Day 47

Today we come again to the giving of the Levites and their dedication. There are a great many details in Numbers 8, but the reasoning and the result is what we want to look at this morning. The Levites serve as a substitute for the firstborn. This clearly has its roots in the Passover and the death of the firstborn of all of Egypt (of any who did not have the blood of the lamb covering their doorposts).

17 For all the firstborn among the people of Israel are mine, both of man and of beast. On the day that I struck down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt I consecrated them for myself, 18 and I have taken the Levites instead of all the firstborn among the people of Israel. 19 And I have given the Levites as a gift to Aaron and his sons from among the people of Israel, to do the service for the people of Israel at the tent of meeting and to make atonement for the people of Israel, that there may be no plague among the people of Israel when the people of Israel come near the sanctuary.” (Num 8:17–19 ESV).

The Levites became as substitute for the firstborn of all of Israel. They were given to do the service of the tent of meeting. And in a sense, they were given to serve the entirety of the nation. They were purified and set apart to work in service to the Lord for the people.

How would this relate to us today? Consider the context. The people have not been freed from Egypt for long; the Exodus has just taken place in a dramatic rescue out of slavery. I was directed by some resources to turn to Ephesians 4:7-16.

Here, Christ, by his death and resurrection, led captives and gave gifts to mankind. What are those gifts? Look at Ephesians 4:7 - we are his gifts given back to the church. God has poured out his grace on each of his children to serve in various ways so that we would grow to maturity. We are saved from slavery to sin to serve as gifts.