OVERVIEW:
Consecration of the Levites; observance of the second passover; the Lord’s guiding presence in the cloud and fire; the two silver trumpets; the children of Israel leave Sinai.
HIGHLIGHTS & INSIGHTS:
As we move into Numbers 8, God unfolds for us the consecration of the Levites. God reveals that before these priests were to render their service to God, they were first to be cleansed. (8:7)
There were three different aspects of the cleansing of the Old Testament priests that were certainly binding upon them:
These three aspects of their PHYSICAL cleansing, however, serve to picture our SPIRITUAL cleansing as New Testament priests, which as we have previously seen, is inclusive of every born-again believer in Christ. (1st Peter 2:9; Revelation 1:6) Before offering God our deeds of service, just like the Levites of Numbers 8, we too, are to be cleansed. In perfect fulfillment of the type, the New Testament teaches that our cleansing is likewise:
Just as the Levites’ acceptance with God was based on the SIN offering and the BURNT offering (8:8–12), so our acceptance with God is based solely on the atoning offering for sin provided by our Lord Jesus Christ. (Ephesians 1:6)
Just as the Levites were to be presented before the Lord and completely surrendered to Him (8:13–16), we too, are commanded to “present our bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God…” (Romans 12:1)
In Numbers 9, God deals with the issue of FELLOWSHIP and GUIDANCE. In 9:1–14, God details the celebration of the first anniversary of the passover, which speaks of FELLOWSHIP. In 9:15–23, God explains the pillar of cloud and of fire, both of which speak of His GUIDANCE. The passover, of course, relates to the New Testament believer in the Lord’s Supper, where we, like Israel, are put in remembrance of God’s work of redemption, and thus, FELLOWSHIP through the blood of the Passover Lamb. (1st Corinthians 5:7) The pillar of cloud and of fire which provided GUIDANCE to the Old Testament saints, is representative of the indwelling Spirit in the New Testament believer in Christ. Just as the children of Israel were to be totally surrendered and dependent upon God’s GUIDANCE for their every move, making absolutely no plans of their own accord, so we are to be completely surrendered to the supernatural GUIDANCE of the Spirit of God in us as He directs us through the pages of His word.
In chapter 10, Moses is told to make two trumpets. These trumpets, like the pillar of cloud and fire, were also for GUIDANCE. Whereas the cloud and fire gave guidance for the EYES, the trumpets provided guidance through the EARS. The trumpets were used for four specific purposes:
- To be a summonsing call to ASSEMBLE the people.
- To be a signal to ADVANCE the people.
- To be a sounding blast at a time of war to ALARM the people.
- To be a melodious song to provide the people with a continued AWARENESS (memorial) of the sacrifices of God.
The sounding of these trumpets point prophetically to:
- The summonsing call to ASSEMBLE the church of Jesus Christ at the rapture. (1st Thessalonians 4:16)
- The signal of ADVANCE, as our corruptible, mortal bodies put on incorruption and immortality. (1st Corinthians 15:52)
- The sounding ALARM in Zion (Joel 2:1) as God declares war in the Tribulation Period. (Revelation 8–9)
- The melodious song that will be ever-sounding in our ears throughout eternity as a memorial of God’s glorious sacrifice on our behalf through His Son!
CHRIST IS REVEALED:
In the PASSOVER – Numbers 9:2 (1st Corinthians 5:7; John 1:29)