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RETURN TO SYLLABUS
NUMBERS 3
LESSON #04
v MEMORY VERSE: 1COR 12:4
v WE HAVE DISCUSSED THE CAMP OF THE ISRAELITES INCHAPTER 2. THE PATTERN OF THE CAMP WAS IN THE FORM OF A CROSS WITH THE TABERNACLE, THATREPRESENTS CHRIST, AT THE CENTER. IN CHAPTER 3 GOD IS PREPARING THE PEOPLE TO MARCH.REMEMBER THAT THE FIRST CENSUS DID NOT INCLUDE THE TRIBE OF LEVI. HOWEVER, THEY ARECOUNTED SEPARATELY HERE IN CHAPTER 3. THEY, TOO, MUST KNOW THEIR IDENTITY, WHERE THEYBELONGED, AND WHAT THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO DO.
v READ NUM 3:1-13 THE PRIESTS AND THE TRIBE OF LEVI
Ø AARON WAS CALLED BY GOD TO BE THE HIGHPRIEST. AARON’S SONS WERE TO BE THE PRIESTS. THE REST OF THE TRIBE OF LEVI WAS GIVEN TOAARON TO HELP WITH WORSHIP.
§ AARON’S 2 REBELLIOUS SONS(NUM 3:5-9)
· AARON HAD 4 SONS, BUT TWO SONSDIED (NADAB AND ABIHU) WITHOUT LEAVING ANY CHILDREN. THESE TWO SONS WERE REBELLIOUS. (LEV10) THEY WERE DISOBEDIENT TO GOD AND BEGAN TO ACT AS HIGH PRIEST WHEN THAT WAS THEPOSITION GOD GAVE TO AARON. THEY WERE NOT CONTENT TO BE JUST PRIESTS.
¨ AS BELIEVERS GOD RAISES PEOPLE TO POSITIONSOF AUTHORITY IN THE CHURCH. SOMETIMES PEOPLE ARE NOT CONTENT WITH THE POSITION GOD HASGIVEN THEM. THEY DESIRE POWER. THERE ARE TIMES WHEN YOU SEE THE SAME POWER STRUGGLE IN THECHURCH THAT WE SEE IN LEV 10.
Ø READ LEV 10:1-10
§ IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE BECONTENT WITH THE POSITION GOD GIVES US IN THE CHURCH.
v READ NUM 3:14-17 MOSES, AARON, AND THE THREE FAMILIES OF THE TRIBE OF LEVI
Ø THE FAMILY OF GERSHON
§ THEIR NUMBER (NUM 3:21-22)
· 7,500 MALES OVER 1 MONTH OLD
· THEY WERE TO CAMP WEST OF THETABERNACLE. (3:23)
· THEIR JOB
¨ READ NUM 3:25-26
Ø THEIR JOB WAS TO TAKE CARE OF ALL THECURTAINS, COVERINGS, AND CORDS OF THE TABERNACLE.
Ø THE FAMILY OF KOHATH
§ THEIR NUMBER (NUM 3:28)
· 8,600 MALES OVER 1 MONTH OLD
§ THEY WERE TO CAMP SOUTH OFTHE TABERNACLE (3:29)
§ THEIR JOB
· READ NUM 3:31
¨ THEIR JOB WAS TO TAKE CARE OF THE ARK AND ALLTHE OTHER VESSELS AND PIECES OF FURNITURE IN THE TABERNACLE.
Ø THE FAMILY OF MERARI
§ THEIR NUMBER (NUM 3:34)
· 6,200 MALES OVER 1 MONTH OLD
· THEY WERE TO CAMP NORTH OF THETABERNACLE (3:35)
· THEIR JOB
¨ READ NUM 3:36-37
Ø THEIR JOB WAS TO TAKE CARE OF ALL THE
§ BOARDS, SOCKETS, ANDFIXTURES OF THE TABERNACLE.
