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Numbers Chapter
Eight
Numbers 8
Chapter Contents
The lamps of the sanctuary. (1-4) Consecration of the
Levites
and their service. (5-26)
Commentary on Numbers 8:1-4
Aaron himself lighted the lamps
thus representing his
Divine Master. The Scripture is a light shining in a dark place
2 Peter 1:19. A dark place even the church would
be without it; as the tabernacle
which had no window
would have been without
the lamps. The work of ministers is to light these lamps
by expounding and
applying the word of God. Jesus Christ is the only Light of our dark
sinful
world; and by his atonement
by his word and the Holy Spirit
he diffuses light
around.
Commentary on Numbers 8:5-26
Here we have directions for the solemn ordination of the
Levites. All Israel must know that they took not this honour to themselves
but
were called of God to it; nor was it enough that they were distinguished from
others. All who are employed for God
must be dedicated to him
according to
the employment. Christians must be baptized
ministers must be ordained; we
must first give ourselves unto the Lord
and then our services. The Levites
must be cleansed. They must be clean that bear the vessels of the Lord. Moses
must sprinkle the water of purifying upon them. This signifies the application
of the blood of Christ to our souls by faith
that we may be fit to serve the
living God. God declares his acceptance of them. All who expect to share in the
privileges of the tabernacle
must resolve to do the service of the tabernacle.
As
on the one hand
none of God's creatures are his necessary servants
he
needs not the service of any of them; so none are merely honorary servants
to
do nothing. All whom God owns
he employs; angels themselves have their
services.
── Matthew Henry《Concise Commentary on
Numbers》
Numbers 8
Verse 2
[2]
Speak unto Aaron
and say unto him
When thou lightest the lamps
the seven
lamps shall give light over against the candlestick.
When thou lightest the lamps — The priests lighted the middle lamp from the fire of the altar; and the
rest one from another; signifying that all light and knowledge comes from
Christ
who has the seven spirits of God
figured by the seven lamps of fire.
Over against the candlestick — On that part which is before the candlestick
Heb.
over against the face of the candlestick — That is
in that place towards which the candlestick looked
or where
the candlestick stood in full view
that is
upon the north-side
where the
table of shew-bread stood
as appears from hence
because the candlestick stood
close to the boards of the sanctuary on the south-side
Exodus 26:35. And thus the lights were on both
sides of the sanctuary
which was necessary
because it was dark in itself
and
had no window.
Verse 4
[4] And this work of the candlestick was of beaten gold
unto the shaft
thereof
unto the flowers thereof
was beaten work: according unto the pattern
which the LORD had shewed Moses
so he made the candlestick.
Of beaten gold —
Not hollow
but solid gold
beaten out of one piece
not of several pieces
joined or soldered together.
Verse 7
[7] And
thus shalt thou do unto them
to cleanse them: Sprinkle water of purifying upon
them
and let them shave all their flesh
and let them wash their clothes
and
so make themselves clean.
Of purifying —
Heb. of sin
that is
for the expiation of sin. This water was mixed with the
ashes of a red heifer
Numbers 19:9
which therefore may seem to have
been prescribed before
though it be mentioned after; such kind of
transplacings of passages being frequent in scripture.
Shave all their flesh — This external rite signified the cutting off their inordinate desire of
earthly things and that singular purity of heart and life which is required in
the ministers of God.
Verse 8
[8] Then
let them take a young bullock with his meat offering
even fine flour mingled
with oil
and another young bullock shalt thou take for a sin offering.
A young bullock —
The same sacrifice which was offered for a sin-offering for the whole
congregation
because the Levites came in the stead of all the first-born
who
did in a manner represent the whole congregation.
Verse 10
[10] And thou shalt bring the Levites before the LORD: and the children of
Israel shall put their hands upon the Levites:
The children of Israel — Not all of them
which was impossible
but some in the name of all the
princes or chiefs of each tribe
who used to transact things in the name of
their tribes.
Put their hands —
Whereby they signified their transferring that right of ministering to God from
the first-born in whose hands it formerly was
to the Levites
and their entire
resignation and dedication of them to God's service.
Verse 11
[11] And
Aaron shall offer the Levites before the LORD for an offering of the children
of Israel
that they may execute the service of the LORD.
