Message Notes

Introduction

1. The census for Israel concerned all men above 20 years who could go to war
Numbers 1:1-4

2. But the Levites were not numbered nor were involved in the census Numbers 1:47-49

3. The LORD revealed further as to why the Levites were not numbered with the rest

4. This afternoon’s message is entitled “The Levites shall be mine”.

a) This title is taken from Numbers 3:12c, 45c

i) “Therefore the Levites shall be Mine”

ii) “The Levites shall be Mine: I am the LORD”

b) We want to understand…

i) Who were the Levites, and what was their ministry?

ii) What does it mean for the LORD to tell them that they are His?

Specially chosen

11 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying: 12 “Now behold, I Myself have taken the Levites from among the children of Israel instead of every firstborn who opens the womb among the children of Israel.”

Numbers 3:11-12

1. The LORD specially chose the Levites

a) From the tribe of Levi

b) All the sons that were one month old and above Numbers 3:15

2. Consecrated to minister Numbers 3:14-38

a) Sons of Gershon

b) Sons of Kohath

c) Sons of Merari

3. A total of 22,000 Levites Numbers 3:39

To do significant work

7 And they shall attend to his needs and the needs of the whole congregation before the tabernacle of meeting, to do the work of the tabernacle. 8 Also they shall attend to all the furnishings of the tabernacle of meeting, and to the needs of the children of Israel, to do the work of the tabernacle.

Numbers 3:7-8

1. To minister to the needs of the priestly family

a) Aaron and his sons were consecrated as anointed priests Numbers 3:1-4

b) The Levites were brought before Aaron to serve him Numbers 3:5-6

2. To minister to the needs of the whole congregation Numbers 3:7

a) The people of Israel had many needs

b) To attend to all the congregation

3. To do the work of the tabernacle and furnishing Numbers 3:7-8

This was already described earlier in Numbers 1:50-53

a) They will oversee the tabernacle of the testimony and its furnishings

b) Look after all the things associated

Not a small thing

1. The three areas of work were already a tremendous amount of work

2. The Levites were meant to focus on their work

3. In relation to the priestly ministry

So you shall appoint Aaron and his sons, and they shall attend to their priesthood; but the outsider who comes near shall be put to death.

Numbers 3:10

The special reason for the Levites to be chosen

1. The special reason is for the Levities to take the place of the firstborn males

40 Then the LORD said to Moses: “Number all the firstborn males of the children of Israel from a month old and above, and take the number of their names. 41 And you shall take the Levites for Me—I am the LORD—instead of all the firstborn among the children of Israel, and the livestock of the Levites instead of all the firstborn among the livestock of the children of Israel.”

Numbers 3:40-41

2. Remembering the sparing of the firstborn

11 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying: 12 “Now behold, I Myself have taken the Levites from among the children of Israel instead of every firstborn who opens the womb among the children of Israel. Therefore the Levites shall be Mine, 13 because all the firstborn are
Mine. On the day that I struck all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, I sanctified to Myself all the firstborn in Israel, both man and beast. They shall be Mine: I am the LORD.”

Numbers 3:11-13

a) To remember how all the firstborn of Israel in Egypt were spared from death
Exodus 11-13

b) Sanctified to the LORD

c) Belonged to the LORD

3. Redemptive idea

44 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying: 45 “Take the Levites instead of all the firstborn among the children of Israel, and the livestock of the Levites instead of their livestock. The Levites shall be Mine: I am the LORD. 46 And for the redemption of the two hundred and seventy-three of the firstborn of the children of Israel, who are more than the number of the Levites, 47 you shall take five shekels for each one individually; you shall take them in the currency of the shekel of the sanctuary, the shekel of twenty gerahs. 48 And you shall give the money, with which the excess number of them is redeemed, to Aaron and his sons.”
49 So Moses took the redemption money from those who were over and above those who were redeemed by the Levites.

Numbers 3:44-49

a) The redemption of the firstborn

b) The Levites belonged to the LORD

The Levites shall be Mine: I am the LORD.

Numbers 3:45

c) An additional 273 firstborns who were not replaced by the Levites

Lessons to be learned

1. Divine choice

2. A correct understanding of our ministry

3. Created for the LORD

But now, thus says the LORD, who created you, O Jacob, and He who formed you, O Israel:
“Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; You are Mine.”

Isaiah 43:1