315 lines
24 KiB
XML
315 lines
24 KiB
XML
<div2 id="Num.ix" n="ix" next="Num.x" prev="Num.viii" progress="67.10%" title="Chapter VIII">
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<h2 id="Num.ix-p0.1">N U M B E R S</h2>
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<h3 id="Num.ix-p0.2">CHAP. VIII.</h3>
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<p class="intro" id="Num.ix-p1">This chapter is concerning the lamps or lights of
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the sanctuary. I. The burning lamps in the candlestick, which the
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priests were charged to tend, <scripRef id="Num.ix-p1.1" osisRef="Bible:Num.8.1-Num.8.4" parsed="|Num|8|1|8|4" passage="Nu 8:1-4">ver.
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1-4</scripRef>. II. The living lamps (if I may so call them), The
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Levites, who as ministers were burning and shining lights. The
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ordination of the priests we had an account of, <scripRef id="Num.ix-p1.2" osisRef="Bible:Lev.8.1-Lev.8.36" parsed="|Lev|8|1|8|36" passage="Le 8:1-36">Lev. viii</scripRef>. Here we have an account of the
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ordination of the Levites, the inferior clergy. 1. How they were
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purified, <scripRef id="Num.ix-p1.3" osisRef="Bible:Num.8.5-Num.8.8" parsed="|Num|8|5|8|8" passage="Nu 8:5-8">ver. 5-8</scripRef>. 2. How
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they were parted with by the people, <scripRef id="Num.ix-p1.4" osisRef="Bible:Num.8.9-Num.8.10" parsed="|Num|8|9|8|10" passage="Nu 8:9-10">ver. 9, 10</scripRef>. 3. How they were presented to
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God in lieu of the firstborn, <scripRef id="Num.ix-p1.5" osisRef="Bible:Num.8.11-Num.8.18" parsed="|Num|8|11|8|18" passage="Nu 8:11-18">ver.
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11-18</scripRef>. 4. How they were consigned to Aaron and his sons,
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to be ministers to them, <scripRef id="Num.ix-p1.6" osisRef="Bible:Num.8.19" parsed="|Num|8|19|0|0" passage="Nu 8:19">ver.
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19</scripRef>. 5. How all these orders were duly executed,
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<scripRef id="Num.ix-p1.7" osisRef="Bible:Num.8.20-Num.8.22" parsed="|Num|8|20|8|22" passage="Nu 8:20-22">ver. 20-22</scripRef>. And, lastly,
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the age appointed for their ministration, <scripRef id="Num.ix-p1.8" osisRef="Bible:Num.8.23-Num.8.26" parsed="|Num|8|23|8|26" passage="Nu 8:23-26">ver. 23</scripRef>, &c.</p>
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<scripCom id="Num.ix-p1.9" osisRef="Bible:Num.8" parsed="|Num|8|0|0|0" passage="Nu 8" type="Commentary"/>
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<scripCom id="Num.ix-p1.10" osisRef="Bible:Num.8.1-Num.8.4" parsed="|Num|8|1|8|4" passage="Nu 8:1-4" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Num.8.1-Num.8.4">
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<h4 id="Num.ix-p1.11">The Lights of the Sanctuary. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Num.ix-p1.12">b. c.</span> 1490.)</h4>
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<p class="passage" id="Num.ix-p2">1 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.ix-p2.1">Lord</span>
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spake unto Moses, saying, 2 Speak unto Aaron, and say unto
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him, When thou lightest the lamps, the seven lamps shall give light
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over against the candlestick. 3 And Aaron did so; he lighted
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the lamps thereof over against the candlestick, as the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.ix-p2.2">Lord</span> commanded Moses. 4 And this work of
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the candlestick <i>was of</i> beaten gold, unto the shaft thereof,
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unto the flowers thereof, <i>was</i> beaten work: according unto
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the pattern which the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.ix-p2.3">Lord</span> had
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showed Moses, so he made the candlestick.</p>
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<p class="indent" id="Num.ix-p3">Directions were given long before this for
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the making of the golden candlestick (<scripRef id="Num.ix-p3.1" osisRef="Bible:Exod.25.31" parsed="|Exod|25|31|0|0" passage="Ex 25:31">Exod. xxv. 31</scripRef>), and it was made according to
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the pattern shown to Moses in the mount, <scripRef id="Num.ix-p3.2" osisRef="Bible:Exod.38.17" parsed="|Exod|38|17|0|0" passage="Ex 38:17">Exod. xxxviii. 17</scripRef>. But now it was that the
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lamps were first ordered to be lighted, when other things began to
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be used. Observe, 1. Who must light the lamps; Aaron himself, he
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<i>lighted the lamps,</i> <scripRef id="Num.ix-p3.3" osisRef="Bible:Num.8.3" parsed="|Num|8|3|0|0" passage="Nu 8:3"><i>v.</i>
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3</scripRef>. As the people's representative to God, he thus did
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the office of a servant in God's house, lighting his Master's
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candle; as the representative of God to the people, he thus gave
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them the intimations of God's will and favour, thus expressed
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(<scripRef id="Num.ix-p3.4" osisRef="Bible:Ps.18.28" parsed="|Ps|18|28|0|0" passage="Ps 18:28">Ps. xviii. 28</scripRef>), <i>Thou
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wilt light my candle;</i> and thus Aaron himself was now lately
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directed to bless the people, <i>The Lord make his face to shine
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upon thee,</i> <scripRef id="Num.ix-p3.5" osisRef="Bible:Num.6.25" parsed="|Num|6|25|0|0" passage="Nu 6:25"><i>ch.</i> vi.