Ø NOTICE THAT EACH OF THE THREE FAMILIES OFPRIESTS HAD SPECIFIC JOBS TO DO. EACH WAS GIVEN RESPONSIBILITY OVER CERTAIN OBJECTS THATPERTAINED TO WORSHIP AND THE TABERNACLE.
§ DISCUSSION: WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE A NEW TESTAMENT PRIEST FORGOD?
· READ 1PET 2:9 NEW TESTAMENT BELIEVERS ARE CALLED PRIESTS IN 1PET2:9.
¨ EVERY BELIEVER IS GIVEN RESPONSIBILITYREGARDING WORSHIP TO GOD.
Ø WE MUST WORSHIP HIM IN SPIRIT AND IN TRUTH.(JOH 4:23)
Ø WE MUST WORSHIP HIM WITH RESPECT IN OURHEARTS.
Ø WE MUST WORSHIP HIM IN FAITH. (HEB 11:6)
Ø WE MUST USE THE PERSONAL GIFTS GOD HAS GIVENTO EACH OF US FOR HIS GLORY AND FOR THE BENEFIT OF OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN THE CHURCH.
Ø WE MUST TAKE CARE OF (HAVE RESPECT FOR) THETHINGS OF THE CHURCH THAT GOD HAS GIVEN US: THIS BUILDING AND THE THINGS IN IT. WE MUSTUSE THEM FOR HIS GLORY.
¨ AS A PRIEST, BELIEVERS ARE TO REPRESENT GODTO MAN.
Ø WE MUST LIVE AS A RIGHTEOUS EXAMPLE BEFOREMAN.
Ø WE MUST WITNESS TO NON-BELIEVERS ABOUT GOD.
¨ AS A PRIEST, BELIEVERS ARE TO REPRESENT MANTO GOD.
Ø WE MUST PRAY FOR OTHERS INTERCEEDING ON THEIRBEHALF BEFORE GOD.
v READ NUM 3:38-39
Ø MOSES AND AARON WERE TO CAMP EAST OF THETABERNACLE, GUARDING THE ENTRANCE GATE.
§ THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MALELEVITES WAS 22,000; 8,580 WERE BETWEEN 30 AND 50 YEARS OLD.
§ READ NUM 3:40-51
· “FIRSTBORN”
¨ THE WORD “FIRSTBORN” IS VERYIMPORTANT IN THE BIBLE BEGINNING IN THE BOOK OF GENESIS AND ESPECIALLY IN THE BOOK OFEXODUS.
Ø THE FIRSTBORN CHILD HAD SPECIAL RIGHTS:
§ A FIRSTBORN SON INHERITEDTWICE AS MUCH AS EVERY OTHER SON.
§ A FIRSTBORN DAUGHTER WASGIVEN IN MARRIAGE BEFORE OTHER DAUGHTERS.
Ø GOD CALLED ISRAEL HIS FIRSTBORNIN EXO 4:22.
§ GOD SAVED THE FIRSTBORNJEWISH SONS FROM DEATH IN EGYPT IF THEY WERE PROTECTED BY THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB WHEN THEFIRSTBORN SONS OF THE EGYPTIANS DIED. (EXO 13:15)
· AFTER THAT, BECAUSE OF GOD’SGRACE, THE FIRSTBORN OF A MOTHER WAS CONSIDERED HOLY TO THE LORD. (NUM 3:13)
¨ EVERY FIRSTBORN SON HAD TO BE REDEEMED BYPAYING 5 SHEKELS TO THE PRIESTS. (NUM 18:16) INSTEAD OF USING EVERY FIRSTBORN SON FROM ALLTHE TRIBES OF ISRAEL AS PRIESTS, GOD DECIDED TO USE ONLY THE TRIBE OF LEVI. THEREFORE, THEREDEMPTION PRICE FREED THE OTHER TRIBES FROM THIS RESPONSIBILITY OF PRIESTHOOD.
