Num 8:14 | KingComments | STEP | Seeing Christ in the sanctuary as the model of our walk, as depicted in previous verses, also gives us ability to serve. The dedication of the Levites, of the servants, is done according to the purity of the sanctuary, for that is the field of their service. They are an offering from the people to the LORD, and the LORD gives them to the priests. They can only be pleasing to God in their service in the value of the offering Christ has brought to God and the Divine judgment of sin. At the dedication of the Levites we see a special involvement of the people, more so than in the dedication of the priests. Priestly service is not primarily aimed at fellow believers, but at God. Levite service is focused on each other. The service of the Levites is to the church. By a separate ceremony the Levites are separated from the people. What happens to them is not a picture of the conversion of the sinner, but of making the believer fit to serve God in a way that is pleasing to Him. Here we see how first the persons are made fit, and then they come to a service that is pleasing to God. We must first give ourselves to the Lord, and only then give Him our service ( ). The first action is to be sprinkled with the purifying water. The cleansing does not consist of washing, but of sprinkling. Sprinkling is the transfer of the value of that with which is sprinkled on the object which is sprinkled. By sprinkling it comes under the power of it. We see this with the sprinkling of blood. Sprinkling with water is done here. The purifying water is not used here because the Levites have sinned. That is not the case here. But a special awareness is needed of the work of the Lord Jesus through which the sins have been removed. The flesh must have no place, nothing of that which has to do with sin. The second action is the shaving of all the hair from their bodies (cf. ). Hair speaks of what comes from natural man. That must be shaved. The razor represents the judgment that is passed over the flesh. Pride, for example, is such a hair growth that needs to be shaved, judged. Then they have to wash their clothes. Clothes show what is public from man, how he behaves, the habits he has. Washing the clothes indicates that the whole revelation of the servant comes under the power of the Word. After their cleansing the offerings can be brought, in this case two young bulls. The first is purposed as a burnt offering, together with the accompanying grain offering; the other is a sin offering. Both the burnt offering and the sin offering is a great offering. Both offerings represent the degree of insight into the work of the Lord Jesus, on the basis of which they can perform their service. The service is performed at the level of the servant’s understanding of both the burnt offering – this represents what the work of the Lord Jesus means to God, the honor He has given to God through it – and the sin offering – this represents what the work of the Lord Jesus means in view of the problem of sin. The laying on of hands by the Israelites shows their identification with the service of the Levites. All Israelites are involved, because the Levites are instead of the firstborn of the Israelites ( ). It is also important that the field of their service is the people of God. It is important that the church can identify herself with the service of servants. God involves the whole people. The Levites are moved back and forth as a wave offering before God’s face. God wishes His people to bring His servants before Him. God’s people should not speak of the weaknesses every servant has, but of the way in which these servants remind them of the Lord Jesus, the true wave offering. After the people have moved the Levites back and forth as a wave offering, the priests also have to move the Levites back and forth. The service of each servant is in connection with both the daily life of God’s people and the priestly service.

‏ Numbers 8:14

The Dedication of the Levites

Seeing Christ in the sanctuary as the model of our walk, as depicted in previous verses, also gives us ability to serve. The dedication of the Levites, of the servants, is done according to the purity of the sanctuary, for that is the field of their service. They are an offering from the people to the LORD, and the LORD gives them to the priests. They can only be pleasing to God in their service in the value of the offering Christ has brought to God and the Divine judgment of sin.

At the dedication of the Levites we see a special involvement of the people, more so than in the dedication of the priests. Priestly service is not primarily aimed at fellow believers, but at God. Levite service is focused on each other. The service of the Levites is to the church.

By a separate ceremony the Levites are separated from the people. What happens to them is not a picture of the conversion of the sinner, but of making the believer fit to serve God in a way that is pleasing to Him. Here we see how first the persons are made fit, and then they come to a service that is pleasing to God. We must first give ourselves to the Lord, and only then give Him our service (2Cor 8:5).

The first action is to be sprinkled with the purifying water. The cleansing does not consist of washing, but of sprinkling. Sprinkling is the transfer of the value of that with which is sprinkled on the object which is sprinkled. By sprinkling it comes under the power of it. We see this with the sprinkling of blood. Sprinkling with water is done here. The purifying water is not used here because the Levites have sinned. That is not the case here. But a special awareness is needed of the work of the Lord Jesus through which the sins have been removed. The flesh must have no place, nothing of that which has to do with sin.

The second action is the shaving of all the hair from their bodies (cf. Lev 14:8). Hair speaks of what comes from natural man. That must be shaved. The razor represents the judgment that is passed over the flesh. Pride, for example, is such a hair growth that needs to be shaved, judged.

Then they have to wash their clothes. Clothes show what is public from man, how he behaves, the habits he has. Washing the clothes indicates that the whole revelation of the servant comes under the power of the Word.

After their cleansing the offerings can be brought, in this case two young bulls. The first is purposed as a burnt offering, together with the accompanying grain offering; the other is a sin offering. Both the burnt offering and the sin offering is a great offering. Both offerings represent the degree of insight into the work of the Lord Jesus, on the basis of which they can perform their service. The service is performed at the level of the servant’s understanding of both the burnt offering – this represents what the work of the Lord Jesus means to God, the honor He has given to God through it – and the sin offering – this represents what the work of the Lord Jesus means in view of the problem of sin.

The laying on of hands by the Israelites shows their identification with the service of the Levites. All Israelites are involved, because the Levites are instead of the firstborn of the Israelites (Num 8:16-18). It is also important that the field of their service is the people of God. It is important that the church can identify herself with the service of servants. God involves the whole people.

The Levites are moved back and forth as a wave offering before God’s face. God wishes His people to bring His servants before Him. God’s people should not speak of the weaknesses every servant has, but of the way in which these servants remind them of the Lord Jesus, the true wave offering. After the people have moved the Levites back and forth as a wave offering, the priests also have to move the Levites back and forth. The service of each servant is in connection with both the daily life of God’s people and the priestly service.