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25</scripRef>. The commandment is a <i>lamp,</i> <scripRef id="Num.ix-p3.6" osisRef="Bible:Prov.6.23" parsed="|Prov|6|23|0|0" passage="Pr 6:23">Prov. vi. 23</scripRef>. The scripture is <i>a light
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shining in a dark place,</i> <scripRef id="Num.ix-p3.7" osisRef="Bible:2Pet.1.19" parsed="|2Pet|1|19|0|0" passage="2Pe 1:19">2 Pet. i.
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19</scripRef>. And a dark place indeed even the church would be
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without it, as the tabernacle (which had no window in it) without
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the lamps. Now the work of ministers is to light these lamps, by
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expounding and applying the word of God. The priest lighted the
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middle lamp from the fire of the altar, and the rest of the lamps
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he lighted one from another, which (says Mr. Ainsworth) signifies
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that the fountain of all light and knowledge is in Christ, who has
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the <i>seven spirits of God</i> figured by the <i>seven lamps of
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fire</i> (<scripRef id="Num.ix-p3.8" osisRef="Bible:Rev.4.5" parsed="|Rev|4|5|0|0" passage="Re 4:5">Rev. iv. 5</scripRef>), but
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that in the expounding of scripture one passage must borrow light
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from another. He also supposes that, <i>seven</i> being a number of
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perfection, by the seven branches of the candlestick is shown the
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full perfection of the scriptures, which are able to make us wise
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to salvation. 2. To what end the lamps were lighted, that they
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might give light <i>over against the candlestick,</i> that is, to
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that part of the tabernacle where the table stood, with the
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show-bread upon it, over against the candlestick. They were not
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lighted like tapers in an urn, to burn to themselves, but to give
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light to the other side of the tabernacle, for therefore candles
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are lighted, <scripRef id="Num.ix-p3.9" osisRef="Bible:Matt.5.15" parsed="|Matt|5|15|0|0" passage="Mt 5:15">Matt. v. 15</scripRef>.
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Note, The lights of the world, the lights of the church, must shine
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as lights. Therefore we have light, that we may give light.</p>
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</div><scripCom id="Num.ix-p3.10" osisRef="Bible:Num.8.5-Num.8.26" parsed="|Num|8|5|8|26" passage="Nu 8:5-26" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Num.8.5-Num.8.26">
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<h4 id="Num.ix-p3.11">The Consecration of the
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Levites. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Num.ix-p3.12">b. c.</span> 1490.)</h4>
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<p class="passage" id="Num.ix-p4">5 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.ix-p4.1">Lord</span>
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spake unto Moses, saying, 6 Take the Levites from among the
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children of Israel, and cleanse them. 7 And thus shalt thou
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do unto them, to cleanse them: Sprinkle water of purifying upon
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them, and let them shave all their flesh, and let them wash their
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clothes, and <i>so</i> make themselves clean. 8 Then let
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them take a young bullock with his meat offering, <i>even</i> fine
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flour mingled with oil, and another young bullock shalt thou take
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for a sin offering. 9 And thou shalt bring the Levites
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before the tabernacle of the congregation: and thou shalt gather
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the whole assembly of the children of Israel together: 10
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And thou shalt bring the Levites before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.ix-p4.2">Lord</span>: and the children of Israel shall put their
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hands upon the Levites: 11 And Aaron shall offer the Levites
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before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.ix-p4.3">Lord</span> <i>for</i> an
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offering of the children of Israel, that they may execute the
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service of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.ix-p4.4">Lord</span>. 12 And
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the Levites shall lay their hands upon the heads of the bullocks:
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and thou shalt offer the one <i>for</i> a sin offering, and the
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other <i>for</i> a burnt offering, unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.ix-p4.5">Lord</span>, to make an atonement for the Levites.
