Nu. 8: Levites = Firstborn

Aaron had to set up seven lamps in the tabernacle so that they faced forward on the lampstand. They had to light the area in front of it. It has been said a few times so far that the lampstand had to be made from hammered gold, but in verse four, it talks about how it was hammered gold from it’s base to it’s blossoms. These delicate, beautiful blossoms (like almond flowers, according to Ex. 25) were created from a hunk of raw gold, that had to be hammered, broken down and destroyed. I never really noticed that, but here is an amazing allegory of something beautiful made out of something, not so beautiful, but still was gold.

Chapter 8 goes on to describe the process of consecrating the Levites as a people unto God. They were essentially an offering from the Israelites to the LORD. They had to be purified as offerings were, and they were presented by Aaron, the high priest. They were given wholly to God. God was doing something new here. I was really kind of confused about what was going on in verses 15-19, but I think God revealed to me what I needed to know. I first was confused as to why God would take this substitute, and then claim the firstborn as his. And verses 17 and 18 were critical to understanding.

As with Isaac, the firstborn was to be offered to God in Genesis 22. But God substituted a ram. The firstborn of the Egyptians was substituted at Passover in Exodus 11 and 12. Here in Numbers 8, God substitutes the Levites for these firstborn male offspring. There always seemed to be a substitute.

Also interesting here is that God says He has given the Levites as gifts to Aaron for the Tent of Meeting work. That must be how giving to God works. It wasn’t a matter of God having the audacity to claim he was giving this gift to Aaron. The Israelites (under God’s command) had to relinquish the Levites unto God. God in turn provided them to Aaron where they were needed.