1Ch 23:24 | KingComments | STEP | We see something of the special authority David has to arrange the Levite service. He subtracts another five years from the age already lowered by the LORD by five years ( ; ). The reduction to 20 years is confirmed in . The reason is that there is now rest ( ). The Levites are no longer in wilderness conditions. The task has become easier. They no longer need to break down and rebuild everything and no transport is needed anymore ( ). Therefore, the age limit can be lowered. In the spiritual application, this is about the limit of the spiritual maturity. There are circumstances that this can be reduced. Even the youngest believer can perform a certain service in the church. Where conditions are favorable and a simple service is requested, a young believer with little spiritual exercise can perform it. When it comes to greater responsibilities, there will have to be a greater spiritual maturity. In any case, young people who perform a spiritual service should behave in such a way that no comments can be made about their youth ( ). summarize the service of the Levites. What is their task? They serve the priests who in turn serve the LORD. According to Moses’ ordinances, the Levites were given as a gift to the priests ( ). The Levites serve to support the priestly service. Levite service in a New Testament sense is a service for building up the church. Their service is aimed at teaching believers to praise God more and better. The purpose of their service is that the believers will offer their lives more as sacrifices to God and offer the results of their work for God to Him. If in a local church the believers live in a spirit of worship, this will be noticed in the worship service and in the practical life of the believers. There are also Levites that go over the courts ( ). These are the gatekeepers. Different people are standing at the gates. They must ensure that only the right people are admitted in the courts. Another task of the Levites is “the purifying of all holy things”. A worthy sacrifice service can only take place by cleansed persons and cleansed means. Levites ensure that there are no elements in worship that disturb or harm the sacrifice service. They supervise the purity of worship. Furthermore, they have a task with regard to “the work of the service of the house of God”. We can apply this to our behavior in the house of God. We need to know how we have to behave there ( ). For this purpose, the Lord has given His instructions in His Word. There is extensive reference to different types of bread ( ). It is about “the bread of the Presence” or “the showbread”, which is the bread on the table of the showbread ( ), and about various forms of the “grain offering” (cf. ). There is talk of “well-mixed” and of fittings and of “all measures of volume and size”. All these breads speak of the Lord Jesus. The Levites make sure that the breads are of the right composition, “well-mixed”, that the right volume is used and that the right size is also maintained. We can apply this to our being busy with the Lord Jesus as the true grain offering and as the true bread of life. The Levites are for us the teachers who explain God’s Word to us. They show by means of God’s Word Who the Lord Jesus is as food for God. The being “well-mixed” or the composition of the bread represents that we confess Christ as come in the flesh ( ). That is, He became truly Man – however, without participating in the sinful nature that every man has ( ) –, but at the same time never ceased to be the eternal Son of God. They must beware not to go deeper – we must pay attention to the right ‘measure of volume’ – nor further – the right ‘measure of size’ – than what God’s Word makes clear. We should not try to enter into things that God hides from us (cf. ), nor add to what God’s Word shows us. The order in the house of God is also maintained by the Levites, which is represented in the care for the table of the showbread. They must also ensure that the volume and size of everything is to the measure of the sanctuary. Only then can a service take place that can be accepted by God. No personal interpretation may be given in any way about the composition of, for example, a grain offering. Again other Levites have the task of singing ( ). Every day in the morning and evening, every week, every month and every year they let their voices be heard on those days and at those occasions when bringing the burnt offering. The sacrifices at different feasts must be brought by the priests, but they are prepared by the Levites. Levite service precedes every sacrificial service. Young priests gratefully use Levites. Finally, a summary of the tasks is given ( ). The tasks of the Levites are primarily connected with “the tent of meeting”. This is the place where God meets His people, it is a place of fellowship between God and His people. The people there may come to God on the basis of the sacrifice, which is a picture of the Lord Jesus and His work on the cross, to worship Him for the gift of that Sacrifice. This leads to the second task, which is their “charge of the holy place”. In the sanctuary it is about approaching God rather than being together. With a view to approaching God, priests must know what is appropriate. This is what the Levites make clear to them. This also explains their third task, their “charge of the sons of Aaron their relatives, for the service of the house of the LORD”. They prepare the priests, here described as “the sons of Aaron”, to perform their service properly in the house of the LORD. They do not do this as their superiors, but as “their relatives”, or “their brothers”. We read here that the Levites and the priests are brothers of each other. This is the only right relationship to serve other members of God’s people. The New Testament believer is as much a priest as a Levite. Both aspects should be expressed in his life: to the Lord Jesus and God as a priest, and to the fellow believers as a Levite.