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13 And thou shalt set the Levites before Aaron, and before
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his sons, and offer them <i>for</i> an offering unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.ix-p4.6">Lord</span>. 14 Thus shalt thou separate
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the Levites from among the children of Israel: and the Levites
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shall be mine. 15 And after that shall the Levites go in to
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do the service of the tabernacle of the congregation: and thou
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shalt cleanse them, and offer them <i>for</i> an offering.
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16 For they <i>are</i> wholly given unto me from among the children
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of Israel; instead of such as open every womb, <i>even instead
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of</i> the firstborn of all the children of Israel, have I taken
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them unto me. 17 For all the firstborn of the children of
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Israel <i>are</i> mine, <i>both</i> man and beast: on the day that
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I smote every firstborn in the land of Egypt I sanctified them for
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myself. 18 And I have taken the Levites for all the
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firstborn of the children of Israel. 19 And I have given the
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Levites <i>as</i> a gift to Aaron and to his sons from among the
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children of Israel, to do the service of the children of Israel in
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the tabernacle of the congregation, and to make an atonement for
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the children of Israel: that there be no plague among the children
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of Israel, when the children of Israel come nigh unto the
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sanctuary. 20 And Moses, and Aaron, and all the congregation
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of the children of Israel, did to the Levites according unto all
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that the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.ix-p4.7">Lord</span> commanded Moses
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concerning the Levites, so did the children of Israel unto them.
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21 And the Levites were purified, and they washed their
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clothes; and Aaron offered them <i>as</i> an offering before the
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<span class="smallcaps" id="Num.ix-p4.8">Lord</span>; and Aaron made an atonement
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for them to cleanse them. 22 And after that went the Levites
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in to do their service in the tabernacle of the congregation before
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Aaron, and before his sons: as the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.ix-p4.9">Lord</span> had commanded Moses concerning the Levites,
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so did they unto them. 23 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.ix-p4.10">Lord</span> spake unto Moses, saying, 24 This
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<i>is it</i> that <i>belongeth</i> unto the Levites: from twenty
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and five years old and upward they shall go in to wait upon the
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service of the tabernacle of the congregation: 25 And from
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the age of fifty years they shall cease waiting upon the service
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<i>thereof,</i> and shall serve no more: 26 But shall
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minister with their brethren in the tabernacle of the congregation,
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to keep the charge, and shall do no service. Thus shalt thou do
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unto the Levites touching their charge.</p>
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<p class="indent" id="Num.ix-p5">We read before of the separating of the
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Levites from among the children of Israel when they were numbered,
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and the numbering of them by themselves (<scripRef id="Num.ix-p5.1" osisRef="Bible:Num.3.6 Bible:Num.3.15" parsed="|Num|3|6|0|0;|Num|3|15|0|0" passage="Nu 3:6,15"><i>ch.</i> iii. 6, 15</scripRef>), that they might be
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employed in the service of the tabernacle. Now here we have
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directions given for their solemn ordination (<scripRef id="Num.ix-p5.2" osisRef="Bible:Num.8.6" parsed="|Num|8|6|0|0" passage="Nu 8:6"><i>v.</i> 6</scripRef>), and the performance of it,
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<scripRef id="Num.ix-p5.3" osisRef="Bible:Num.8.20" parsed="|Num|8|20|0|0" passage="Nu 8:20"><i>v.</i> 20</scripRef>. All Israel
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must know that they took not this honour to themselves, but were
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called of God to it; nor was it enough that they were distinguished
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from their neighbours, but they must be solemnly devoted to God.
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Note, All that are employed for God must be dedicated to him,
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according as the degree of employment is. Christian musts be
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baptized, ministers must be ordained; we must first give ourselves
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unto the Lord, and then our services. Observe in what method this
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was done:</p>
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<p class="indent" id="Num.ix-p6">I. The Levites must be cleansed, and were
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so. The rites and ceremonies of their cleansing were to be
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performed, 1. By themselves. They must <i>wash their clothes,</i>
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and not only bathe, but <i>shave all their flesh,</i> as the leper
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was to do when he was cleansed, <scripRef id="Num.ix-p6.1" osisRef="Bible:Lev.14.8" parsed="|Lev|14|8|0|0" passage="Le 14:8">Lev.
