Num 3:17 | KingComments | STEP | The Levites must also be numbered. Like the firstborn ( ), the Levites are also numbered from one month old. Each Levite individually is important to God and the service to be rendered. His task cannot be performed by anyone else. This is also the case in the church. It is of great practical importance that every child of God knows his task which the Lord has given him to do. It is also important that he stays with this and does not interfere in what the Lord gives another person to do (cf. ). The Lord is sovereign in this. The Levites all take a different place toward the tabernacle. The three sons each have a different task. This we can apply to the church to which the Lord Jesus gave “some [as] evangelists, and some [as] pastors and teachers” ( ). These gifts or tasks can be seen in the sons of Levi. There are believers who can speak about the Lord Jesus in a special way in what He is for God; others can present Him in what He is for the sinner in a special way. In this way, everyone has received his own gift to serve with. A brother from Hong Kong told something that reminds us of this and illustrates it. He has known three leaders of house churches in China who have been of great significance for many house churches in China. All three have been given a nickname derived from the tabernacle. A brother was called “altar” because he burned for the gospel. The second brother was called ‘laver’ because in his preaching he emphasized holiness and cleansing. The third brother was called ‘sanctuary’ because he knew the Scriptures so well.

‏ Numbers 3:17

Command to Number the Levites

The Levites must also be numbered. Like the firstborn (Num 3:40), the Levites are also numbered from one month old. Each Levite individually is important to God and the service to be rendered. His task cannot be performed by anyone else. This is also the case in the church. It is of great practical importance that every child of God knows his task which the Lord has given him to do. It is also important that he stays with this and does not interfere in what the Lord gives another person to do (cf. Jn 21:20-22). The Lord is sovereign in this.

The Levites all take a different place toward the tabernacle. The three sons each have a different task. This we can apply to the church to which the Lord Jesus gave “some [as] evangelists, and some [as] pastors and teachers” (Eph 4:11). These gifts or tasks can be seen in the sons of Levi. There are believers who can speak about the Lord Jesus in a special way in what He is for God; others can present Him in what He is for the sinner in a special way. In this way, everyone has received his own gift to serve with.

A brother from Hong Kong told something that reminds us of this and illustrates it. He has known three leaders of house churches in China who have been of great significance for many house churches in China. All three have been given a nickname derived from the tabernacle. A brother was called “altar” because he burned for the gospel. The second brother was called ‘laver’ because in his preaching he emphasized holiness and cleansing. The third brother was called ‘sanctuary’ because he knew the Scriptures so well.