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Bible Commentaries
Numbers 8

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Verses 1-26

LAMPS & LEVITES! (Ch.8)
1. LAMPS! (1-4)
2. Why is this repeated here? Maybe because they’re preparing to leave Sinai & move toward the Promise Land. Thus to shine as lights in the world, i.e. as they traveled.
3. LEVITES! (5-26)
4. Lay hands on & offer them like a wave offering - (wave offering/special presentation to God)
  1. Counterpart in NT Acts 13:3 Then, having fasted and prayed, and laid hands on them, they sent them away.
5. Levites = set apart for the subordinate offices of the sanctuary service, as assistants to the priests.
  1. Not everybody is called to be a priest or a leader.
  2. Some are called to be helpers, such as the Levites.
    1. Like the gift of helps mentioned in 1 Cor.12:28.
      1. It is very important & should never be despised.
  3. The soldier’s first article of faith is summed up nowhere more eloquently than in an 1865 letter from William Sherman to U. S. Grant: “I knew wherever I was that you thought of me, & if I got in a tight place you would come...if alive”
6. (7) These 2 steps sprinkling and shaving(actually trimming) represent outward purification.
7. Levites were 1st of all given to the Lord as Substitutes for all the 1st born in Israel. 5-18
  1. They represented all the other tribes.
  2. Don’t forget those who represent you as they serve the Lord in different places
    1. Your pastors, worship leaders, church staff;
    2. Missionaries (the Go’ers) that represent you (the Send’ers) abroad.
    3. Heb.13:17 Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you.
8. The Levites were 2nd of all given to the Lord as Servants. vs.19
9. (19) God considered the Levites as a gift to Aaron.
  1. We should be thankful for those God gives to help us in our work.
10. The Levites were 3rd presented to the Lord as Living/Sacrifices. vs.20-22
11. (20-26) They could continue to serve up to the age of 50 when they would retire but could return as assistants to the younger men (25-26).
  1. These limitations insured that the Levites would serve the Lord in the prime years of their lives.
  2. Brain is not fully developed till age 25. [Making a Good Brain Great; Daniel Amen]
  3. Still serving in the “golden years” ex: Zacharias in Luke 1:7,9 they were both well advanced in years. So it was, that while he was serving as priest before God in the order of his division, according to the custom of the priesthood, his lot fell to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord. And the whole multitude of the people was praying outside at the hour of incense.
  4. We can intercede as long as we live.
12. So there is retirement from work, just not from ministering to others!
  1. So 50 year olds(and up!). God’s not done with you yet. His church needs you!

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Verses 1-26

LAMPS & LEVITES! (Ch.8)
1. LAMPS! (1-4)
2. Why is this repeated here? Maybe because they’re preparing to leave Sinai & move toward the Promise Land. Thus to shine as lights in the world, i.e. as they traveled.
3. LEVITES! (5-26)
4. Lay hands on & offer them like a wave offering - (wave offering/special presentation to God)
  1. Counterpart in NT Acts 13:3 Then, having fasted and prayed, and laid hands on them, they sent them away.
5. Levites = set apart for the subordinate offices of the sanctuary service, as assistants to the priests.
  1. Not everybody is called to be a priest or a leader.
  2. Some are called to be helpers, such as the Levites.
    1. Like the gift of helps mentioned in 1 Cor.12:28.
      1. It is very important & should never be despised.
  3. The soldier’s first article of faith is summed up nowhere more eloquently than in an 1865 letter from William Sherman to U. S. Grant: “I knew wherever I was that you thought of me, & if I got in a tight place you would come...if alive”
6. (7) These 2 steps sprinkling and shaving(actually trimming) represent outward purification.
7. Levites were 1st of all given to the Lord as Substitutes for all the 1st born in Israel. 5-18
  1. They represented all the other tribes.
  2. Don’t forget those who represent you as they serve the Lord in different places
    1. Your pastors, worship leaders, church staff;
    2. Missionaries (the Go’ers) that represent you (the Send’ers) abroad.
    3. Heb.13:17 Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you.
8. The Levites were 2nd of all given to the Lord as Servants. vs.19
9. (19) God considered the Levites as a gift to Aaron.
  1. We should be thankful for those God gives to help us in our work.
10. The Levites were 3rd presented to the Lord as Living/Sacrifices. vs.20-22
11. (20-26) They could continue to serve up to the age of 50 when they would retire but could return as assistants to the younger men (25-26).
  1. These limitations insured that the Levites would serve the Lord in the prime years of their lives.
  2. Brain is not fully developed till age 25. [Making a Good Brain Great; Daniel Amen]
  3. Still serving in the “golden years” ex: Zacharias in Luke 1:7,9 they were both well advanced in years. So it was, that while he was serving as priest before God in the order of his division, according to the custom of the priesthood, his lot fell to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord. And the whole multitude of the people was praying outside at the hour of incense.
  4. We can intercede as long as we live.
12. So there is retirement from work, just not from ministering to others!
  1. So 50 year olds(and up!). God’s not done with you yet. His church needs you!

return to 'Top of Page'

NumbersNum 7 NumbersNum NumbersNum 9

Copyright Statement
These files are the property of Brian Bell.
Text Courtesy of Calvary Chapel of Murrieta. Used by Permission.

Bibliographical Information
Bell, Brian. "Commentary on Numbers 8". "Bell's Commentary". https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/eng/cbb/numbers-8.html. 2017.

Bible CommentariesNumbers 8

Bell's Commentary on the BibleBell's Commentary

Verses 1-26

Verses 1-26

Bible Commentaries
Numbers 8