¨ PAGAN RELIGIONS SACRIFICED FIRSTBORN CHILDRENTO PAGAN GODS, BUT THE GOD OF THE JEWS NEVER REQUIRED PHYSICAL SACRIFICE OF CHILDREN, ONLYA REDEMPTION PAYMENT.
Ø TODAY, WE DO NOT PAY A REDEMPTION PAYMENT,BUT WE DEDICATE OUR CHILDREN TO GOD. WE PROMISE TO RAISE THEM IN THE KNOWLEDGE OF GODREALIZING THAT CHILDREN FIRST BELONG TO GOD. GOD HAS GIVEN CHILDREN TO US TEMPORARILY TORAISE. THIS DOES NOT SAVE YOUR CHILDREN FOR THEY MUST SOME DAY MAKE THEIR OWN DECISION FORTHE LORD.
¨ JESUS IS CALLED THE “FIRSTBORN”
Ø HE IS FIRSTBORN OF HIS HEAVENLY FATHER. (ROM8:29)
Ø HE IS FIRSTBORN FROM THE DEAD. (COL 1:18)
§ THE FIRST TO BE RAISED FROMTHE DEAD AND NEVER TO DIE AGAIN.
Ø HE IS FIRSTBORN OF EVERY CREATURE. (COL 1:15)
§ THE ONE WHO HAS AUTHORITYOVER EVERY PART OF CREATION.
¨ WE, THE NEW TESTAMENT BELIEVERS, ARE CALLEDTHE “FIRSTBORN” IN HEB 12:23 BECAUSE IN JESUS CHRIST WE ARE PRIVILEGED ABOVE ALLMEN.
· THE TOTAL NUMBER OF FIRSTBORNMALES IN ISRAEL WAS 22,273. THAT MEANS THERE WERE 273 MORE FIRSTBORN MALES THAN THERE WERELEVITES. THIS ADDITIONAL NUMBER (273) HAD TO BE REDEEMED BY PAYING A REDEMPTION PRICE TOAARON. (3:40-41)
v SUMMARY:
Ø WHAT HAVE WE LEARNED FROM NUMBERS 3?
§ WE SHOULD BE CONTENT ANDFAITHFUL WITH THE POSITION GOD HAS GIVEN US IN THE CHURCH.
§ WE MUST NOT SEEK PERSONALPOWER AND POSITION.
§ GOD GIVES TO EACH BELIEVERJOBS, TALENTS, AND RESPONSIBILITIES. WE MUST DO OUR JOBS FAITHFULLY USING OUR BEST EFFORTSFOR HIS GLORY.
§ ALL BELIEVERS ARE PRIESTSFOR GOD. THEREFORE, WE ARE ALL RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CHURCH AND THE THINGS IN IT.
§ JESUS IS THE FIRSTBORN ANDSO ARE WE. THIS IS A POSITION OF BLESSING BUT ALSO ONE OF RESPONSIBILITY.
§ WE MUST REMEMBER THAT OURCHILDREN REALLY BELONG TO GOD. WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO RAISE THEM IN THE WAY GODDESIRES.
v HOMEWORK
v NUMBERS4
THIS IS A SELF-STUDY.PLEASE DO NOT SEND HOMEWORK ANSWERS TO THE TEACHER.
v APPLICATION OF NUM 3
Ø HOW CAN YOU IMPROVE YOUR FAITHFULNESS TO THERESPONSIBILITIES GOD HAS GIVEN YOU?
§ YOUR RESPONSIBILITY FOR THECHURCH AND THE THINGS IN IT:
§ YOUR RESPONSIBILITY FORYOUR CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN:
v PREPARATION FOR NUM 4
Ø READ NUM 4
§ IN YOUR OPINION, WHAT ISTHE MOST IMPORTANT LESSON IN THIS CHAPTER?
§ MAKE A LIST OF THERESPONSIBILITIES GOD HAS GIVEN YOU
¨ IN THE CHURCH?
v MEMORY VERSE: 1COR 4:2