For an offering —
Heb. for a wave-offering. Not that Aaron did so wave them
which he could not
do
but that he caused them to imitate that motion
and to wave themselves
toward the several parts of the world: whereby they might signify their
readiness to serve God
according to their capacity wheresoever they should be.
Verse 12
[12] And
the Levites shall lay their hands upon the heads of the bullocks: and thou
shalt offer the one for a sin offering
and the other for a burnt offering
unto the LORD
to make an atonement for the Levites.
Lay their hands — To
signify that they were offered by them and for them.
Verse 13
[13] And
thou shalt set the Levites before Aaron
and before his sons
and offer them
for an offering unto the LORD.
Set the Levites before Aaron — Give the Levites to them
or to their service.
Unto the Lord —
For to him they were first properly offered
and by him given to the priests in
order to his service.
Verse 15
[15] And
after that shall the Levites go in to do the service of the tabernacle of the
congregation: and thou shalt cleanse them
and offer them for an offering.
Go in —
Into the court
where they were to wait upon the priests at the altar of
burnt-offering; and
at present
into the tabernacle
to take it down and set
it up.
Verse 19
[19] And
I have given the Levites as a gift to Aaron and to his sons from among the
children of Israel
to do the service of the children of Israel in the
tabernacle of the congregation
and to make an atonement for the children of
Israel: that there be no plague among the children of Israel
when the children
of Israel come nigh unto the sanctuary.
To do the service of Israel — To serve God in their stead
to do what otherwise they had been obliged
to do in their own persons.
To make an atonement — Not by offering sacrifices
which the priests alone might do
but by assisting
the priests in that expiatory work
and by a diligent performance of all the
parts of their office
whereby God was pleased both with them and with the
people.
That there be no plague — This is added as a reason why God appointed them to serve in the
tabernacle
that they might guard it
and not suffer any of the people to come
near it
or meddle with holy things
which if they did
it would certainly
bring a plague upon them.
Verse 26
[26] But
shall minister with their brethren in the tabernacle of the congregation
to
keep the charge
and shall do no service. Thus shalt thou do unto the Levites
touching their charge.
In the tabernacle — By
way of advice
and assistance in lesser and easier works.
── John Wesley《Explanatory Notes on Numbers》
08 Chapter 8
Verses 1-4
When thou lightest the lamps.
The golden candlestick an emblem of the Church of God
I. The preciousness
and sacredness of the church of God.
II. The light of
the church of God.
III. The ministers
of the church of God
and their function.
IV. The function of
the church of God. “I would not give much for your religion
” says Spurgeon
“unless it can be seen. Lamps do not talk; but they do shine. A lighthouse
sounds no drum
it beats no gong; and yet far over the waters its friendly
spark is seen by the mariner. So let your actions shine out your religion. Let
the main sermon of your life be illustrated by all your conduct
and it shall
not fail to be illustrious.” Application:
1. To individuals. Are our lives luminous in the light of the Lord
Jesus Christ?
2. To Churches. Are we making good our claim to a place in “the
Church of the living God” by taking our part in performing the Divine function
of that Church? Are we diffusing the light of God in Christ in this dark world?
(W. Jones.)
Moulded and beaten work
(with Exodus 32:4):--I have chosen these two
texts to point out an instructive lesson regardng the easiness of sin and the
difficulty of holiness. The material of the golden calf which Aaron constructed
was poured into a mould and shaped without trouble; the material of the seven-branched
candlestick had to be beaten out carefully and slowly with much toil and pains.
