This is Monday morning, March 3, 1975, in Richmond, Virginia. The ministry is given through Brother Stephen Kong.
Last night, we began on the Book of Numbers, so this morning we would like to continue on.
Please turn to Numbers Chapter 2.
Numbers Chapter 2, verses 1 and 2:
And the Lord spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying,
The children of Israel shall encamp every man by his own standard, with the ensign of their fathers’ houses: afar off about the tent of meeting shall they encamp.
We will not read the way in which they encamped.
Now turn to Numbers Chapter 4, verses 1 through 3:
And the Lord spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying,
Take the sum of the sons of Kohath from among the sons of Levi, by their families, by their fathers’ houses,
From thirty years old and upward even until fifty years old, all that enter upon the service, to do the work in the tent of meeting.
The same applied to the sons of Gershon and the sons of Merari.
Now Numbers Chapter 7, verses 1 through 9:
And it came to pass on the day that Moses had made an end of setting up the tabernacle, and had anointed it and sanctified it, and all the furniture thereof, and the altar and all the vessels thereof, and had anointed them and sanctified them;
That the princes of Israel, the heads of their fathers’ houses, who were the princes of the tribes, who were over them that were numbered, offered:
And they brought their offering before the Lord, six covered wagons, and twelve oxen; a wagon for every two of the princes, and for each one an ox: and they presented them before the tabernacle.
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Take it of them, that they may be to do the service of the tent of meeting; and thou shalt give them unto the Levites, to every man according to his service.
And Moses took the wagons and the oxen, and gave them unto the Levites.
Two wagons and four oxen he gave unto the sons of Gershon, according to their service:
And four wagons and eight oxen he gave unto the sons of Merari, according unto their service, under the hand of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest.
But unto the sons of Kohath he gave none, because the service of the sanctuary belonged unto them: they bare their burden upon their shoulders.
That is all we will read this morning.
We mentioned last night that the Book of Numbers tells us of the ways of God. Genesis tells us God’s purpose. Exodus tells us God’s work. Leviticus tells us God’s call—God’s calling. And Numbers tells us God’s way.
In other words, in the Book of Numbers we see the way by which God led the children of Israel through the wilderness. As we find in Deuteronomy Chapter 8, during those forty years the way God led them was to humble them, to prove them, and to show forth what was in their hearts—whether they really meant business regarding obeying Him or not.
There God proved them. He gave them manna to eat, to teach them that man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes out of the mouth of God. God took care of them through those forty years, chastening them as a father chastens his son. This is the way of God, and that is what we find in the Book of Numbers.
But we mentioned last night also that the reason, or the principle, that lies behind God’s way with His people is the testimony. The word testimony is used eight times in the Book of Numbers. I hope you will look up these eight places.
The tent of meeting—the tabernacle—is called the tabernacle of the testimony. The ark is called the ark of the testimony. Of course, we know that the Ten Commandments, the law, are also called the testimony.
In other words, here you find that God had revealed Himself to the children of Israel. God had given His law to them. God had shown them Who He was and what He was. God had covenanted with this people, and this people had seen God. They had heard God. They had a testimony of God in their midst. They were the corporate vessel of God’s testimony.
God had committed Himself to this people, and in turn this people had committed themselves to God. Because the testimony of God was in their midst, God had to be very careful with this people. God had to chasten them. God had to deal with them. God could not just let them go free.
Whenever they acted contrary to the testimony of God—that is, to what God was—God had to chasten them to clear His own name with His people, so that the world might not misunderstand Him.
So we find that the way of God is actually connected with the testimony.
To refer this to us today, the testimony of Jesus is committed to a people, and that people is the church of the living God. Christ Jesus has committed Himself to a corporate vessel, and that vessel is the church. The church is the deposit of the testimony of Jesus.
Because of that, you will find that as the church goes through the wilderness—that is, as she passes through the world—God has a way with His people. God has to deal with His people according to the testimony of Jesus that is in their midst.
I believe that explains why God deals with us in a way that sometimes seems strange. Why is it that, when we are newly saved, we can get by with everything? But as we begin to grow in the Lord, begin to know something of His testimony, and begin to take up some spiritual responsibility for Him, we find His way with us beginning to grow strange.
