1 Chronicles 23:3-32 Now the Levites were numbered from the age of thirty years and upward: and their number by their polls, man by man… We have here - I. THE SPECIAL SERVICE WHICH THE LEVITES RENDERED TO ISRAEL. This was four-fold. 1. Assisting at the service of sacrifice. They were "to set forward the work of the house of the Lord" (ver. 4); "their office was to wait on the sons of Aaron for the service of the house of the Lord," etc. (vers. 28, 29); "to offer [i.e. to help at the offering of] all burnt sacrifices," etc. (vers. 31, 32). 2. Rendering the service of praise. "Four thousand of them praised the Lord," etc. (ver. 5). These were to stand every morning and evening to thank and praise the Lord (ver. 30). 3. Administration of civic business and pacification: "officers and judges" (ver. 4). 4. Guardianship of the gates; preserving from profanation, and so from Divine displeasure: "porters," i.e. gatekeepers (ver. 5). II. THE CHANGES WHICH OCCUR IN THE FORM OF SERVICE. Even under the same dispensation occasional changes occurred of the way in which God was served. An instance and indication of this is found here. The Levites had no more need to carry the tabernacle from place to place; they thus laid down one of their most solemn and important functions (vers. 25, 26). They were also henceforth to be numbered from twenty (instead of thirty) years of age (vers. 27, 28). And, further, they entered now on the service of instrumental music, systematically arranged (vers. 5, 30). If such minor changes occurred in the same era of religions history, how much greater changes in the order of service might we expect to find when one dispensation gave place to another, when the Law was lost in the gospel? Such we do find. We look, therefore, at - III. OUR CORRESPONDING SERVICE UNDER CHRIST. 1. In the matter of sacrifice, the Levites cannot properly be said to have any successors; for, the one all-sufficient atonement having been offered, there is no sacrifice to be presented, and, there being no officiating priest and no altar "in Christ Jesus," there is needed no ministering Levite. Only that we are all to be priests and Levites in that we are all to present "spiritual sacrifices" of prayer and praise, and of "doing good and communicating," continually unto him. However, there are humbler services to be rendered, needful work to be done, "for the service of the house of the Lord" (ver. 24); and in this useful and worthy ministry, those who take their part cheerfully and do their work faithfully are "approved of him." 2. In the matter of praise, the Levites find their successors in (1) those who teach and lead in the service of song in the Christian sanctuary; (2) all who join in and thus encourage others in that service. And they who do their best to perfect the praises of God - understanding by that not only attaining to the perfect scientific form of service, but reaching the moral and spiritual ideal of a service in which the music of the instrument and of the voice is subordinated to the melody of the heart (Ephesians 5:19), - these render an invaluable ministry to the Church of Christ. 3. In respect of administration (officers and judges), as ecclesiastical law has given place to civil law, this function of Jehovah's servants has passed into other hands; yet perhaps they who are peacemakers between their fellows and help to decide disputes between brethren may be said to be the "judges" of the present time. 4. As to guardianship of the gates, with the open throne of grace and access at all times to all men, there is little room for us to perpetuate this work of the Levite. But we can, and should, take great pains to preserve the spirit of reverence and pure devotion in the hearts of all who come to worship Christ. - C. Parallel Verses KJV: Now the Levites were numbered from the age of thirty years and upward: and their number by their polls, man by man, was thirty and eight thousand. |
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