EXPOSITION. TH11: LEVITE.9 (vers. 4,7-54,). Ver. 4,7.- with the anxious warnings against intrusion Ji'ot numbered among tbem. They teeN u~n the holy mount a.t tbe time of the numbered (eh. iii. 39), but not among tbe giving of the law (E:i:od. xix. 21, ,g.). The i:est ; their census was taken sepa.rately, and great necessity for Jamel wa.s that he should on a different basis. understand and believe th&t tM Lord, before Ver. 48.-Jlad spoken. Rather, "spake," whom he had trembled at Sin&i was rea.ll;r and so Septne.gint. This was the formal in the midst of him iu a.ll his travail and his command to sepa.rate, although it had been danger. This could only be impressed upon anticipat.ed to & considerable extent. The his dull mind &nd h&rd hea.rt by surrounding Lerites bad been ma.rked out from the others tbe presence ch&mber of Jehovah with awful (1) as tbe tribesmen of Moses and Aaron, sanctities a.nd terrors. At a subsequent (2) as tbe oha.mpions of Jehovah in the mat, period, when ·the religious reverence here t.er of tbe golden calf (hod. Xllii. 26, sq.) ; thrown around the tabernacle had been they had been already employed, or at least transferred to, or rather concentr&t.ed upon, designated, for relip;i.ous services ; and the the ark alone, Uzzah was actaal.ly smitten peculiarity of their future position in Israel for breaking this law (1 Chron. :r:ili. 10). had been recognised in the Divine legislation The tumult raised a.gainat St, Paul (Acts (Levit. ::a:v. 32, sq.), and in their not being :x:xi 27, sq.) wa.a justi.1!.ed by a supposed called upon to contribute to the ~~~ion viol11.tion of the ea.me. for the ea.nctu&Ty. In a word, this o • oe, Ver. 53.-That there he no wratb upon like so many others, did little more than give the congregation-that no man, not being a formal and direct sanction to a. state of &Levite, intrude himself through ignorance things which hsd already come into play, or presumption upon the sacredness of tbe partly through natural ea.uses, partly through tabernacle, and so bring death upon himself, providential directions. and displea.snre upon the people. The Le- Ver. 61.-The stra.nger. The word ap- vites shall keep the charge of the taber- pears to mean here wy unauthorised person nacle. Out of this command grew the Levit- (see eh. xvi. 40). This is tbe first intima.tion ica.l gurd of the temple, which afterwards given of the extreme and awful sanctity of played a coruriderable pa.rt in the history of the tabernacle, as the tent of the Divine Israel (2 Kingui.). Presence. It is, however, quite of a piece
HOMILETICS. Vera. 47-54.-Tke ,en,an,ta Qf God. We have here, spiritually, the multitude of those who are specially devoted to the service and ministry of God, whoever they may be, and whatever their labour for the body of Christ: that these have their own duties and charges, and therewith their own immunities. and libertie~. Or w! 1:11ay take it rather of all the people of God, 110 far as they nse to the higher religious life, dying unto the world, and living unto Christ. Consider, therefore- I. TB.AT THB LEVITES WERE NOT NUMBERED WITH THE REST, FOB THB OBDINABY PUBl'OSES OJ!" THE LIFE IN THE WILDERNESS. . Those that are devoted to the service of God, or addicted to the ministry of the saints, are to be mixed up as little ail possible in the entanglements of business, of politics, of society, and of all the transi- tory things which make up the life of the world. II. That they were NOT NUMllEBED among the other tribes, not in order that they might be idle, or have less to do, but THAT THEY HIGHT THE BETTER DO TBEIB OWN wou: which the Lord assigned them. Even so, no one is marked off, or set &pa.rt, that he may live on others, or look down on othere, or enjoy more ease or more c~n- eideration than others; but only that be may be the more free to do the work wh1cn the Lord bath appointed him. llL TUT THE SU]( OF 'l'llEm LADOUB AND CHARGE WAS TO ATTEND Ul'ON TD '!'A.BBUAOLB-to be in waiting upon the Divine presence in the midst of Israel. So they who would give themselve11 to the work of Christ must set this before them u the great object or it all: that he be glorified, a.nd his spiritual presence '?8 eherished in the midst or hie people. A.a in one sense, the true way to serve God is to 11erve his people, so in another the true wa.y to serve the people is to help tb!:m to IIOl'Ve God. Nor is their work of least real value. who, having none opportun1t7 of CB, I. 47-64.] THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. 9
benefiting their fellows directly, do yet Msist by their practice and example to keep ·alive reverence and devotion amidst a careless world. IV. THAT THE ENCAMPING OJI' THE LEVITES WAS TO DE CLOSE BOUND ABOUT THE TABERNACLE. So those that are especially called to the service of God must have their dwelling very near him: they can only do more for him, on condition of living nearer to him. It is their one real privilege-if they know it-that, having their duties about holy things, and being free from many distractions common to others, they have opportunity of keeping closer to the holy one. V. THAT NO II STRANGER" MIGHT COME NIGH UNTO THE TABERNACLE ON PAIN OJI' DEATH. So can no profane person intrude upon Divine things except at deadly spiritual peril. That nearness to God which is life to the humble and meek is death to the presumptuous soul; that familiarity with holy things which is a source of growth in grace to the holy is hardening and destruction to the unholy. No " stranger" to the atoning love can venture upon the presence of the All-holy and live: every one that knows not God, and has not his lovo abiding in him, is a. " stranger " in this sense. VI. THAT VERY MUOH OJI' THE LEVITES' WORK WAS LABORIOUS, TIBESOME, OR TRIVIAL, YET IT WAS ALL UNDER THE t!AME AWFUL l!IANCTIONS, and invested with the same holy character. So, if any will be really devoted to the work of Christ, he must do that which falls to his lot, however humble outwardly, or apparently unspiritual; for the work is all one, and all of one, if only it be done for that one.