He begins to be a little severe, a little hard, and sometimes we feel that it is a little harsh. Now why? The reason is that the testimony of Jesus is with us. He has to clear His name.
At the same time, He is bringing us up to that testimony, that we may be true to the testimony that we hold. This happens to us not only individually but, of course, corporately.
The testimony of Jesus is never committed to one individual. It is committed to the church of God.
Last night we mentioned that before they undertook that journey from Mount Sinai to the promised land, God prepared them for that journey. The journey was very important because, in a sense, it was to ready them for entering into the promised land.
In the preparation, the first thing was that God numbered His people. We mentioned very briefly that numbering in Scripture has several meanings.
First, it means that if you are numbered, you belong to Him, and He takes care of you. Second, to be numbered means that the people, after they are numbered, become one people—the unity, the oneness, of the people of God.
Third, this numbering is not a general numbering. It is the numbering of those who enter into military service. That is to say, after they are numbered, they become the army of the Lord. The purpose, or the test, of that army is to guard the testimony of God.
Now this morning we would like to go on a little more, and you find this in Numbers Chapter 2 and following.
After they were numbered, God ordered them in their encamping as well as in their marching. Before that, they could camp wherever they desired. But from that day onward, they were to camp according to a certain order.
That order was according to the tent of the testimony. In other words, the tent of the testimony was to be the center of their encampment as well as of their marching.
When they encamped, the tabernacle—the tent of the testimony—was in the center. The twelve tribes of the children of Israel encamped around the tent of meeting, each according to their ensigns and standards.
There were the east, the south, the west, and the north, with three tribes on each side and three tribes under one standard. There were four standards and twelve ensigns. These twelve tribes encamped according to their ensigns and standards. There was no confusion. Everything was ordered according to the tent of the testimony.
This ordering was not something that people could choose for themselves. This ordering was appointed by God in relation to the tent of the testimony.
It is very interesting to note that on the east side there was the standard of Judah, and Judah means praise. On the south side was the standard of Reuben, and Reuben means, “Behold, a son.” That is faith.
On the west side, you find the standard of Ephraim, and Ephraim means double fruitfulness. On the north side was the standard of Dan, and Dan means judge. In other words, it is spiritual exercise: “Exercise thyself unto godliness,” because it is profitable not only for this age, but even for the age to come.
All these tribes were encamped according to God’s appointment in their particular place in relation to the tent of the testimony. Then, when they started to march, they marched with a certain order too. That order again was according to the tent of the testimony.
Now, brothers and sisters, the spiritual principle behind this physical arrangement is very essential. As the church of the living God, we are not only numbered, so that we are no longer merely individuals; we are related one to another, members one of another.
Before you are numbered, you are an individual. But after you are numbered, you become one of the number, and you are related. For instance, number two is related to number one and number three. You are not merely an individual any longer; you are members one of another.
Dear brothers and sisters, how we thank God that we are all numbered. We are members one of another. We are related to one another.
As we mentioned last night, it is unfortunate that sometimes we forget our number and forget that we are numbered. That is unfortunate. But so far as God is concerned, we have been numbered. Therefore, we are no longer individuals. We are, and yet we are not.
We do not lose our individuality. There is a number there, but we are not independent. We are interdependent of one another. Now that brings in the unity, the oneness, of the body of Christ.
That is important, but there is something more. We are not only numbered; we are ordered. To be numbered is to bring us into that witness, that unity, of God’s people. To be ordered is to place us each in our rightful place.
Just as in a body, you find all the members are numbered. They are related one to another, but they are related with an order. There is the hand, the arm, the shoulder, the trunk, the legs, the feet, the toes, and so forth. They are not only related, but rightly related one to another.
There is a divine order in the church. This divine order is according to the tent of the testimony. In other words, how are we to be properly ordered? It is according to the Head.
Therefore, you find that Scripture says, “Hold fast the Head.” If we hold fast the Head, then all the members of the body will be fitly framed and rightly joined to one another.
The center is the tent of the testimony. The center is Christ. Christ is the Head. As we all look to the Head, we will each fall into our rightful place in the body of Christ.
There is nothing for self-choosing. It is all divinely appointed. If, according to Christ, you are appointed to be the feet, thank God for that. If in His divine appointment you are appointed to be the hand, thank God for that.
