What is the meaning of Numbers 3:10? So you shall appoint Aaron and his sons • God Himself chooses the mediators. The appointment is not democratic or hereditary beyond His command; it is divine delegation (Exodus 28:1; Exodus 29:9). • Aaron’s line is singled out from among all Levites, underscoring that even service-oriented tribes need God-ordained leadership (Numbers 18:1). • This safeguards right worship by rooting it in God’s revealed will, not human preference. to carry out the duties of the priesthood • Daily tasks—offering sacrifices, tending the lampstand, burning incense—maintain Israel’s fellowship with a holy God (Leviticus 9:7; Deuteronomy 10:8). • Priests picture the coming Mediator; their work foreshadows Christ, the “great high priest” (Hebrews 5:1). • Their service reminds the whole nation that access to God is a gift, not an entitlement (1 Peter 2:9). but any outsider who approaches the tabernacle • “Outsider” means anyone not of Aaron’s priestly line, including well-meaning Levites or kings (Numbers 16:40; 2 Chronicles 26:18). • The restriction protects people: unchecked nearness to God’s blazing holiness would destroy them (Exodus 19:12-13). • Boundaries teach reverence, cultivating a healthy fear of the LORD that guards against casual worship (Numbers 1:51). must be put to death • The penalty is severe because the offense is severe—treating God’s holiness as common (Numbers 18:7). • Historical examples—Uzzah touching the ark (2 Samuel 6:7), Korah’s rebellion (Numbers 16)—show the verse enforced. • Ultimately the death sentence points forward to Christ’s substitution: He bore the penalty for our unauthorized approach so believers may now “draw near” through His blood (Hebrews 10:19-22). summary Numbers 3:10 establishes divinely appointed mediators, defines their sacred tasks, warns non-priests against unauthorized approach, and prescribes death for violations. The verse magnifies God’s holiness, underlines His right to set the terms of worship, and anticipates the perfect High Priest who alone grants safe access to the Father. |
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