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xiv. 8</scripRef>. They must <i>cause a razor to pass over all
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their flesh,</i> to clear themselves from that defilement which
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would not wash off. Jacob, whom God loved, was a smooth man; it was
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Esau that was hairy. The great pains they were to take with
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themselves to make themselves clean teaches all Christians, and
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ministers particularly, by repentance and mortification, to
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<i>cleanse themselves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit,</i>
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that they may <i>perfect holiness.</i> Those must be clean that
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bear the vessels of the Lord. 2. By Moses. He must <i>sprinkle the
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water of purifying upon them,</i> which was prepared by divine
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direction. This signified the application of the blood of Christ to
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our souls by faith, to purify us from an evil conscience, that we
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may be fit to serve the living God. It is our duty to cleanse
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ourselves, and God's promise that he will cleanse us.</p>
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<p class="indent" id="Num.ix-p7">II. The Levites, being thus prepared, must
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be brought before the Lord in a solemn assembly of all Israel, and
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the <i>children of Israel</i> must <i>put their hands upon them</i>
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(<scripRef id="Num.ix-p7.1" osisRef="Bible:Num.8.10" parsed="|Num|8|10|0|0" passage="Nu 8:10"><i>v.</i> 10</scripRef>), so
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transferring their interest in them and in their service (to which,
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as a part, the whole body of the people was entitled) to God and to
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his sanctuary. They presented them to God <i>as living sacrifices,
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holy and acceptable,</i> to perform a <i>reasonable service;</i>
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and therefore, as the offerers in all other cases did, <i>they laid
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their hands upon them,</i> desiring that their service might be
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accepted in lieu of the attendance of the whole congregation,
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particularly the first-born, which they acknowledge God might have
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insisted on. This will not serve to prove a power in the people to
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ordain ministers; for this imposition of hands by the children of
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Israel upon the Levites did not make them ministers of the
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sanctuary, but only signified the people's parting with that tribe
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out of their militia, and civil incorporations, in order to their
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being made ministers by Aaron, who was to offer them before the
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Lord. All the congregation of the children of Israel could not lay
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hands on them, but it is probable that the rulers and elders did it
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as the representative body of the people. Some think that the
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first-born did it because in their stead the Levites were
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consecrated to God. Whatever God calls for from us to serve his own
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glory by, we must cheerfully resign it, lay our hands upon it, not
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to detain it but to surrender it, and let it go to him that is
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entitled to it.</p>
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<p class="indent" id="Num.ix-p8">III. Sacrifices were to be offered for
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them, a sin-offering first (<scripRef id="Num.ix-p8.1" osisRef="Bible:Num.8.12" parsed="|Num|8|12|0|0" passage="Nu 8:12"><i>v.</i>
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12</scripRef>), and then a burnt-offering, to make an <i>atonement
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for the Levites,</i> who, as the parties concerned, were to lay
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their hands upon the head of the sacrifices. See here, 1. That we
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are all utterly unworthy and unfit to be admitted into and employed
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in the service of God, till atonement be made for sin, and thereby
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our peace made with God. That interposing cloud must be scattered
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before there can be any comfortable communion settled between God
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and our souls. 2. That it is by sacrifice, by Christ the great
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sacrifice, that we are reconciled to God, and made fit to be
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offered to him. It is by him that Christians are sanctified to the
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work of their Christianity, and ministers to the work of their
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ministry. The learned bishop Patrick's notion of the sacrifice
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offered by the Levites is that the Levites were themselves
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considered as an expiatory sacrifice, for they were given to
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<i>make atonement for the children of Israel,</i> (<scripRef id="Num.ix-p8.2" osisRef="Bible:Num.8.19" parsed="|Num|8|19|0|0" passage="Nu 8:19"><i>v.</i> 19</scripRef>), and yet not being
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devoted to death, any more than the first-born were, these two
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sacrifices were substituted in their stead, upon which therefore
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they were to lay their hands, that the sin which the children of
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Israel laid upon them (<scripRef id="Num.ix-p8.3" osisRef="Bible:Num.8.10" parsed="|Num|8|10|0|0" passage="Nu 8:10"><i>v.</i>
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10</scripRef>) might be transferred to these beasts.</p>
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<p class="indent" id="Num.ix-p9">IV. The Levites themselves were <i>offered
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before the Lord</i> for an <i>offering of the children of
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Israel,</i> <scripRef id="Num.ix-p9.1" osisRef="Bible:Num.8.11" parsed="|Num|8|11|0|0" passage="Nu 8:11"><i>v.</i> 11</scripRef>.