There is nothing for self-seeking. There is nothing for self-glory. It is all by divine appointment, and this divine appointment is according to Christ. It is for the sake of Christ that we are so ordered.
Again, it is not a human arrangement; it is a divine appointment. It is an organic order. Everything spiritual is according to Christ and is by divine appointment.
Dear brothers and sisters, this is the way that we encamp, and this is the way that we march. We come together as one people, rightly related, and we march through this world together as one people, with Christ as the center, as our Head.
If we hold fast the Head, we do not need to worry where we should encamp. We will naturally—supernaturally naturally—fall into our rightful place, not only in relation to Christ but in relation to our brothers and sisters. This is divine order.
But there is another thing. The children of Israel were numbered to enter into military service, but when they were numbered, the Levites were exempted. The Levites did not enter into military service because God had another appointment for them.
After the children of Israel were numbered, God commanded Moses, Aaron, and the twelve princes to number the Levites. In numbering the Levites, there were two numberings.
The Levites were numbered once from one month old and upward. This was because they were to stand for all the firstborn of the children of Israel. We mentioned that last night already, so I will not go into it again.
Then there was a particular numbering of the Levites. The Levites were numbered from thirty years old and upward to fifty years old. Those numbered from thirty to fifty entered into Levitical service.
In the Book of Leviticus, we are shown especially the priestly service. The family of Aaron was chosen as priests. There you find their functions, works, requirements, privileges, and all these things fully described. Leviticus speaks especially of priestly ministry and priestly function.
But the Book of Numbers tells us of the Levitical service, or Levitical ministry. There is a difference between priestly ministry and Levitical ministry.
Of course, you cannot completely separate these two ministries, because the Levites—the tribe of Levi—were given to the family of Aaron to help in their ministry. The Levitical service was under the direction of the priestly service. So you cannot separate them completely, and yet there is a distinction.
There is a difference between priestly ministry and Levitical ministry, priestly function and Levitical function, priestly service and Levitical service. In the Book of Leviticus, you find priestly service; in the Book of Numbers, you find Levitical service. It sounds strange, does it not?
What is priestly ministry? Priestly ministry is mainly ministering unto the Lord. Even though the priests do come out to bless the people, mainly they minister unto the Lord.
When they offer sacrifices, they offer them unto the Lord—for the people, yes, but unto the Lord. When they burn incense, they burn incense unto the Lord. When they set forth the showbread, they set it forth unto the Lord. When they light the candlestick, they light the candlestick unto the Lord.
The priestly function is predominantly unto the Lord. It is spiritual ministry unto the Lord. The work of the Levites, however, is unto the people of God—or, to put it another way, they minister unto the tabernacle.
They are there to minister unto the tabernacle, to take care of the tabernacle, to minister unto the people, to help the people, to carry the tabernacle, to set up the tabernacle, and to do all kinds of things. These are Levitical services.
With the children of Israel, some were priests unto God, some were Levites doing Levitical service, and some were numbered as soldiers in the army of the Lord. They were departmentalized, cut into sections.
But when you come to the New Testament, you find that all these represent different aspects in which we are all engaged. In other words, we are all God’s servants.
When you speak of the grace of God, when you speak of the light God has given us, we are all God’s children. When you speak of enjoying the Lord and enjoying all that the Lord has provided for us, we are all God’s children. Thank God, we are God’s children.
But at the same time, we are not only God’s children; we are priests unto God. It is not that among God’s children some are called to be priests. Not so in the New Testament.
In the New Testament, everything goes back to God’s original design. On the one hand, we are God’s children so far as life is concerned. Yet, on the other hand, so far as our ministry unto God is concerned, we are all priests unto God.
We all serve God and minister unto God. We minister unto God in praises. We minister unto God in worship. We minister unto God in drawing near to Him. We minister unto God in seeking His will and doing His will. We minister unto God by waiting upon Him.
Every child of God is a priest unto God. There is a spiritual service that we must render unto God. It is the privilege and the duty of every child of God, because everyone is a priest unto God.
Yet, at the same time, we are all soldiers. So far as God is concerned, we are priests. So far as the enemy, the world, and God’s testimony are concerned, we are all soldiers. We are all called to fight the good fight.
