Word of Salvation - August 2010

 

Numbers 8 - CONSECRATED UNTO THE LIGHT - by John Westendorp

(Sermon 8 in a series on Numbers)

Scripture Reading: Numbers 8.

Singing: Book of Worship: 92 / 182 / 431 / 117a

 

Introduction: It’s been said that half the fun of a holiday is making the preparations beforehand.

There’s a lot of truth in that.
Some of us have made an overseas trip at some time or other (perhaps to Tassie...!?!)
We prepare for that trip months and months beforehand.
And the excitement grows and grows as the departure date gets closer.
You begin to puts things for the trip aside... perhaps already into a suitcase.
Little by little you collect all the things needed for the journey.

 

That’s a little like what is happening here in Numbers.
After a year of being camped at Mt Sinai the Hebrew people are ready to move on.
The journey is about to begin... now it is all happening.
But lots of last minute preparations still have to be made;
Many of those preparations centre on worship in the tabernacle.
Numbers 7 and 8 tell us about those particular preparations.

In Numbers 7 gifts are given by the tribal leaders:
Oxen and wagons for transporting parts of the tabernacle;
Various utensils for use on the altar of sacrifice and animals to dedicate the altar.

 

Here in Numbers 8 those final preparations continue.
Some other things still need to happen before Israel pull up their tent pegs and move on.
So the bulk of this chapter is devoted to the consecration of the Levites.
Way back in chapter 3 we saw already that God set the Levites apart for His service.
Now the actual commencement of their service begins.
Israel is almost ready to go so the Levites must now begin their work.

 

A] CONSECRATION FOR SERVICE.

 

1. In this chapter there is some repetition of information already given back in Numbers 3.

We are already aware that the Levites replace all the firstborn of Israel.
God claims all the firstborn of Israel as a sign that the whole nation is His.
But then one Levite is substituted for each firstborn Israelite.

So the Levites become representative substitutes for the people.
It’s the Levites who will carry out the worship of God on behalf of the nation.
And as they are now about the move these Levites are commissioned for their work.

 

This becomes obvious in a very special way.
God tells Moses to arrange for the people of Israel to lay hands on the Levites.
I imagine that this was not done by every last Israelite personally.
It would be very difficult for hundreds of thousands of Israelites to lay on hands.
So perhaps the tribal leaders again did that on behalf of the nation.

 

But the point is that this highlights that the Levites are simply acting on behalf of the nation.
In this laying on of hands Israel owns the ministry of the Levites.

 

Something similar still happens in the ordination of office-bearers today.
Other office bearers lay hands on the elder, the deacon or the minister being ordained.
In part that symbolises God’s blessing upon the new office-bearer.
But it also shows that this office-bearer’s work is being owned by the church at large.

 

2. You may wonder why we get a repeat of much of Numbers 3 here in Numbers 8.

The answer is that it isn’t enough for these Levites simply to be set apart. More is needed.
There must also be a formal consecration to the work of the tabernacle.
As they now begin the work a formal dedication ceremony is needed. Why?
Let me suggest two reasons for that.

 

First, the ministry of these Levites is not something they have taken on themselves.
It is not an honour that they have sought.
They were appointed to that work by the Lord their God back in Numbers 3.
And now in Numbers 8 they are formally and publicly consecrated by Moses.
That is a recognition that – as their work begins – it is God’s work that they are doing.

 

Secondly, consecration to God always requires some form of visible recognition.
That’s why office-bearers are not just quietly appointed to their work by Session.
No... they are formally consecrated to that task by ordination in a public worship service.
Again it is to help the church to own the ministry of those so appointed.
Remember...!
The Levites serve in place of Israel’s firstborn but the firstborn simply represent all Israel.
So (in a sense) in the service of the Levites the whole nation is serving its God.
And that needs to be seen and owned publicly.

 

For us today there is a parallel in the service we offer our Lord Jesus Christ.
New believers in Christ don’t just slip quietly into church to serve God when they are converted.
No... believers are baptised as a recognition of them entering the service of Christ.
(Of course Holy Baptism has other... more important meanings).
But it also helps to signify that this is a person dedicated to serve the Lord Jesus Christ.
Or if they were baptised as children that happens at their Public Profession of faith.
Consecration to God needs some visible act within the believing community.

 

3. Let’s look a little closer then at this consecration ceremony itself.

 

First this ceremony includes a ritual of purification from defilement.
We read that after they were sprinkled with water of cleansing they were to shave all over.
They were also to wash their clothes and so purify themselves.

Of course all of that was symbolic.
I don’t think that all those Levites were so filthy that they needed a bath.
Or that they were as hairy as Esau, the brother of Jacob, and needed shaving all over.
This ritual symbolises purification from sin.
The point is that sin clings to us so closely that a drastic remedy is needed.
Cleansing... even to the point of an all-over shave.

