Responsible For The People (18:1-32)
Neal Pollard
God created a dual-dependent system for His people between the Levites and the rest of the nation. The other tribes were responsible for protecting the priests in time of war, but the priests were charged with protecting the people from the consequences of their iniquities (1-2). The Levites were to guard the sanctuary and the altar from outside intrusion (3-7). In this chapter, the Lord gives Moses and Aaron an outline of the Levites responsibilities and privileges.
THE LEVITES WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE PRIESTS AS THEY DID THEIR WORK (2-7). The priests would need to concentrate on their duties, so the Levites offered them protection and guarded the tabernacle. They themselves could not enter on pain of death, but they had the onus and privilege of protecting these men who facilitated both worship and sacrifice.
THE LEVITES WERE PARTIALLY COMPENSATED BY FOOD OFFERINGS (8-19). The heart of the chapter speaks to how this tribe was to make their living. All of them were full-time religious workers. They were considered by God to be the first-fruits of the nation, separated out to Him instead of the firstborn of each family throughout the nation (3:12ff). So, they were able to eat and feed their families from the sacrifices brought by the people. They are told how much they could take, where they could eat it, and who in their house could also partake. The final statement is a concise summary, that “all the holy contributions that the people of Israel present to the Lord I give to you, and to your sons and daughters with you, as a perpetual due” (19).
THE LEVITES WERE COMPENSATED WITH TITHES RATHER THAN LAND (20-24). In the place of land inheritance, the Levites were to dwell among the people and be paid by the people’s tithes. As mediators for the nation, the priests and Levites served at the tabernacle. The people paid them through the tithe and had their sins atoned for.
THE LEVITES WERE RESPONSIBLE TO PAY TITHES TO THE PRIESTS FROM THEIR TITHE (25-29). This is often referred to as “the tithe of the tithe.” Out of the tithe given to the tribe of Levi, the Levites were to tithe to the priests. They were to give the very best out of this tithe. Ostensibly, it was for the priests but it was to be offered to the Lord. The two were synonymous.
At the end of the chapter, we are given an understanding of what this was all about. First, it was about giving God their best (30). Second, it was about sacrifice as they were to “offer” (30). Third, it was about equity and fairness as they were mandated to serve yet compensated for doing so (31). Fourth, it was about holiness, a holiness that was achieved through obedient submission (32). While the covenant would change under Christ, these principles endure in the Christian age. We give Him our best (Mat. 6:33). We sacrifice (Rom. 12:1). We reap what we sow (Gal. 6:7-9). We are to be holy (1 Pet. 1:15-16).
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