It is not that because we are priests, we are not soldiers. “Oh, we just serve God; we have nothing to do with fighting.” You cannot do that. You have to be priests and soldiers at the same time.
Then there is another aspect in which we are all involved. We are not only priests unto God; we are all Levites unto one another, unto the tabernacle of the testimony. Every child of God is a Levite.
As a Levite, there is a service that we must perform. In the New Testament, all these things are gathered together. They represent different aspects of our life.
So, dear brothers and sisters, remember this: we are not only priests unto God; we are Levites, and we are given special services in relation to the tabernacle of the testimony.
To be numbered as a child of God, as one of the firstborn, we are all numbered. The Levites were numbered from one month old. This shows that we are numbered as children of God as soon as we are born again.
Our name is written in the book of life of the Lamb. We are all numbered. There is no other requirement. The only condition is to be born. If you are born into the family of God, you belong. You are there. Your name is recorded in the book of life.
But to be numbered among the soldiers of the Lord, you need a little growth. They were numbered from twenty years old and upward. By twenty years old, it means that you are somewhat mature.
You need to be somewhat mature before you can really take up responsibility for the testimony of Jesus entrusted to the church. There is no limit—from twenty years old and upward. You do not retire at sixty from military service. That military service continues throughout your life.
But when you come to Levitical service, you find that it is from thirty years old only to fifty years old. It is the prime of your life. It requires the best of your years to be devoted to that Levitical service, and it is the same with priestly service.
After fifty, you retire from active service, but you still continue with the charge. In other words, it requires more maturity and more spiritual growth to perform your Levitical service than to fight as a soldier. Think of that.
What were the functions of the Levites as they traveled through the wilderness? As we find in the Book of Numbers, they were to take care of the tabernacle of the testimony.
When they encamped, they were to set up the tabernacle according to its order. When they marched, they were to take down the tabernacle, carry all the things in the tabernacle, and march forward. That was their function and their work.
In other words, they were to minister unto the house. When the Spirit of God began to move, they would break down the tabernacle, pick up everything, and carry it onward, so that not even a pin would be lost. It was a great responsibility.
When they encamped, they would set up the tent according to God’s order. There was nothing in confusion. It was a tremendous responsibility, and that was Levitical service as they went through the wilderness.
After they arrived in the promised land, there was no more traveling, so they no longer carried these things. Instead of a tent, later on it became a temple. Their service was then mainly connected with the different affairs of the temple—helping with the cattle, the oxen, and other things, and helping the priests in preparing what was needed.
But in the wilderness, their responsibility was to minister unto the tabernacle of the testimony. It was ministering unto the house.
Again, you cannot separate these two ministries. You cannot say, “Well, I only minister unto the Lord. I will not minister unto the house.” And what is the house? The people of God.
You cannot say, “I will just shut my door and spend all my time praising the Lord, worshiping the Lord, waiting upon the Lord, and adoring the Lord. That is it. I will have nothing to do with God’s people. I will not minister unto them. I will not share with them. I will not fellowship with them. I will not exhort or encourage them, nor receive exhortation and encouragement from them.”
You cannot do that. After you have waited upon the Lord, you have to come to the house and minister to God’s people what the Lord has given you.
Nor can you do otherwise and say, “I will just be busily occupied with the house. I will serve God’s people. I will run here and there and do all kinds of works. I have no time to wait upon the Lord, no time to praise the Lord, worship the Lord, or serve the Lord. I am serving God’s people.”
You cannot do that either, because you do not have the inspiration or the power to serve God’s people. You do not know what God’s will is concerning His people. It will all be on your own, by your own strength and energy, and it will not be acceptable.
These two ministries are closely related. Levitical service is the outflow of priestly ministry, and Levitical service is under the direction of priestly ministry. But priestly ministry must overflow into Levitical ministry; otherwise, it will be stagnant.
So, dear brothers and sisters, remember one thing: as the church goes through the world, we are not only priests unto God, but we are Levites ministering unto the house.
With priestly service, you find there is no permanent division of labor. All the priests who served came to the temple, and they were allotted different functions for that particular moment.
At the time of Christ, according to Alfred Edersheim, there was the temple in Jerusalem and there were thousands upon thousands of priests. They served according to their twenty-four courses, and even within one course there would be thousands of priests.