 

Those who are consecrated to God need to be purified.
Now there is an aspect of purification that we have to do for ourselves.
Here it involved washing and shaving and putting their clothes in the wash.
That’s something they not only had to do themselves... it was also something that took effort.
It highlights that purification from sin is hard work on our part.

 

In the NT God calls all His people to live out what was symbolically happening to these Levites..
Scripture makes clear that God wants a purified people to serve Him.
The apostle James (4:8) says: Wash your hands you sinners, and purify your hearts...!
Peter (in 1Peter 1:22) says: Now that you have purified yourself by obeying the truth...!
You are called to be a pure servant of your Lord. Don’t be content with impurity.
You must take responsibility for moral purity... and you need to put effort into that.

 

4. However, when it comes to purity there are also some things we cannot do for ourselves.

Here in Numbers 8 we notice that some things had to be done for them.

So there is another component to this ritual of purification.

 

Moses sprinkles cleansing water on them.

And more importantly... sacrifices are made for their atonement and forgiveness.
A burnt offering and a sin offering were made for these Levites.
One was to pay for the guilt of sin... the other to deal with the pollution of sin.

 

In the final analysis true purity escapes us.
You and I are called to a life of purity but repeatedly we fail.
We struggle for the moral cleanness that is needed to serve Christ... but it evades us.

Evangelist John Chapman once put it well.
He was talking to a girl who said to him, “I really find it hard to stop sinning.”
Chapman said, “I don’t...! I find it impossible.”
We need far more than our own feeble efforts to achieve purity in service of Christ.

 

These Levites had to do certain things themselves in this ritual of purification.
But other things had to be done for them... to show that purity is ultimately beyond us.
So offerings were brought for their atonement.

But those offerings for sin merely pointed to the great Sacrifice for sin, Jesus Christ.
True service of God only happens as atonement has been made.
And today we draw comfort from the fact that Jesus died to cleanse us from all sin.
Purity of life is now a wonderful possibility because of what Jesus did for us.
And it’s from that perspective that we now work at living pure lives in service of Him.

 

5. It’s only when this ritual of consecration is completed that the Levites are ready to take up their work.

The Levites are now assigned to Aaron and the priests for their priestly ministry of the tabernacle.

Please notice that this service of the Levites is a very practical kind of hands-on service.

 

When it comes to serving God some folk don’t mind serving Him as long as it’s an advisory capacity.
Here it is anything but that... it is instead a service of total obedience to God’s will.
And that will of God for them centres around the whole sacrificial system:
To provide the offerings that will pay for Israel’s sin and protect the nation from God’s anger.
Vs.19 spells it out: So that no plague will strike the Israelites when they go near the sanctuary.
Israel was safe... but only as the sacrifices of atonement were brought for them.
Just as we are safe only as the blood of Christ’s sacrifice is applied to us by faith.

 

Let me just briefly highlight two other features of this service of the Levites.

 

First this service is not onerous. These Levites serve only from 25 years of age until 50 years of age.
That’s partly for the practical reason that tabernacle service deals with the sacred things of God.
It’s to minimise the possibility of accidents happening with the sacred things of God.
Sacred objects couldn’t be carried by those who might faint under the load.

But this also highlights God’s generous retirement plan (I think it should apply to pastors today!)
No more work after 50... and yet still provided for, out of the allocation made to the Levites.
That highlights that the service of God is not an onerous chore.

 

Secondly it’s also significant that Israel gives the Levites to God and the Lord gives them back to Israel.
It’s a wonderful principle that so often God’s gifts are returned to us when we give them to Him.
What a joy when what is given to the Lord becomes a means of blessing to God’s people.

 

B] TO THE GOD WHO IS THE LIGHT.

 

1. Perhaps this morning you are wondering why I’ve so far ignored the opening verses of Numbers 8.

The opening verses are about a lamp stand. And that seems somewhat out of place.
In fact, some scholars have suggested that this is a misplaced text.
They say it really doesn’t fit here. So did some ancient scribe get the pages mixed up?

 

No! This is part of the commencement of worship in the tabernacle.
A lamp stand with seven lamps is placed in that tabernacle to provide light.
And now just as Israel are about to set off those lamps are lit.
The lights of that lamp stand will now burn day and night, day in, day out.

 

I believe there is something quite deliberate in placing these verses here of all places.
The lighting of this lamp stand is mentioned in between two significant events.
Between Numbers 7 where we have all the gifts of the Israelite princes mentioned...
And Numbers 8 where we have this consecration of the Levites for tabernacle service.

 

In other words: This lamp stand is mentioned between the gifts of God’s people and the service by God’s people.
Almost as if it is saying that God’s people shine both in their giving and their serving.
Our light beams out both as we give and as we serve.
To understand that properly we need to think a little more deeply about this lamp stand.