I. The pattern of
the calf was easily constructed; it required no originality
no effort of
thought
only an exercise of memory; and Aaron cast their golden jewels into
the familiar mould
and out of it came the familiar image. So easy
so natural
so inevitable was the process
that Aaron used language regarding it which
seemed to imply that
when he lighted the furnace and poured into the mould the
molten gold
the image of the calf came out of its own accord. It may be
further remarked that
in order to get the image sharp and clear out of the
mould
Aaron must have put into the gold an alloy of some inferior metal
or it
was already in the ornaments of the Israelites. And is this not true of all
sin? It has a mould prepared for it in a world lying in wickedness
and in the
deceitful heart of man. The pattern of sin is as old as Adam. The first
transgression was not only the root
but also the type of every transgression
just as the whole plant is a development and modification of the primitive
leaf
and constructed after its pattern. Why is it that we think so little of
articles cast in a mould
in comparison with those wrought by hand? Is it not
because these moulded articles are easily made
involving the smallest
expenditure of toil or time or thought? They can be manufactured and multiplied
by the thousand with the greatest ease once the mould is formed. The maker puts
as little as possible of himself into them. He is not an artist
but a mere
mechanic. The essence of all sin is a desire to get things in the easiest
way--to run things into moulds
rather than to hew or carve or build them with
slow
patient toil and care. And hence when persons do not take thought or
trouble to do what is right
they always blame circumstances and not themselves
for the wrong. When they do not resist temptation they say that they could not
help themselves. Sin is regarded as a misfortune demanding pity
and not a
wilful act drawing down condemnation.
II. The material of
the seven-branched golden candlestick was not run into a mould already prepared
for it. It was all hand-made work. It was the most elaborate of all the vessels
of the sanctuary
because it represented the result of what all the other
vessels typified and led up to--the light of the world
and yet it was beaten
out of one solid piece of gold. The workman who fashioned it must have pondered
minutely over every part
and bestowed immense labour and skill upon all its details;
the pattern and symmetry of the whole must have been clearly in his mind
while
from one mass of metal he beat out each shaft and floral ornament. The whole
idea of it implied personal thought and toil and care. While it is easy for man
to sin
it is difficult for man to be holy. He finds moulds for his sin lying
ready to his hand
without any trouble. But he has to fashion
as it were
by
the toil of his hands and the sweat of his soul
with the Divine help
the
means by which he may be rescued from his sin and folly. We can mould a false
diamond in glass or paste in a few minutes; but nature requires ages of slow
patient workmanship to crystallise the real diamond from the dark charcoal. We
can cover common deal wood with an exquisitely grained veneer of walnut or
mahogany at a small expense and with little effort; but the grain of the walnut
or mahogany represents many years of strain and struggle
during which the tree
grew its beautiful markings. Thus in the human world we can make easy imitations
of moral and spiritual qualities
which when genuine can only be produced by
slow
patient self-discipline
by many prayers and tears and toils. The paste
diamond of religion
that glitters so brightly and deceives so many
can be
manufactured in the mould of easy compliance with outward church duties and
rites; the veneer of godliness can be assumed by a profession which costs
nothing
and makes no demand of self-sacrifice upon the inner nature. But the
deliverance from sin and the formation of holiness
which the salvation of
Christ implies and involves
can only be through toil and suffering. (H.
Macmillan
D. D.)
The littered lamp
Who must light the lamps? Aaron himself (Numbers 8:3). As the people’s
representative to God
he thus did the office of a servant in God’s house
lighting his Master’s candle. As the representative of God to the people
he
thus gave them the significations of God’s will and favour
which is thus
expressed (Psalms 18:28). And thus Aaron himself was
now lately directed to bless the people
“The Lord make His face to shine upon
thee” (Numbers 6:25). The commandment is a lamp
(Proverbs 6:23). The Scripture is a light
shining in a dark place (2 Peter 1:19). And a dark place
indeed even the Church would be without it
as the tabernacle without the
lamps
for it had no window in it. Now the work of ministers is to light these
lamps
by expounding and applying the Word of God. The priest lighted the
middle lamp from the fire of the
altar; and the rest of the lamps he lighted one from another : which signifieth
that the fountain of all light and knowledge cometh from Christ
who has the
seven spirits of God
figured by the seven lamps of fire (Revelation 4:5); but that in expounding
of Scripture
one passage must borrow light from another. He also supposeth
that seven being a number of perfection
by the seven branches of the
candlestick is showed
the full perfection of the Scriptures
which are able to make us wise to
salvation.