How did they allot their services? Each morning, early in the morning before the daybreak and before the temple gate was opened, the priests gathered together in a room. There they cast lots.
If the lot fell on you to burn the incense, then you burned the incense. If the lot fell on you to offer the sacrifice on the brazen altar, then you offered sacrifice on the brazen altar. Every morning, before daybreak, they gathered together and cast lots as to their various functions.
There was no permanent assignment. Everything came as the lot fell. You might burn incense today, and that was once in a lifetime. If you had done that once, then you were barred from it forever, because it was the highest privilege.
Some priests never had the lot fall on them to burn the incense. Zechariah was very old before that lot fell on him.
Perhaps tomorrow the lot would fall that you should light the candlestick. The function of the priest changed often. You did everything. There was no permanent appointment; everything was for the moment.
When you refer this to New Testament times, we are all priests. As priests, we all worship the Lord, praise the Lord, offer spiritual sacrifices, and wait upon the Lord. As the Spirit leads, sometimes we do this and sometimes we do that. There is no permanent division of labor.
Do not say, “I am not appointed to be a singer; therefore, I will not sing praises unto the Lord.” It is not your voice; it is your spirit. As the Lord leads in the moment, that is priestly function.
But when you come to Levitical service, you find that the services are divided. Once they were divided, they were permanent. That is the difference.
The Levites had three branches: the sons of Kohath, the sons of Gershon, and the sons of Merari. These three branches were given three different Levitical services.
The sons of Kohath were given the service of the inward things of the tabernacle. They were to carry the ark, the candlestick, the table of showbread, and the brazen altar. They were to take care of all these inside things in the tabernacle. That was their responsibility.
The sons of Gershon were to take care of all the linen: the curtains, the coverings, and the cords. They were to take care of all the linens of the tabernacle.
The sons of Merari were to take care of all the structure of the tabernacle: the boards, the bases, the pegs, the cords, and all the structural things. Their labors were divided, and once divinely divided, they carried on their different labor throughout the wilderness journey.
Brothers and sisters, I wonder whether we have a correct understanding of what the priestly function is and what the Levitical function is. Oftentimes we mix these two things together. In one sense they are inseparable, that is true; yet there is a distinction.
The priestly function is mainly toward God, and there is no division of labor. The Levitical service is toward the house, and today God’s house is God’s people. The labors are divided.
May I suggest this? What do you find in Romans Chapter 12, 1 Corinthians Chapter 12, and Ephesians Chapter 4? Strictly speaking, these are not priestly functions, but Levitical functions.
Here you find that the Spirit of God gives to each member a gift, or gifts, according to grace. These gifts are given for the building up of the body. If God gives you a gift, you are to exercise that gift for the building up of the house, the body of Christ.
This is not priestly function; this is Levitical service. We are called to exhort one another. We are called to encourage one another. We are not to forsake the assembling of the saints, but learn to exhort and encourage one another in love and in good works, especially as we know the day is near.
As God’s people, we are all endowed. None can say that he or she has not been given a gift, or gifts. According to the gift in grace, God says, “Let us serve one another. Let us build up one another.”
We are different members of the body of Christ, and because of that we are given different gifts. No one person has all the gifts, but none is without a gift.
God has put us in His body, and God has given gifts to us accordingly, that we may serve the body for its building up in love. Brothers and sisters, are we fulfilling our Levitical service in the house?
The sons of Kohath were to take care of the inside of the tabernacle. May I suggest that they represent gifts in relation to the mystery of Christ, because all the inside of the tabernacle speaks of Christ in His various aspects.
Some are given gifts in relation to the mystery of Christ. They are shown the mystery of Christ, and they are able to share with us Christ—Who He is and what He is. They touch the very inner architecture.
Then there are those like the sons of Gershon, who were to take care of the linens. The curtains and coverings represent the grace that is of Christ.
And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us … full of grace and truth.
If you study the curtains and the coverings, they speak of our experience of Christ—how we enter into an experience of Christ, how we receive His grace. Some brothers and sisters know much of the grace of God in Christ Jesus, experiencing Him in all His beauty.
The sons of Gershon share with us their experience of Christ, and that is grace.
