Wednesday, June 10, 2015

Numbers 8: Family Business

In the modern era, we are accustomed to people having the freedom of economic self-determination: American children may grow up to pursue whatever career they desire.  It strikes us as almost a basic human right.  The situation was very different in ancient Israel where the family you were born into fixed your occupational destiny and limited the universe of your opportunities.

Those born into the tribe of Levi were on a special plan.  Out of the chosen people of Israel, Levi was set apart to be the tribe reserved for the Lord, exchanged by Him as a substitute for all the firstborn of the Israelites.  As a result, the Levites were charged with special responsibilities concerning work at the Tabernacle and for rendering service to Aaron and his sons.

If you were a Levite, you would be expected to be consecrated for your duties at the Tabernacle.  Numbers 8:5-26 describe the ceremony of cleansing for the Levites.  Some of the positives regarding this role: your years of service were only from age 25 to 50, and you benefitted from the offerings of the rest of the nation of Israel.  On the downside, you could own no property of your own to pass on to your children, and you also ran the risk of being around the holy, sacred things of the Tabernacle which could spell your doom if you mishandled your responsibilities.

Just as Levites were locked into service by virtue of their birth, so, too, were other tribes.  If you were anything other than a Levite, you were unable to render their kind of service at the tent of meeting unto the Lord.  Everything was strictly structured by your heritage.

How would your life be different today if your choices had been strictly limited by your birth family's circumstances?

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