‏ 1 Chronicles 23:24

The Task of the Levites

We see something of the special authority David has to arrange the Levite service. He subtracts another five years from the age already lowered by the LORD by five years (1Chr 23:24; Num 8:24). The reduction to 20 years is confirmed in 1Chr 23:27. The reason is that there is now rest (1Chr 23:25). The Levites are no longer in wilderness conditions. The task has become easier. They no longer need to break down and rebuild everything and no transport is needed anymore (1Chr 23:26). Therefore, the age limit can be lowered.

In the spiritual application, this is about the limit of the spiritual maturity. There are circumstances that this can be reduced. Even the youngest believer can perform a certain service in the church. Where conditions are favorable and a simple service is requested, a young believer with little spiritual exercise can perform it. When it comes to greater responsibilities, there will have to be a greater spiritual maturity. In any case, young people who perform a spiritual service should behave in such a way that no comments can be made about their youth (1Tim 4:12).

1Chr 23:28-32 summarize the service of the Levites. What is their task? They serve the priests who in turn serve the LORD. According to Moses’ ordinances, the Levites were given as a gift to the priests (Num 18:6). The Levites serve to support the priestly service.

Levite service in a New Testament sense is a service for building up the church. Their service is aimed at teaching believers to praise God more and better. The purpose of their service is that the believers will offer their lives more as sacrifices to God and offer the results of their work for God to Him. If in a local church the believers live in a spirit of worship, this will be noticed in the worship service and in the practical life of the believers.

There are also Levites that go over the courts (1Chr 23:28). These are the gatekeepers. Different people are standing at the gates. They must ensure that only the right people are admitted in the courts. Another task of the Levites is “the purifying of all holy things”. A worthy sacrifice service can only take place by cleansed persons and cleansed means. Levites ensure that there are no elements in worship that disturb or harm the sacrifice service. They supervise the purity of worship.

Furthermore, they have a task with regard to “the work of the service of the house of God”. We can apply this to our behavior in the house of God. We need to know how we have to behave there (1Tim 3:15). For this purpose, the Lord has given His instructions in His Word.

There is extensive reference to different types of bread (1Chr 23:29). It is about “the bread of the Presence” or “the showbread”, which is the bread on the table of the showbread (Exo 25:30), and about various forms of the “grain offering” (cf. Lev 2:1-16). There is talk of “well-mixed” and of fittings and of “all measures of volume and size”. All these breads speak of the Lord Jesus. The Levites make sure that the breads are of the right composition, “well-mixed”, that the right volume is used and that the right size is also maintained.

We can apply this to our being busy with the Lord Jesus as the true grain offering and as the true bread of life. The Levites are for us the teachers who explain God’s Word to us. They show by means of God’s Word Who the Lord Jesus is as food for God. The being “well-mixed” or the composition of the bread represents that we confess Christ as come in the flesh (1Jn 4:2). That is, He became truly Man – however, without participating in the sinful nature that every man has (Heb 4:15) –, but at the same time never ceased to be the eternal Son of God. They must beware not to go deeper – we must pay attention to the right ‘measure of volume’ – nor further – the right ‘measure of size’ – than what God’s Word makes clear. We should not try to enter into things that God hides from us (cf. Mt 11:27a), nor add to what God’s Word shows us.

The order in the house of God is also maintained by the Levites, which is represented in the care for the table of the showbread. They must also ensure that the volume and size of everything is to the measure of the sanctuary. Only then can a service take place that can be accepted by God. No personal interpretation may be given in any way about the composition of, for example, a grain offering.

Again other Levites have the task of singing (1Chr 23:30-31). Every day in the morning and evening, every week, every month and every year they let their voices be heard on those days and at those occasions when bringing the burnt offering. The sacrifices at different feasts must be brought by the priests, but they are prepared by the Levites. Levite service precedes every sacrificial service. Young priests gratefully use Levites.

Finally, a summary of the tasks is given (1Chr 23:32). The tasks of the Levites are primarily connected with “the tent of meeting”. This is the place where God meets His people, it is a place of fellowship between God and His people. The people there may come to God on the basis of the sacrifice, which is a picture of the Lord Jesus and His work on the cross, to worship Him for the gift of that Sacrifice.

This leads to the second task, which is their “charge of the holy place”. In the sanctuary it is about approaching God rather than being together. With a view to approaching God, priests must know what is appropriate. This is what the Levites make clear to them. This also explains their third task, their “charge of the sons of Aaron their relatives, for the service of the house of the LORD”. They prepare the priests, here described as “the sons of Aaron”, to perform their service properly in the house of the LORD.

They do not do this as their superiors, but as “their relatives”, or “their brothers”. We read here that the Levites and the priests are brothers of each other. This is the only right relationship to serve other members of God’s people. The New Testament believer is as much a priest as a Levite. Both aspects should be expressed in his life: to the Lord Jesus and God as a priest, and to the fellow believers as a Levite.