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Aaron gave them up to God, as being first given up by themselves,
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and by the children of Israel. The original word signifies a
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<i>wave-offering,</i> not that they were actually waved, but they
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were presented to God as the God of heaven, and the Lord of the
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whole earth, as the wave-offerings were. And in calling them
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wave-offerings it was intimated to them that they must continually
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lift up themselves towards God in his service, lift up their eyes,
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lift up their hearts, and must move to and fro with readiness in
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the business of their profession. They were not ordained to be
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idle, but to be active and stirring.</p>
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<p class="indent" id="Num.ix-p10">V. God here declares his acceptance of
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them: <i>The Levites shall be mine,</i> <scripRef id="Num.ix-p10.1" osisRef="Bible:Num.8.14" parsed="|Num|8|14|0|0" passage="Nu 8:14"><i>v.</i> 14</scripRef>. God took them instead of the
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first-born (<scripRef id="Num.ix-p10.2" osisRef="Bible:Num.8.16-Num.8.18" parsed="|Num|8|16|8|18" passage="Nu 8:16-18"><i>v.</i>
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16-18</scripRef>), of which before, <scripRef id="Num.ix-p10.3" osisRef="Bible:Num.3.4" parsed="|Num|3|4|0|0" passage="Nu 3:4"><i>ch.</i> iii. 41</scripRef>. Note, What is in sincerity
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offered to God shall be graciously owned and accepted by him. And
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his ministers who have obtained mercy of him to be faithful have
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particular marks of favour and honour put upon them: <i>they shall
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be mine,</i> and then (<scripRef id="Num.ix-p10.4" osisRef="Bible:Num.8.15" parsed="|Num|8|15|0|0" passage="Nu 8:15"><i>v.</i>
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15</scripRef>) they shall <i>go in to do the service of the
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tabernacle.</i> God takes them for his own, that they may serve
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him. All that expect to share in the privileges of the tabernacle
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must resolve to do the service of the tabernacle. As, on the one
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hand, none of God's creatures are his necessary servants (he needs
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not the service of any of them), so, on the other hand, none are
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taken merely as honorary servants, to do nothing. All whom God owns
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he employs; angels themselves have their services.</p>
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<p class="indent" id="Num.ix-p11">VI. They are then given as a gift to Aaron
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and his sons (<scripRef id="Num.ix-p11.1" osisRef="Bible:Num.8.19" parsed="|Num|8|19|0|0" passage="Nu 8:19"><i>v.</i> 19</scripRef>),
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yet so as that the benefit accrued to the children of Israel. 1.
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The Levites must act under the priests as attendants on them, and
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assistants to them, in the service of the sanctuary. Aaron offers
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them to God (<scripRef id="Num.ix-p11.2" osisRef="Bible:Num.8.11" parsed="|Num|8|11|0|0" passage="Nu 8:11"><i>v.</i> 11</scripRef>),
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and then God gives them back to Aaron, <scripRef id="Num.ix-p11.3" osisRef="Bible:Num.8.19" parsed="|Num|8|19|0|0" passage="Nu 8:19"><i>v.</i> 19</scripRef>. Note, Whatever we give up to
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God, he will give back to us unspeakably to our advantage. Our
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||
hearts, our children, our estates, are never more ours, more truly,
|
||
more comfortably ours, than when we have offered them up to God. 2.