2. To what end the lamps were lighted; that they might give light
over against the candlestick
i.e.
to the part of the tabernacle where
the table stood
with the shewbread upon it
over against the candlestick. They
were not lighted like tapers in an urn
to burn to themselves
but to give
light to the other side of the tabernacle
for therefore candles are lighted (Matthew 5:15). The lights of the world
the lights of the Church
must shine as lights. Therefore we have light
that
we may give light. (Matthew Henry
D. D.)
Men who would quench the light of truth
No light shone from the Ship Shoal Lighthouse
near Morgan City
U.S.
on two consecutive nights in February. The unusual darkness at that point
caused some surprise
but surprise was turned into indignation when the facts
became known. One of the keepers had seen a man in a boat who needed
assistance
his vessel being becalmed. The keeper kindly towed the boat to the
lighthouse and treated the man hospitably. In the night the guest made a
murderous attack on the two lighthouse-keepers
shooting both of them and inflicting
dangerous wounds. He held possession of the lighthouse for forty-eight hours
during which he never lighted the lamps. Then
as he could not find food
he
surrendered. A man more utterly depraved it is difficult to imagine. But there
are many infidels who are trying to murder men’s souls and to quench the
warning light of the Bible.
Luminous centres:--The globe of the earth is surrounded by a
mass of atmosphere extending forty or fifty miles above the surface. Each
particle of air is a luminous centre
receiving its light from the sun
and it
radiates light in every direction. Were it not for this
the sun’s light could
only penetrate those spaces which are directly accessible to his rays. Thus
the sun shining upon the window of an apartment would illuminate just so much
of that apartment as would be exposed to his direct rays
the remainder being
in darkness. But we find
on the contrary
that although that part of the room
upon which the sun directly shines is more brilliantly illuminated than the surrounding
parts
these latter are nevertheless strongly illuminated. In the social world
too
there are luminous centres. These are noble souls
who
being especially
blessed themselves
diffuse in every direction some of the blessings which they
have received. Were it not for them
and their power of spreading brightness
goodness
and joy
the world would be indeed rayless and cold. (Scientific
Illustrations.)
Secondary graces to be kept burning
On a dark stormy night
when the waves rolled like mountains
and
not a star was to be seen
a boat was rocking and plunging near the Cleveland
harbour. “Are you sure this is Cleveland?” asked the captain
seeing only one
light from the lighthouse. “Quite sure
sir
” replied the pilot. “Where are the
lower lights?” “Gone out
sir.” “Can you make the harbour?” “We must
or
perish
sir!” And with a strong hand and a brave heart the old pilot turned the
wheel. But
alas I in the darkness he missed the channel
and with a crash upon
the rocks the boat was shivered
and many a life lost in a watery grave.
Brethren
the Master will take care of the great lighthouse; let us keep the
lower lights burning!
Obligation to keep the light burning
It is one of the chief temptations of Christians
and not least of
those whose candlestick is the lofty one of the pulpit
to think unduly of
themselves. Our anxiety should be
not
What do you think of us? but
What do
you think of our message? Not
Do you esteem the light-holder? but
Do you walk
in the light? This truth has likewise its application
on the other hand
for
the pew. You go away
and ask
How did you like the sermon? but go home to-day
and ask yourselves
How did you like the truth? You may be ever so well pleased
with sermons
and be none the better; but
if you receive the truth
it will
save your soul; if you light your candle at the fire of God’s altar
it will
burn for ever. And while it shines for your own soul
it will shine through
your life
as through lantern
for the good of others also. Only “let your light
shine before men
” and they
“seeing your good works
will glorify your Father
in heaven.” Let it! It is its property to shine
if it gets fair treatment. It
is not a question of the numbers
or rank
or influence of those who shall see
it. Eyes or no eyes
you have to shine. The gentian fringes the mountain glacier with
its drapery of blue
though seldom a human eye may look upon it. The desert
melon smells with a refreshing draught for the wayfarer
though not a
human foot in half a century should pass that way. There God has placed it in
readiness. If you help to light to heaven and happiness the humblest of God’s
creatures
you have done a glorious work. The Admiralty order carries
with it a lesson to the believer. “Light the lamps every evening at
sunsetting
and keep them constantly burning
bright and clear
till
sunrising.” There are no qualifications and no exceptions. If
in the world’s
night
no lamp were dim
and no light kindled by God’s hand were shaded
it
