Drash
Numbers 8:9-11

Blaine Robison, M.A.

Delivered 10 June 2023

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Dedicated to God's Service

"9 So you shall bring the Levites before the tent of meeting. And you shall gather the whole congregation of the sons of Israel, 10 and you shall bring the Levites before ADONAI; and the sons of Israel shall lay their hands on the Levites. 11 And Aaron shall present the Levites as a wave offering before ADONAI from the sons of Israel, that they may perform the service of ADONAI." (Num 8:9-11 BR)

The setting for today's passage occurred in the second month of the second year at Mt. Sinai after the dedication of the mishkan [Num 1:1]. This drama depicts three groups of men: the priests and Levites from the tribe of Levi and the sons of Israel from the other eleven tribes. In this narrative the Levites are distinguished from the priests by being designated as servants of the sanctuary.

The Levites had the physical duty of maintaining the mishkan and all its component parts and furnishings, but especially disassembling the mishkan for transport when the nation moved and then assembling and erecting the mishkan in the new location. The Levites also collected the tithes from the people and provided security for the tabernacle. Forty years later in Moab Moses gave Levites the responsibility of teaching God's commandments, ordinances and statutes to the men of Israel so they could teach their children. Centuries later King David set apart Levites to prophesy through music, singing and playing instruments for worship.

On this occasion there were 8,580 Levites to be consecrated [Num 4:46]. God directed Moses to have the Levites stand near the entrance of the mishkan so they would be "before ADONAI" who was resident in the Holy of Holies. This act was a not so subtle reminder of their accountability to God. Next, Moses was to instruct the male members of the other tribes to position themselves where they could lay hands on the Levites. The narrative passes over the details of how this personal contact was organized. The Levites accepted this ritual as a significant milestone. The ritual for the Levites was different than it was for Aaron and his sons who were ordained to the priestly office by having anointing oil poured over them.

The idiomatic expression of "laying on of hands" first occurs in Genesis in the context of Jacob blessing the sons of Joseph, but here for the first time the expression occurs as an act of consecrating someone to a position of responsibility. This ritual may have been followed for appointing the seventy elders to their office by Moses, but its next recorded use was when Moses transferred his authority to Joshua.

The ritual of the laying on of hands marked the beginning of new ministry, giving public recognition to the fitness of the ones being dedicated and asking for God's blessing on their labors. The laying on of hands was a visible sign of God's call to service. In addition, the physical contact between the sons of Israel and the Levites was tantamount to a commitment to support the Levites and provide for their needs.

Verse 11 introduces a special element in the ritual. Aaron was to present the Levites to God as a wave offering. Again, the practical details of this act are not described but the Hebrew word for wave offering was a technical term that referred to the priest's share of a sacrifice. So from this point on the Levites were to perform their duties under the supervision of the priests. From a spiritual point of view being designated a wave offering was equivalent to being a living sacrifice.

Now someone might say that's interesting history, but what does it have to do with me? Just this. The prescribed work of the priests and Levites is the model for ministry in the Body of Messiah. The instruction for the Levites was not intended to be one in which serving God is only done by a small group. In reality every member of the nation had a job to do that would support the ministry at the sanctuary.

Sha'ul or Paul said that what was written by Moses was written for our instruction [Rom 15:4]. Therefore the Torah model of ministry applies in the Messianic congregation. We find in Luke's record of the early Messianic movement that many men were appointed to various ministries by laying on of hands. This ritual is still practiced throughout the Body of Messiah.

Sha'ul even applied the concept of "wave offering" when he exhorted the congregation in Rome: "I exhort you … by the mercy of God, to present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, well-pleasing to God, which is your reasonable service." A sacrifice represents total commitment and to be a living sacrifice means a life of service to God.

Sha'ul explains in Romans 12 and First Corinthians 12 that in order for us to perform the reasonable service pleasing to God the Holy Spirit distributes spiritual gifts to all the members of the Body of Messiah so that we are empowered to help build and benefit the congregation. In other words, if you affirm that you are a follower of Yeshua and you have received the Spirit then God has laid His hands on you for service. The gifts of the Spirit are work assignments. May we each be faithful to our divine calling.

Barukh Hashem.

Copyright © 2023 by Blaine Robison. All rights reserved.