Be a Levite!

Brrr. . . Another chilly day. But we could have gotten the snow from that last storm, so I guess cold isn't so bad. (PS I like snow, that silver lining was for everyone who HATES winter :0)Sounds like a warm up is on the way. Just hang in there. . . .

Here's the question and answer from yesterday:
Mon, Mar 2: What group came to do their work at the Tent of Meeting under the supervision of Aaron and his sons? (Num 8)
Num 8:22 22 After that, the Levites came to do their work at the Tent of Meeting under the supervision of Aaron and his sons.


Hmm, I seem to be off on the readings and days of the week, since the question for Monday actually covers the readings from Tuesday. Let me get that figured out and we'll get back on track again.

And here's today's reflection:
In today's reading from Numbers, we read God's instruction for setting up the lampstand (aka menorah) by Aaron, which was a part of the dedication of the tabernacle. Remember all those chapters in Exodus we spent reading about building the temple? Well, we now see all those lists of this and that finally coming together.

The menorah represents the presence of God in the tabernacle, hence the need for particular attention to its detail (remember "I am the lord your God am therefore be holy as I am holy"). It also has botanical symbolism too. The menorah was created to look like a tree and is probably meant to parallel the tree of life in the garden of Eden. Therefore, it relates God's presence and creation.

This chapter is also concerned with the purification of the Levites. Today's church doesn't really have an official equivalent to the Levite--they weren't quite clergy but not laypeople either. They are a third category all their own. Numbers 8:5-22 seems to indicate they are "living sacrifices in the camp" (Dozeman, NIB Commentary on Leviticus). Dozeman says, "Levites substitute for the divine claim on firstborn, serve the priesthood, and allow the camp to function by atoning for all Israelites."

The author of this commentary goes on to point out that every church does indeed have Levites, whether they are officially recognized or not. "Every church," Dozeman says, "has members who substitute for others by taking on extra responsibility. They serve on committees beyond their appointed time. They teach Sunday school or vacation Bible school for an extra term. The clean up the church on Saturday, paint a room, or set up coffee of Sunday. They are the first persons called in an emergency. Such persons relieve someone else of responsibility every time they take on an extra task. They ransom other members from God's claim on their time. They are living sacrifices of great value."

Perhaps the Levites are the model Paul had in mind in Romans 12:1--"Present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship." This is a model which Paul intends to be for ALL Christians, though not all follow it. That's why even the Christian church needs Levites, to fulfill the claim for others.

If you are a Levite, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE!

Allison