 

2. To begin with that lamp stand is primarily a picture of God.

God is the light and He is represented by this lamp stand made of pure gold.
Other temple furnishings were plated with gold... this lamp stand is solid gold.
Only solid gold could represent the splendour of God.
Someone has estimated what it would cost to make that lamp stand today.
They say you wouldn’t get much change from a million dollars.
That makes this an appropriate symbolism of Almighty God.

 

There are some other pointers to the reality that this lamp stand represents God.
There are 7 lamps on the lamp stand. What does the number 7 represent in Scripture?
It’s God’s number, the number of fullness and of the completeness of God’s presence.
We could also add that this lamp is lit by Aaron who, as priest is God’s representative.
So a number of things make it clear to us that this lamp stand represents God.

 

But there’s something else we need to keep in mind.
We believe all Scripture is fulfilled by the Lord Jesus Christ... the book of Numbers too.
Jesus is the central message of the Bible... also the central message of the book of Numbers.
Many people don’t realise that... they’ve never grasped that truth.

People who don’t understand that are like a bird sitting on a phone line.
That bird is in touch with the wire... it’s got a firm grip on that phone cable.
But it’s totally oblivious to the message that is travelling through that phone line.
In the same way some people hold the Bible in their hands and they’ve read it often.
Yet they are oblivious to the fact that the message is all about Jesus Christ.

 

Jesus fulfils the symbolism of this lamp stand in the tabernacle.
He especially fulfilled it when He called Himself the Light of the World.
So in a sense we could put it this way:
All those gifts that are given in Numbers 7 are given to the Light who is Christ.
All those Levites consecrated in Numbers 8 are consecrated to the Light who is Christ.

It has even been suggested that it is therefore appropriate that it was made of hammered gold.
Beaten gold: appropriate imagery for Jesus who was bruised and beaten as Light of the world.

 

3. Numbers 8 is also very specific about the purpose of that light.

We’re told that the light is to shine into the area to the front (‘forward’) of the lamp stand.
We know from elsewhere in Exodus and Leviticus the layout of the tabernacle.
So we know what was in front of the lamp stand.
It was the table of showbread... a table on which were placed twelve loaves.
And those twelve loaves represented the nation of Israel.
Or more particularly... the offerings of the twelve tribes of Israel.

 

That makes it hugely appropriate that the lamp stand is mentioned right here in Numbers.
The offerings of the people have just been brought in Numbers 7.
And the Levites who are now being consecrated minister with the offerings of the people.

 

So the light of God’s face shines upon His servant people and upon their gifts.
The light of His blessing rests upon His people as they serve and as their offerings are brought.
And for us as Christians that becomes then especially meaningful.
Jesus Christ is the Light of the World.
And the light of His presence especially lights up the lives of His people.
We are a people into whose hearts Jesus has shone His glory.

 

Of course Jesus not only fulfilled the symbolism of the lamp stand.
Jesus also broadened its application.
In the tabernacle the light shone only on the table of the showbread... those twelve loaves.
In other words: in the OT the light of God shone only on Israel.
And anyone who wanted to enjoy the light basically had to join the nation of Israel.

In the NT Jesus is the light of the whole world.
And He now gathers up people from every tribe language and nation.
And together we now live in the light of His love and in the joy of His presence.

 

4. There is just one more thing about this symbolism of the lamp stand that we ought to notice.

In Revelation 1 the meaning of the lamp stand undergoes a significant shift.

There it is churches that are represented by lamp stands.
John sees the seven churches of Asia Minor, symbolised by seven lamp stands.
And the interpretation is clearly given: the lamp stands are the churches.

 

So there is also a sense in which the church fulfils this imagery.
We... we are the light of the world in the sense that we reflect the light of Christ to others.
Jesus is seen in us. We bear His image and likeness.
We are increasingly being transformed into that likeness:
Moulded so that the lamp stand that is Christ is now also seen in Christ’s people.

 

Back in Numbers 7 the gifts are dedicated to God – present as the light of the lamp stand.
In Numbers 8 the Levites are consecrated to God – present as the light of the lamp stand.
But you and I live in the light of Jesus Christ.
We shine for Him... in the gifts we give... and in the deeds of service we do.

We especially reflect His likeness when we share the good news of Jesus with others.
Then the gospel light shines in the darkness of sin and unbelief.
And then people come out of that darkness into the marvellous light of God.

 

May the Lord God purify and consecrate us to the light of Christ...
so that more and more we point others to His glory and His saving grace.
Let’s hold the Christ-light out to a suffering and broken world.
So that people today will still come out of darkness into the glorious light of Jesus Christ.

 

Amen