Some are like the sons of Merari. They take care of the structure of the tabernacle. This is truth. We need the truth. We need to know the truth. It is more objective, yes, but it is the framework, the structure. They can share with us the truth that is in Christ.
Brothers and sisters, when we minister to one another, when we fellowship with one another, what is fellowship? Fellowship is not fellowship with ourselves. That is not fellowship; that is merely being social.
Fellowship is fellowship in Christ. When we share Christ—whether it is His mystery, His grace, or His truth—it is Christ. When we see Christ, we build up the church.
We are not here merely telling stories about ourselves. That destroys; it does not build. It is fellowshipping in Christ that really builds up the church.
Remember, our responsibility is that nothing be lost. Everything related to the testimony of Jesus must be shared, picked up, and carried on, so that nothing is left behind.
When Christ committed Himself to the church in the beginning—His mystery, His grace, and His truth—it was not very long before the church began to lose the truth, the grace, and even the mystery of Christ.
When you come to the Dark Ages, you find that everything seemed to be lost. There was merely an anti-Christianity. Where was the mystery of Christ? All kinds of heresies came in instead of knowledge of the mystery of Christ.
Where was the grace of Christ? You find that works came in instead of grace. People tried to save themselves by doing penance. Where was the truth of Christ? Not even the basic truth of justification by faith was known.
Oh, how we have dropped the testimony, the tabernacle of the testimony, along the way, and lost almost all. Thank God for the recovery.
God’s people must pick up all these things that have been left behind and carry them forward, so that nothing concerning the testimony is lost, but everything may be set up according to order. This is a tremendous word and a tremendous responsibility. These are the works of the Levites.
Are they not spiritual? They seem to deal with material things, yet they are very spiritual—very spiritual. For the journey through the wilderness, Levitical service is very essential. It is as important as priestly service, and we are all called to be Levites.
Another thing is interesting. When the tabernacle was set up, the princes of the tribes of Israel came forward to offer dedication gifts and voluntary offerings.
Every head of each tribe of the children of Israel came forward and brought his dedication gift in silver and gold, and in bullocks, goats, and lambs. These gifts, after they were given, went to the priests to help in the priestly work.
At the same time, they also offered voluntary offerings. Their voluntary offerings, all together, were six wagons and twelve oxen.
These were not prescribed by God. There was no mention of oxen and wagons in relation to the tabernacle. Nothing had been ordered concerning them. They were voluntary offerings.
Yet when they were offered, God told Moses, “Take them and use them.” Is that not strange?
We often think that everything related to the tabernacle must come by God’s direct ordering. God told Moses, “You have to do everything according to the pattern that I have shown you.” Moses could not change a bit, add a bit, or take away anything—not even a nail or a thread.
Moses was faithful in God’s house because he did everything according to the pattern. Oftentimes we think that in spiritual things, in things related to God, everything must come by God’s ordering. You cannot initiate anything. Of course, in one sense, you cannot.
How often we try to initiate things, and because we initiate them, we go off from the pattern—the heavenly pattern. That is true. When you come to the tabernacle itself, there is nothing you can do except as you are ordered. Everything is prescribed. Nothing is left for your initiative.
But in the work of God, it is not all cut and dried. You have to see the pattern on the mount, that is true. You cannot add or take away anything from it. But in the carrying of the tabernacle, God allows a certain degree of liberty.
That liberty is according to the exercise of a loving heart. These princes loved God. God had ordered the Levites to carry these things, and these things could be very heavy.
If you know how difficult it is to travel through the wilderness even without a pack on your shoulder, then you know how difficult it would be to carry all the things of the tabernacle with you and travel.
It was not too difficult for the sons of Kohath to carry the ark, even though the ark was heavy, being made of wood and gold. But to carry boards ten cubits high, to carry the bases—and these bases were a talent each—was very heavy.
How were they going to do that? How were the Levites to carry these bases? One person could not do it. Even two persons could not do it. Perhaps three, four, or more would be needed. How could they lay their hands on these things and carry them all the way? Sometimes they walked three days’ journey.
God did not make any provision for them. God simply said that they were to carry them. Is that not strange? How were they going to fulfill their charge?
The hearts of these princes were exercised before God. Our spirits can be very delicate; they should be. Their hearts were exercised before God. God had commanded the Levites to carry these things, but how were they going to do that? They would not be able to do it, and God had not made arrangement for it.
