Números 4
Warren Wiersbe · Citado em PreceptAustin
Números 4
Wiersbe - The sacred furniture of the tabernacle had to be borne on the shoulders of the sanctified servants of God. When David had the ark brought into Jerusalem, he didn’t obey this rule, and it led to the death of Uzzah (2 Sam. 6). The Kohathites were burden-bearers, but their burdens were precious, very important to the people, and appointed by the Lord. Certainly they considered it a privilege to carry the sacred furnishings of the sanctuary on their shoulders through the wilderness. See below on tent of meeting. Carry (KJV = burden) (04853)(massa' from nasa' = to lift, bear, carry) is a masculine noun meaning a burden or load; by extension, a burden in the form of a prophetic utterance or oracle.When used to express a burden or load, it is commonly used to describe that which is placed on the backs of pack animals, like donkeys (Ex. 23:5); mules (2 Ki. 5:17); or camels (2 Ki. 8:9). Another common usage is in designating what parts of the Tabernacle the sons of Kohath, Gershon, and Merari were to carry (Num. 4:15, 19, 24, 27, 31, 32, 47, 49). Massa' is a key word in Numbers 4 (10/33 OT uses!) - Nu 4:15; Nu 4:19; Nu 4:24; Nu 4:27; Nu 4:31; Nu 4:32; Nu 4:47; Nu 4:49; Nu 11:11; Nu 11:17 NET Note - The word מַשָּׂא (massa’) is normally rendered “burden,” especially in prophetic literature. It indicates the load that one must carry, whether an oracle, or here the physical responsibility. THOUGHT - There are 3 key words in Numbers 4 - work (Nu 4:3; Nu 4:4; Nu 4:19; Nu 4:23; Nu 4:27; Nu 4:30; Nu 4:35; Nu 4:39; Nu 4:43; Nu. 4:47), service (Nu 4:3; Nu 4:12; Nu 4:23; Nu 4:24; Nu 4:26; Nu 4:27; Nu 4:28; Nu 4:30; Nu 4:31; Nu 4:32; Nu 4:33; Nu 4:35; Nu 4:39; Nu 4:43; Nu 4:47) and carry (KJV - burden). All aspects are important and all require exertion of energy but we do so in the spirit of Mt 11:28-30+ "Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. 29“Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS. 30 “For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” And remember this was what they were to do for 40 years in the wilderness (not in an air conditioned building)! So we need to remember Paul's exhortation in Galatians 6:9-10 "Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary. So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith." Related Resource: Why did God strike Uzzah dead for touching the Ark of the Covenant? | GotQuestions.org Numbers 4:16 "The responsibility of Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest is the oil for the light and the fragrant incense and the continual grain offering and the anointing oil--the responsibility of all the tabernacle and of all that is in it, with the sanctuary and its furnishings." the oil: Ex 25:6 27:20,21 Lev 24:2 incense Ex 30:34-38 37:29 continual: Ex 29:39-41 the anointing: Ex 30:23-33 responsibility: Lu 4:18 Ac 20:28 1Co 4:1 1Ti 2:5 Heb 3:1,6 1Pe 2:25 5:2 The Eleazar Priesthood - E A Stuart Numbers 4 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Related Passage: Exodus 30:23-25+ “Take also for yourself the finest of spices: of flowing myrrh five hundred shekels, and of fragrant cinnamon half as much, two hundred and fifty, and of fragrant cane two hundred and fifty, 24and of cassia five hundred, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, and of olive oil a hin. 25“You shall make of these a holy anointing oil, a perfume mixture, the work of a perfumer; it shall be a holy anointing oil. ELEAZAR THE SUPERVISOR OF THE ENTIRE TABERNACLE The responsibility of Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest is the oil for the light (cf Ex 27:20-21+) and the fragrant incense (cf Ex 30:34-38+) and the continual grain offering (cf Ex 29:38-46+) and the anointing oil--the responsibility of all the tabernacle and of all that is in it, with the sanctuary and its furnishings Currid - It has been argued that perhaps this directive means that Eleazar is to care for and carry these objects himself. But this does not seem to be the sense of the passage; rather he is in sole charge of seeing that these items are packed and properly carried by the Kohathites. In addition, Eleazar is to oversee all the work of the tabernacle. He is in charge of the entire Levitical workforce, which includes the Kohathites, Gershonites and Merarites NET Note agrees - One would assume that he would prepare and wrap these items, but that the Kohathites would carry them to the next place. Numbers 4:17 Then the LORD spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying, Numbers 4 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Then