were happier for sinning and suffering humanity. It is only here we have the
opportunity to shine in darkness. When the morning of the eternal day dawns
upon us
our light shall be swallowed up in the surpassing glory
that needs no
light from sun or moon. No bed or sofa is permitted in the watch-room of the
lighthouse. None must be tempted to slumber at a post of so much
responsibility. And
if such needful guarantees are taken for the safety of
those who navigate our seas
is there less need for earnestness and
watchfulness to remove peril from the way of those whose voyage must conduct
either to glory or to ruin? No slumberous hours
no unguarded moments for those
to whom the heavenly light has been entrusted. Nor must danger keep you back
from duty. I have read of the keeper of an island lighthouse whose provisions
were exhausted
whose frame was emaciated
and to whom the stormy sea for weeks
suffered no access or relief
nightly lighting his lamp with an almost dying
hand. Anything better than that no warning ray should stream across that perilous
channel (R. H. Lundie
M. A
)
Importance of a small light
Once I was down a coalmine. The man who received me was black and
grimy
but he had an honest heart
and his smile was like sunlight crossing the
grime. Down in the bowels of the mountain
dark and cheerless
I noticed his
little oil-lamp. I knew that there was a sun blazing away up in the solar
universe
but what was that? What concerned me down in the pit was the miner’s
little lamp
the wick so tiny
the oil so very scanty
the flicker of flame so
little noticed
yet it was more precious to me at that time than the blazing
sun. Oh believe me for effective work in the mass of a lost humanity
in the
blackness and darkness of this fallen world
I believe Christ prizes more the
little flicker of a humble Christian who will go and visit a sick one this
Sabbath afternoon
than the blazing sun of this public assembly. Oh
you can
cheer the heart of God by letting your light shine unnoticed by the world
but
be assured that He notices it. (John Robertson.)
The glory of an unobtrusive light
The light of a true spiritual life must shine more or less
conspicuously. From a gifted speaker or writer
it may stream out widely and
afar
like the gleam of a beacon flaming from a mountain top. From an unendowed
retiring
obscure disciple
it may be only as the light of a lamp
in a narrow room
noticed by few
yet not entirely lost to the view of men. A
charming writer
speaking of such a modest soul
says: A tiny flitting bird of
slight song may with careful scrutiny be seen twisting in and out of the
drooping fir tassels. Many would pass it unnoticed
but the observant eye will
detect the gleam of a gold circlet upon the tiny gold-crested wren. Thus men
will pass unregarding many a noiseless
retired worker for God in some sphere
of seclusion and shade. But they who watch and know will be aware at times of
the light of a saint’s glory encircling the modest head.”
Liberality and service viewed in the light of the sanctuary
Having read
in chapter 7.
the lengthened statement of the
princes’ liberality
we
in our wisdom
might suppose that the next thing in
order would be the consecration of the Levites
thus presenting
in unbroken
connection
“our persons and offerings.” But no. The Spirit of God causes the light
of the sanctuary to intervene
in order that we may learn in it the true object
of all liberality and service in the wilderness. Is there not lovely and moral
appropriateness in this? Why have we not the golden altar
with its cloud of
incense
here? Why not the pure table
with its twelve loaves? Because neither
of these would have the least moral connection with what goes before or what
follows after; but the golden candlestick stands connected with both
inasmuch
as it shows us that all liberality and all work must be viewed in the light of
the sanctuary
in order to ascertain its real worth. Those “seven lamps”
express the light of the Spirit in testimony. They were connected with the
beaten shaft of the candlestick which typifies Christ
who
in His Person and
work
is the foundation of the Spirit’s work in the Church. All depends upon
Christ. Every ray of light in the Church
in the individual believer
or in
Israel by and by
all flows from Christ. Nor is this all we learn from our
type. “The seven lamps shall give light over against the candlestick.” Were we
to clothe this figure in New Testament language
we should quote our Lord’s
words when He says to us
“Let your light so shine before men
” &c. (Matthew 5:16). Wherever the true light of
the Spirit shines it will always yield a clear testimony to Christ. It will
call attention not to itself
but to Him; and this is the way to glorify God.
This is a great practical truth for all Christians. The very finest evidence
which can be afforded of true spiritual work is that it tends directly to exalt
Christ. If attention be sought for the work or the workman
the light has
become dim
and the Minister of the sanctuary must use the snuffers. It was
Aaron’s province to light tile lamps; and he it was who trimmed them likewise.
