Page 367 - Way of Life Encyclopedia of the Bible Christianity. Based on the King James Bible

LEVITES

that the ubiquitous tales of fire-breathing dragons in These other Levites could do other aspects of the
ancient times, coming as they do from all parts of the ministry under the oversight of the high priest and his
world, could have come into existence without a strong sons. They took down, transported, and set up the
factual basis. Furthermore, the Bible often mentions tabernacle (Nu. 3). In this capacity they doubtless did
dragons just as it mentions unicorns—always in such a everything associated with the maintenance of the
way as to show that the writers believed they were real tabernacle and the physical labor of filling the laver,
animals. ... That it [the leviathan] is not a mythical keeping wood supplied for the brazen altar, etc. Their
creature is clearly asserted in the great psalm of God’s work was not limited to physical labor, though. They
providence. When the psalmist speaks of ‘that great and judged the people and taught the people (De. 17:9;
wide sea’ in which there are ‘things creeping 19:17; 21:5; 29:9; 2 Ch. 17:7-9; 35:3; Mal. 2:7). They
innumerable,’ he also notes that ‘there is that leviathan, were the guardians of Scripture (De. 17:18; 31:9). A
whom thou hast made to play therein’ (Ps. 104:25-26). book of the law was kept by the Levites in the holy of
The description in Job also notes that ‘he maketh the holies by the ark of the covenant (De. 31:24-26). In
deep to boil like a pot’ (Job 41:31). The leviathan was a their capacity in performing the law of leprosy they
real animal, presumably the largest and fiercest of all evaluated property (Lev. 27:12, 14; De. 24:8).
the aquatic dinosaurs” (Morris, The Remarkable Record The distinction is made in Scripture between the
of Job, pp. 118, 119). The leviathan is also used as a priests the sons of Aaron (Lev. 1:5) and the priests the
symbolic reference to Satan (Is. 27:1), that old dragon sons of Levi (De. 21:5). The latter refers to the sons of
(Re. 12:9), referring to the devil’s mysterious, Gerson, Kohath, and Merari and perhaps at times to the
formidable, and destructive nature. [See Behemoth, sons of Aaron as well.
Dragon, Satan.] The Levite began his ministry of service in the
LEVITES. The Levites were appointed by God to be tabernacle at age 25 (Nu. 8:24). But he didn’t begin the
the priestly tribe (Nu. 1:50; 3:5-9). They were dedicated heavy work of transporting the tabernacle until age 30
to the Lord in the place of Israel’s firstborn sons (Nu. (Nu. 4:3-5). At age 50 he ceased the heavy work but he
8:13-17). As Creator, God owns all men (Eze. 18:4). continued to serve in other capacities (Nu. 8:25-26).
And He owns the believer in a double sense--both by This was a very wise plan, as all of God’s plans are! We
right of Creator and by right of Redeemer (1 Co. are reminded that church leaders should not be novices
6:19-20). (1 Ti. 3:6). We are also reminded that when a man gets
The Levites are descendants of Jacob’s son Levi (Ge. older he loses some of his abilities, and it is wise for
29:34). Moses and Aaron were Levites (Ex. 6:18-20). older men to work with younger men in the ministry,
Aaron was appointed the first high priest (Ex. 28:1), both the older and the younger contributing their
and this office passed to the eldest son at death (Nu. relative strengths. Multiple men working together in
20:25-28). leading churches is what we see in Scripture (e.g., Acts
Only the high priest could light the lampstand (Nu. 13:1-2). I have seen many cases in which an elderly
8:2-3), burn incense on the golden altar (Ex. 30:7-8), preacher has harmed a church by keeping full control of
and enter the holy of holies on the day of atonement the leadership even after he ceased to have the strength,
(Lev. 16). The shewbread was to be maintained by the health, and vision to be effective. “They were to have a
sons of Aaron under Aaron’s direction (Lev. 24:5-9). writ of ease at fifty years old; then they were to return
Aaron’s sons made the sacrifices (Lev. 1:11; 2:2; 3:2) from the warfare, as the phrase is (Nu. 8:25), not
and blew the silver trumpets (Nu. 10:8). Aaron and his cashiered with disgrace, but preferred rather to the rest
sons were teachers of the law (Lev. 10:11; Ezra 7:10). which their age required, to be loaded with the honours
The high priest and his sons oversaw the work of the of their office, as hitherto they had been with the
burdens of it. They shall minister with their brethren in
other Levites (Nu. 8:1-4). the tabernacle, to direct the junior Levites, and set them
Levi had three sons: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari in; and they shall keep the charge, as guards upon the
(Ex. 6:16). These became the heads of the three avenues of the tabernacle, to see that no stranger
divisions of the Levites who were under the oversight of intruded, nor any person in his uncleanness, but they
Aaron and his sons (Nu. 4:22-23, 29-30, 34-35). When shall not be put upon any service which may be a
Israel traveled in the wilderness, the Gershonites carried fatigue to them” (Matthew Henry).
the tent hangings and curtains (Nu. 4:24-26), the The Levites received the tithes of Israel (Nu. 18:21,
Kohathites carried the vessels of the tabernacle such as 24, 26; Ne. 10:37; 12:44). Israel was instructed not to
the candlestick and table of shewbread (Nu. 3:29-31; forget the Levites (De. 12:19; 14:27; 26:11).
4:15), and the Merarites carried the boards, bars,
pillars, and sockets (Nu. 4:31-32).

Way of Life Encyclopedia of the Bible & Christianity 367