the LORD spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying Numbers 4:18 "Do not let the tribe of the families of the Kohathites be cut off from among the Levites. Nu 16:32 17:10 18:5 Ex 19:21 Lev 10:1,2 1Sa 6:19 2Sa 6:6,7 Jer 38:23 The Lord is to be Served with Fear W. Binnie Numbers 4 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Do not let the tribe of the families of the Kohathites be cut off from among the Levites - How would they be cut off. By touching or even seeing the holy things as explained in next verses. Remember that Kohath was the father of the Kohathites, Gershon the father of the Gershonites, and Merari the father of the Merarites. Kohath, Gershon, and Merari were the three sons of Levi and grandsons of Jacob (Genesis 46:11). Moses, Aaron, and Miriam were Kohathites (1 Chronicles 6:2–3, Nu 26:58, 59). What's the point? All Kohathites, except the descendants of Aaron, were forbidden direct access to the holy things. NET Note adds "It was a difficult task to be handling the holy things correctly; Moses and Aaron were to see to it that they did it right and did not handle the objects, that is, Moses and Aaron were to safeguard their lives by making certain that proper procedures were followed. Numbers 4:19 "But do this to them that they may live and not die when they approach the most holy objects: Aaron and his sons shall go in and assign each of them to his work and to his load; most holy: Nu 4:4 The Perils of Distinguished Service - E.S. Prout Numbers 4 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries But do this to them that they may live and not die when they approach the most holy objects: Aaron and his sons shall go in and assign each of them to his work and to his load - Gilbrant writes that "The implication of this passage is that the priests must protect the Kohathites from the danger of profanation of the holy things by closely supervising their work, lest the Kohathites be killed. The danger was real, as Korah was to discover when he challenged Moses’ authority (Num. 16:1-40)." The assignments were given to the Levites by Aaron and Moses but only as mediators of God's Word (Nu 4:19, 37, 41, 45, 49). The Levites were not allowed to do as they pleased or what benefited them but were to submit to the priests (Nu 4:28, 33). And note that all the instructions the priests gave were from the LORD, and nothing was left to guess. Currid - When the Kohathites draw near to handle the sacred objects, the priests must have concluded their work properly, or the Kohathites may pay the price. The latter have one duty: transporting the sacred objects.
Números 4
Wiersbe - All this information about the ministry of the Levites reminds us that our God is concerned with details and wants His work to be done by the people He has chosen and in the way He has appointed. Nothing in the camp of Israel was left to chance or human contrivance. Each Levite and priest knew his responsibilities and was expected to “serve God with reverence and godly fear” (Heb. 12:28). Caring for the tabernacle was serious work, a matter of life and death. The chapters also remind us that not everybody has the same burdens to bear. The Gershonites and Merarites could put their burdens on wagons, but the Kohathites had to carry their burdens on their shoulders. There are some burdens we can share (Gal. 6:2), but there are other burdens that only we can bear (v. 5). Finally, we must note that our God believes in organization, but the organization is a means to an end and not an end in itself. One of my coworkers at Moody Church liked to say, “Remember, the church is an organism, not an organization.” But I would remind him that if an organism isn’t organized, it will die! Yes, the church is a living spiritual organism, but it’s also an organization. If an army isn’t organized, it can’t fight the enemy successfully; if a family isn’t organized, it will experience nothing but chaos and confusion. God was preparing His people to engage enemy nations and defeat them. It was important that the camp be orderly and the work of the tabernacle be organized. Otherwise, the worship would not please God and the warfare would lead to defeat. We live in an age not unlike that described in the Book of Judges, when “every man did that which was right in his own eyes” (Jud. 17:6; 18:1; 19:1; 21:25). But God’s word to His people is just the opposite: “See that you make all things according to the pattern shown you on the mountain” (Heb. 8:5, NKJV; see Ex. 25:40). When God’s work is done God’s way, in obedience to God’s truth, it will never lack God’s blessing. (Be Counted) G Campbell