As they were exercised before God, they were prompted by their love toward God and by their loving hearts. They offered voluntary offerings: six wagons and twelve oxen. They took the initiative.
Is that not strange? God did not allow Moses or anyone else to take initiative or to be ingenious in anything concerning the tabernacle. But when it came to carrying the tabernacle, God left, as it were, an open door for the exercise of loving hearts.
They came forth and voluntarily offered six wagons and twelve oxen. When they offered them, God put His approval upon it.
Is that not the same thing David did? God never prescribed how they should praise in the tabernacle, and David set up courses of singers to praise God. God accepted it. God could never order us to praise; praise must come from our loving hearts. It has to come from us. But God accepted that.
Dear brothers and sisters, here you find some liberty. Serving God is not all cut and dried. There is a liberty here; it is the liberty of the Spirit.
God permitted these men to give six wagons and twelve oxen for Levitical service. The priests did not need these things; the Levites did. Do you know how they were distributed?
Two wagons and four oxen were given to the sons of Gershon. Four wagons and eight oxen were given to the sons of Merari, because the sons of Merari carried all the heavy things—the boards, bases, and other heavy materials. They needed more wagons and oxen to help.
But the sons of Kohath were not given any wagon or oxen. Why? Because all the inner things of the tabernacle had to be carried upon the shoulders.
In serving God, you cannot change the tabernacle. There is no initiative allowed. So far as God’s testimony is concerned, there is no initiative allowed.
You cannot be so ingenious as to invent something concerning the mystery of Christ; that would be heresy. You cannot take initiative in your experience of Christ; that would be counterfeit. You cannot take initiative in your understanding of truth; that would be heresy again.
Everything is ordered. We have to receive all these things by revelation and follow closely. There is no initiative and no liberty allowed.
But when it comes to how to bring forth and carry on the grace and truth of Christ, you can use a little method. God allows a little method, but there is a limit.
The method can only be in carrying on the grace and truth, but not in the mystery of Christ. The mystery of Christ allows no human engineering and no human method.
How often, when you read church history, people try to use some wagons for the mystery of Christ, and it ends in heresy. You cannot touch it. It has to be carried upon your shoulders. That is your spiritual exercise.
In preaching the gospel, you can use a little method if you want to. Sometimes you can invite your friend to your home for a meal. If you invite him merely to hear the gospel, he may not come. But if he comes for the meal, he may be obliged to listen to you. That is a little method.
You can use a little method, so long as it comes from the exercise of a loving heart and so long as you do not depend on the method more than upon God. That is the limit.
You remember that once David tried to use a little method for the ark. Do you remember that? He used a cart pulled by oxen and put the ark on it. Then God’s judgment came down heavily.
There is nothing for the inner things of the tabernacle. It is only for the outside that you can use a little method.
Thank God, serving God is such a privilege. On the one hand, you are bound. That is true, and thank God for the bondage. But on the other hand, you are free. You are free.
In certain aspects and in certain areas, the Lord does give you liberty. But it is the liberty of the loving heart, the liberty of spiritual exercise, and the liberty of the Spirit. You can use a little thing if it will help carry on the testimony of Jesus.
Always remember that there is a limit to it. This is Levitical service.
Dear brothers and sisters, in these few chapters you find further preparation for the journey, so that they might be able to undertake that journey and carry the testimony of God through to the promised land.
Shall we pray?
Our Heavenly Father, we do thank Thee for Thy Word. We need Thy Spirit to illumine Thy Word to our spirits, that we may see inwardly and that we may be led by Thy Spirit into all truth.
Lord, Thou dost not give us these things merely for our mental interest. We believe that Thou dost give us Thy Word that we may be exercised before Thee and that we may be led into all truth.
We pray that Thy truth may really be wrought into all of us, that as a corporate vessel for Thy testimony we might be faithful. We might know our place, and we might serve Thee and serve one another as priests and Levites.
Oh, how we praise Thee that to serve Thee is not a servitude, not a legalistic thing. To serve Thee is a pleasure, an honor, and a liberty. Oh, how we praise Thee for that.
Do keep, by Thy Spirit, these words deposited in our hearts with faith and love. Unto Thee be all the praise. In the name of our Lord Jesus. Amen.