, as those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. We will be a holy people, a chosen priesthood, set apart for the work of God’s kingdom.
Father God, Almighty One of Israel, holy is Your name. Thank you for calling us into a priesthood, a chosen people who will serve You and Your kingdom. Thank you for teaching us strength and endurance so we can walk alongside You in this endeavor. Thank you for sending Jesus as an example of how we are to love Your people and care for them. We praise You holy name, and give You all honor and glory. Amen.
~ Conqueror in Training