who hnve perpetually to deal with Divine things are in danger of irreverence from thoughtlessness. E., g, Christian ministers, who have to be constantly praying and preaching, e.s part of their service for God. Christiane who have a reputation for :11aintlineee above their hrethren need special reverence, lest they should handle Divine things in: a familiar, unauthorised manner. Apply to some habits of modem pablio worship tending to sad irreverence. . III. DISTRUST, Illustrate from the sin of Uzzah (2 Sam. vi. 6, 7). We are thus warned against using. illegitimate means in support of the cause of God which we think to be in .danger. Carnal methods must not be resorted to for the defence of spiritual truths. .Some .of the most devoted servants of Christ have profaned the ark of God, when they thought it in danger, by touching and propping it by supports God has never sanctioned . .E; g. persecutions on behalf of the truth of God. Caution to those who now rely on worldly alliances and statesmanship on behalf of God's Church. From: such perils we may be preserved by the spirit of (1) profound humility, at the privilege of being allowed to come so near and to deal with the mysteries of God (Eph. iii. 8; Heh. xii. 28, 29); (2) reverential obedience to every item of the instructions God has given us (1 Chron. xv. 12, 13; Ps. cxix. 128); (3) fearless trust in the Lord Jesus Christ, who hne guarded his Church hitherto, is saving us, and who will protect his people and his truth by hie own power to the end (2 Tim. iv. 18).-P. Ch. iv.-T!ie Levites and the rer,ulatwn, of their duties. One tribe has been set apart in lieu of the first-born of al1 Israel, and to this tribe is entrusted the service of the tabernacle. The nature and distribution of that service are now placed befor" us. Note- I. THE REGARD FOR THE PRINCIPLE OF INHERITANCE. As the tribes had their appointed place around the tabernacle, so the three great natural divisions of th" tribe of Levi ho:d their appointed place in it. So in the service of the Church of Christ there must ever be something corresponding to this natural division in Levi. The great Head has given some apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, som" pastors, and teachers. There are always some Christians rather than others who may be taken as spiritual children of certain in the spiritual generation be- fore them, those on whom the prophet's mantle may fall, as did that of Elijah on Elisha. II. THE LIMITATIONS OF SERVICE. No Levite could do the I.Dork of an anointed priest. The Kohathites were to bear the things of the holy place, but they were not to see them or prepare them for removal. There was a gulf of difference between Aaron and th.e noblest of the Kohathites, though they belonged to the same tribe. So between Christ and even the beet of his people. There is so much to link us to our Lord, so much to reveal him RB walking about on the same level, that we cannot be too careful to remember the differences between our services, humble even the most honournble of them, nnd that ~lorious peculiar service where Christ is Priest and Atonement in one. The limitatl,()11,S of age. None under thirty, none over fifty. At twenty a man may have strength .and courage for fighting ( eh. i. 3), .but ten years iuore must. pass over hie head before he is judged to have the sobriety arid sedateness needed for tabernacle service. Then at fifty he retires. God has con8iderntion for failing strength.. The burdens of the tabernacle must be carried, therefore God provides that the bearers shall be strong. There were constantly fresh and, we may euppose, often eager accessions at the younger limit of the service. Jesus was about thirty when he entered on hie public life (Luke iii. 23), and the Baptist would be about the same. Let these limitations of God be considered by nil whom they <:oncern. There are duties of manhood which youth has not the experience, nor ag" the strength, to perform. III. THE SECURING OF PERSONAL BERVICK (vers. 19, 49). Only certain persons were fit to do the work, but !Ill who were fit had some work to do. In the Church of Obrist fitness for anJ thing, clearly seen, distinctly felt, has in it the nature of " command. We need not fear that there will ever be too many persons engnged in the service of the true tabernacle. There were between eight and nine thousand at this first appointment, but the Lord's promise runs (Jer. xxxiii. 22), "As tr • 32 THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. [CH, V. 1-f.,
bost of heaven cannot be numbered, neither the sand of the sea measured 1 so I, will multiply tl:e Levites that minister unto me." We are all Levites now. IV. THE WORK WAS A.LL NECESSARY WORK. No doubt a certain honour attached to the Kohathites, but gTI!&t risk went with it; and after all, the honour was more in the eyes of men than of God. All that is needful to be done for him is honourable. The- least peg or cord was not to be left behind, any more than the ark itself. Ther& shonld b~ a spirit of humble joy and gratitude in us that we are counted worthy to do anythmg for Go~l. All are .needed to make up the perfection of service. To the· comp(,ete b~y the little finger 1s as n,ee~l as the complex and powerful brain. For th~ cuculation of the blood the capillanes are as needful as the great arteries and vems. God calls for no superfluous work from us. He has no mere ornaments in the Chu:eh.. If a tb~ng is not of use, it is no ornament, however it be decorated. AppliMJ,UYn: - Find your work and burden. Every one has bis own burden ( ;t,prio11) to bear. No one else then can carry your burden than you. Seek your place. Take the lowest one, then assuredly you will come in time to the right one. The- lowest place in the tabernacle service is better than the highest among the ungodly- (Ps. lxxxiv. 10).-Y.
INTERIOR SANCTITIES OF lsBAEL (CH!l. v., VI.). Oh. V 1-4: REHOVAL OP' TRE 'ONCLRAN. Vere. 5-10: RESTIT'O'TION OJI' TRESPAIIL Vers. 11-31 : JJU.LOIJ'SY PURGED. Ch. vi. 1-21: N.umITES DEDICATED. Vers. 22-27: BLESSING OP' Tll'.E PEOPLB. Whether these portions of the Divine legislation are connected with the surrounding narrative (I) by an order of time, as having been given at this point, or (2) by a harmony of subject, a.s completing on its inward side the perfection of the camp, or whether (3) their· insertion here was in a sense accidental, and not now to be accounted for, mtlllt remam 11I1eertain. Against (1) it must be observed that there is a. decided break in the order of time at the beginning of eh. vii; a.,.<>ainst (2) that a large part of the Levitical enactments might have been added here with an equal propriety.