In other words
the light which
as Christians
we are responsible to yield
is
not only founded upon Christ
but maintained by Him
from moment to moment
throughout the entire night. Apart from Him we can do nothing. (C. H.
Mackintosh.)
Verses 5-7
Take the Levites and cleanse them.
The Divine principle of cleansing
Here we have
in type
the only Divine principle of cleansing. It
is the application of death to nature and all its habits. It is the word of God
brought to bear upon the heart and conscience in a living way. Moses
as
representing the claims of God
cleanses the Levites according to those claims;
and they
being cleansed
are able to bring the sharp razor to bear upon all
that was the mere growth of nature
and to wash their garments
which
expresses
in typical form
the cleansing their habits according to the word of
God. This was God’s way of meeting all that appertained to Levi’s natural
state--the self-will
the fierceness
and the cruelty. The pure water and the
sharp razor were called into action--the washing and shaving had to go on
ere
Levi was fit to approach the vessels of the sanctuary. Thus it is in every case. There
is
there can be
no allowance of nature among God’s workers. There never was a
more fatal mistake than to attempt to enlist nature in the service of God. It
matters not how you may endeavour to improve or regulate it. It is not
improvement
but death that will avail. What is the meaning of the initiatory
act of Christianity--the act of baptism? Does it not set forth the blessed fact
that “our old man”--our fallen nature--is completely set aside
and that we are
introduced into an entirely new position? Truly so. And how do we use the
razor? By rigid self-judgment
day by day; by the stern disallowance of all
that is of nature’s growth. This is the true path for all God’s workers in the
wilderness. (C. H. Mackintosh.)
Verses 23-26
The Levites; from twenty and five years.
Service
I. The service God
demands of all levites.
1. Burden-bearing.
2. Singing.
3. Study of the law
“Search the Scriptures.”
4. Attendance on the ordinances of the sanctuary.
II. God demands the
service in our prime. “From twenty and five.”
III. God demands
this service when it can be most easily rendered. He suits the burden to the back.
All He asks is
that we shall do what we can. (R. A. Griffin.)
The Divine Master and His human servants
I. The necessity
of fitness for the divine service. In learning any handicraft or trade
years
are spent under instructors; for the practice of law or medicine men must have
special training; and is it not important that they who engage in religious
services should be qualified for such services?
II. The variety of
employment in the divine service.
1. An encouragement to persons of feeble powers and narrow
opportunities to try to do good.
2. A rebuke to those who plead inability as an excuse for their
indolence in religious service.
III. The care of the
great master for his servants. Conclusion. This subject supplies--
1. Encouragement to enter into this service. “Come thou with us
”
&c.
2. Encouragement to persevere in this service. A glorious reward
awaits those who patiently continue in well-doing. (W. Jones.)
Age and youth in relation to service
1. They were to enter upon the service at twenty-five years old (Numbers 8:24). They were not charged with
the carrying of the tabernacle and the utensils of it till they were thirty
years old (Numbers 4:3). But they were entered to be
otherwise serviceable at twenty-five years old--a very good age for ministers
to begin their public work. The work then required that strength of body
and
the work now requires that maturity of judgment and staidness of behaviour
which men rarely arrive at till about that age : and novices are in danger of being
lifted up with pride.
2. They were to have a writ of ease at fifty years old; then they
were to return from the warfare
as the phrase is (Numbers 8:25)
not cashiered with
disgrace--but preferred rather to the rest
which their age required
to be loaded
with the honours of their office
as hitherto they had been with the burdens of
it. They shall minister with their brethren in the tabernacle
to direct the junior Levites
and
set them in; and they shall
keep the charge
as guards upon the avenues of the tabernacle
to see that no
stranger intruded
nor any person in his uncleanness; but they shall not be put
upon any service which may be a fatigue to them. If God’s grace provide that
men shall have ability according to their work
man’s prudence should take care
that men have work but according to their ability. The aged are most fit for
truths
and to keep the charge; the younger are most fit for work
and to do
the service. “Those that have used the office of a servant well
purchase to
themselves a good degree” (1 Timothy 3:13). Yet indeed gifts
are not tied to ages (Job 32:9)
but “all these worketh that one and the self-same
Spirit.” (Matthew Henry
D. D.)
──《The Biblical Illustrator》