I. The Levites
There was the office of the High Priest, Priesthoodand the Levites which were the family of Gershon,
Kohath, and Merari were given the responsibility for setting up (pitching) and the taking down of the
Tabernacle when the Cloud moved. (Num.9:15-23; 10:1-36)
A. The preparation / separation of a Levite
1. The birth of Levi
And "she (Leah Gen.29:21-30; 35:23) conceived again, and bare a son; and said, Now this time will
my husband be joined unto me, because I have born him three sons: therefore was his name called
Levi. (Gen.29:34) One of the twelve sons of Jacob (Israel) Gen.49:1-33)
2. The calling / separation of Levi
The Levites after the tribe of their fathers were not numbered among them. (Num.1:50) God was
their inheritance no lot given in the land. (Num.18:24) They were separated unto the Lord. They
belonged to God. (Num.3:12) and were given (wholly) unto The High Priest Aaron and to his sons.
The Priesthood. (Num.3:9) Thou shalt appoint the Levites over the tabernacle of testimony, and over
all the vessels thereof, and over all things that belong to it: they shall bearthe tabernacle, and all
the vessels thereof; and they (the Levities) shall minister unto it, and shall encamp round about
the tabernacle. And when the tabernacle setteth forward, (Num.9:51-54) the Levites shall take it
down: and when the tabernacle is to be pitched, the Levites shall set it up: and the stranger that
cometh nigh shall be put to death.
The children of Israel (the church in the wilderness Acts.7:38) shall pitch their tents, every man
by his own camp, and every man by his own standard, throughout their hosts. (Num.2:1-31) But
the Levites (Kohathites,- Num.3:27-29 Gershonites - Num.3:23 and Merarites - Num.3:35) shall pitch
round about the tabernacle of testimony, (Num.3:38-39)that there be no wrath upon the
congregation of the children of Israel: and the Levites shall keep the charge of the tabernacle
of testimony.
And Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest shall be chief over the chief of the Levites, and have the oversight of them that keep the charge of the sanctuary. (Num.3:32)
Take the Levites from among the children of Israel, and cleanse them. And thus shalt thou do unto them, to cleanse them: Sprinkle water of purifying upon them, and let them shave all their flesh, and let them wash their clothes, and so make themselves clean. (Num.8:5-7)
Then let them take a young bullock with his meat offering, even fine flour mingled with oil, and another young bullock shalt thou take for a sin offering. And thou shalt bring the Levites before the tabernacle of the congregation: and thou shalt gather the whole assembly of the children of Israel together: And thou shalt bring the Levites before the Lord: and the children of Israel shall put their hands upon the Levites: (Num.8:8-10)
And the Levites shall lay their hands upon the heads of the bullocks: and thou shalt offer the one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering, unto the Lord, to make an atonement for the Levites. Num.8:11-13
Then he shall minister in the name of the Lord his God, as all his brethren the Levites do, which stand there before the Lord. (Deut.18:7)
And it came to pass, when Moses had made an end of writing the words of this law in a book, until they were finished, That Moses commanded the Levites, which bare the ark of the covenant of the Lord, (i.e. The Kohathites Num.3:27-32) saying, Take this book of the law, and put it in the side of the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, that it may be there for a witness against thee. (Deut.31:24-26) Note: the Priests the Levites taught the Word, and the Levites carried the Law inside the Ark of the Covenant
B. The family of Gershon
The families of the Gershonites shall pitch behind the tabernacle westward. The charge[6] of the
sons of Gershon in the tabernacle of the congregation shall be the tabernacle, and the tent, the
covering thereof, and the hanging for the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, And the hang-
ings of the court, and the curtain for the door of the court, which is by the tabernacle, and by the altar
round about, and the cords of it for all the service thereof.
C. The family of the Kohathities
The families of the sons of Kohath shall pitch on the side of the tabernacle southward.
Their "charge [6] shall be the ark, (of the Covenant) and the table, (of shewbread) and the
candlestick, and the altars, (Brazen Altar / Golden Altar of Incense) and the vessels of the
sanctuary wherewith they minister, and the hanging, and all the service thereof." (Num.3:27-32)
D. Merari
These shall pitch on the side of the tabernacle northward. And under the custody and charge [6] of the
sons of Merari shall be the boards of the tabernacle, and the bars thereof, and the pillars thereof, and
the sockets thereof, and all the vessels thereof, and all that serveth thereto, And the pillars of the court
round about, and their sockets, and their pins, and their cords." (Num.3:33-37)
-----------------------NOTES-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
... 3. What are the Levites?
God separated them from the congregation, to be among the congregation, for the congregation to
protect (keep the charge of the congregation / among the congregation "continually" (Num.1:47-54) Their
inheritance was the Lord. Their life was
c. They were cleansed (Num.8:5-7)
d. A Sin Offering and Burn't Offering (Num.8:11-17)
e. These things "before" they minister
2. Tabernacle of Moses was designed to travel (Num.1:47-51; 10:1-10)
2. Ark of the Covenant was designed to travel (Num.4:)
3. These Levities now maintaining the building that Housed God's presence with their singing, playing of
instruments (wind, percusion. taberiene) as Psalm 150 says. They were accountable "to stand every
morning to thank and praise the Lord, and likewise at even: with singing, musical instruments
(string / wind) percussion
4. They were to be the musicans / singers
5. With the same qualifications as in the Tabernacle of Moses
6. Good muscians meeting the quailfications of the Levites
When they came unto the threshing floor of Chidon, Uzza put forth his hand to hold the ark; for the oxen
stumbled. And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzza, and he smote him, because he put his
hand to the ark: and there he died before God. (1Chron.13:7-14)
a. This mistake of Uzza which caused David to be "afraid of God that day" and to search the Word of
God (1Chron.13:9-12; 15:15)
b. He discovered that the Ark was to be carried on the shoulders of the Priest's
(the Kohathities)
c. He discovered that the Kohathities were selected out of Levi to carry the Ark "as Moses
commanded according to the word of the Lord."
NOTE: The pattern of the Ark of the Covenant has not changed, it was incorporated into the
NEW thing that David was introducing.
J. The Levities qualifications remain the same
This is a key thought when considering who should be leading worship in our assemblies as we gather
together (Matt.18:20) in His Name (i.e. around the Ark of the Covenant) Levi was not only qualified because
of their ability and musical talent, (Psa.33:3)15 their qualification required them to be separated clean and
holy unto the Lord, just as they where when they ministered before the Lord in the Tabernacle of Moses. It
should be noted that the Levities were positioned to protect the holy things of God from the "stranger that
cometh nigh." (i.e. the unsaved, those "outside the covenants of promise" Eph.2:12, Num.1:51) In the Church
today, some of those that lead in the singing, the playing of the stringed, wind and percussion instruments
have "mingled" (Ezra.9:2) with this world instead of being a protection from this world. (1John.2:16, Jam.4:4)
This has resulted in "polluted" Christian music today.
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