|
||
They must act for the people. They were taken to <i>do the service
|
||
of the children of Israel,</i> that is, not only to do the service
|
||
which they should do, but to serve their interests, and do that
|
||
which would really redound to the honour, safety, and prosperity of
|
||
the whole nation. Note, Those that faithfully perform the service
|
||
of God do one of the best services that can be done to the public;
|
||
God's ministers, while they keep within the sphere of their office
|
||
and conscientiously discharge the duty of it, must be looked upon
|
||
as some of the most useful servants of their country. The children
|
||
of Israel can as ill spare the tribe of Levi as any of their
|
||
tribes. But what is the service they do the children of Israel? It
|
||
follows, it is to <i>make an atonement for them, that there be no
|
||
plague among them.</i> It was the priests' work to make atonement
|
||
by sacrifice, but the Levites made atonement by attendance, and
|
||
preserved the peace with heaven which was made by sacrifice. If the
|
||
service of the priests in the tabernacle had been left to all the
|
||
first-born of Israel promiscuously, it would have been either
|
||
neglected or done unskillfully and irreverently, being done by
|
||
those that were not so closely tied to it, nor so diligently
|
||
trained to it, nor so constantly used to it, as the Levites were;
|
||
and this would bring <i>a plague among the children of
|
||
Israel</i>—meaning, perhaps, the death of the first-born
|
||
themselves, which was the last and greatest of the plagues of
|
||
Egypt. To prevent this, and to preserve the atonement, the Levites
|
||
were appointed to do this service, who should be bred up to it
|
||
under their parents from their infancy, and therefore would be well
|
||
versed in it; and so the children of Israel, that is, the
|
||
first-born, should not need to come nigh to the sanctuary; or, when
|
||
any Israelites had occasion, the Levites would be ready to instruct
|
||
them, and introduce them, and so prevent any fatal miscarriage or
|
||
mistake. Note, It is a very great kindness to the church that
|
||
ministers are appointed to go before the people in the things of
|
||
God, as guides, overseers, and rulers, in religious worship, and to
|
||
make that their business. When Christ ascended on high, he <i>gave
|
||
these gifts,</i> <scripRef id="Num.ix-p11.4" osisRef="Bible:Eph.4.8 Bible:Eph.4.11 Bible:Eph.4.12" parsed="|Eph|4|8|0|0;|Eph|4|11|0|0;|Eph|4|12|0|0" passage="Eph 4:8,11,12">Eph. iv. 8, 11,
|
||
12</scripRef>.</p>
|
||
<p class="indent" id="Num.ix-p12">VII. The time of their ministration is
|
||
fixed. 1. They were to enter upon the service at twenty-five years
|
||
old, <scripRef id="Num.ix-p12.1" osisRef="Bible:Num.8.24" parsed="|Num|8|24|0|0" passage="Nu 8:24"><i>v.</i> 24</scripRef>. They were
|
||
not charged with the carrying of the tabernacle and the utensils of
|
||
it till they were thirty years old, <scripRef id="Num.ix-p12.2" osisRef="Bible:Num.4.3" parsed="|Num|4|3|0|0" passage="Nu 4:3"><i>ch.</i> iv. 3</scripRef>. But they were entered to be
|
||
otherwise serviceable at twenty-five years old, a very good age for
|
||
ministers to begin their public work at. The work then required
|
||
that strength of body and the work now requires that maturity of
|
||
judgment and steadiness of behaviour which men rarely arrive at
|
||
till about that age; and novices are in danger of being lifted up
|
||
with pride. 2. They were to have a writ of ease at fifty years old;
|
||
then they were to return from the warfare, as the phrase is
|
||
(<scripRef id="Num.ix-p12.3" osisRef="Bible:Num.8.25" parsed="|Num|8|25|0|0" passage="Nu 8:25"><i>v.</i> 25</scripRef>), not
|
||
cashiered with disgrace, but preferred rather to the rest which
|
||
their age required, to be loaded with the honours of their office,
|
||
as hitherto they had been with the burdens of it. They shall
|
||
<i>minister with their brethren in the tabernacle,</i> to direct
|
||
the junior Levites, and set them in; and they shall <i>keep the
|
||
charge,</i> as guards upon the avenues of the tabernacle, to see
|
||
that no stranger intruded, nor any person in his uncleanness, but
|
||
they shall not be put upon any service which may be a fatigue to
|
||
them. If God's grace provide that men shall have ability according
|
||
to their work, man's prudence should take care that men have work
|
||
only according to their ability. The aged are most fit for trusts,
|
||
and to keep the charge; the younger are most fit for work, and to
|
||
do the service. Those that have <i>used the office of a servant
|
||
well purchase to themselves a good degree,</i> <scripRef id="Num.ix-p12.4" osisRef="Bible:1Tim.3.13" parsed="|1Tim|3|13|0|0" passage="1Ti 3:13">1 Tim. iii. 13</scripRef>. Yet indeed gifts are not tied
|
||
to ages (<scripRef id="Num.ix-p12.5" osisRef="Bible:Job.32.9" parsed="|Job|32|9|0|0" passage="Job 32:9">Job xxxii. 9</scripRef>), but
|
||
<i>all these worketh that one and the self-same Spirit.</i> Thus
|
||
was the affair of the Levites settled.</p>
|
||
</div></div2> |