Title: What are the duties entrusted to the Tribe of Levi? (2)
The tribe of Levi is also known as the tribe of priests, the tribe of elders, and the tribe of firstborn. Since we are called to become royal priesthood and desire to become the firstborn of God, we can learn from the tribe of Levi by studying what duties were entrusted to them.
3. To be in charge of measures of volume and size
1 Chronicles 23:29 and with the showbread, and the fine flour for a grain offering, and unleavened wafers, or what is baked in the pan or what is well-mixed, and all measures of volume and size.
When we buy things like fabric we need a ruler to measure. Also when we buy things like rice or grain we need a scale to measure how much we are buying. These measuring instruments were kept in the temple. The Levi not only take care of these measuring instruments, in the case that the hawkers are unlawful and deceiving in measures, the Levi will take these measuring instruments to the market to measure and compare. The measuring instruments from the temple will be used as the standard. Thus anything not in line are found as fake or counterfeit or deceiving. These are the duties of the Levi, to provide a standard to the people.
What is the standard and measure we have?
That is the Bible. During one of the world church council, the Bible was canonized. Canonizing means to be fully authorized and to be made as the standard. Thus, the Bible we have is used as the standard for Christians.
Sometimes, people say that they are Christian, but they still following the worldly lifestyle. Sometimes, people say that ‘this is the Word of God’ and yes it sounds very gracious and encouraging, but it is not from the Bible. To such people, we have to present the standard, the Word of God that is in the Bible. We have to keep learning and teaching the Word of God. Until when? Until when we are completely adapting the understanding of the bible.
Spiritually speaking, there is another measure that tells us what is right and what is wrong: that is conscience. We learned that conscience is not ours but God’s because it keeps rebuking us against our will. No matter how dirty this world becomes, no matter how many people live with dead conscience, we Christians must live with and follow our conscience, and should be able to keep what is right, what is moral, what is righteous and what is the way of God.
4. To thank and praise the Lord
When the Israelites formed up a choir, they were chosen especially from the elders and leaders. They did not praise God in a business mind but in a true thankful mind (1 Chronicles 23:30). Physically speaking, if we are the tribe of Levi, we are to join the worship team or choir and serve Him with our thankful praise and worship.
The duty of choir is to praise His holy name and glorify Him. There are a few Hebrew words that translate to praise. The first is ‘Parak’ and it means ‘to make a petition’ and the second is ‘MeKaruno’ and it means ‘to give glory’. Therefore, it is more important what kind of faith, heart, attitude a person sings praise rather than how musically wonderful and perfect it is.
Please believe that praise in faith is more powerful than a nuclear warhead. Do not lose your focus or be disturbed while praising God but by faith sing a praise to God and sing daily to God.
5. To guard the entrance
Ushering is also the duty of the Levites. Ushers guide people (especially new comers) to their seats and they also keep the church from unclean people (2 Chronicles 23:19).
2 Chronicles 19:1-2 Then Jehoshaphat the king of Judah returned in safety to his house in Jerusalem. 2 Jehu the son of Hanani the seer went out to meet him and said to King Jehoshaphat, “Should you help the wicked and love those who hate the Lord and so bring wrath on yourself from the Lord?’
We have to love whom God loves and hate whom God hates. If we do the other way around, then God’s wrath will be upon us. Remember these are the things and these are the people whom we should keep our church away from.
Spiritually speaking there are heresy and wrong spirit. We are talking about our spiritual temple. If something is of wrong spirit I will not listen to you anymore. Do not open your ears, do not open your mind if it is of the wrong spirit.
A church should have friends or world around to protect what is inside. The first church is the garden of Eden.
Conclusion:
The tribe of Levi is the tribe who returned to God
The Levites dedicated themselves to God by obeying the Word of God till the end no matter how impossible and unreasonable it was. That became the dedication to God because they serve the Word of God (Exodus 32:25-29).
Returning to the Lord means to return to the Word of God. To return to the Word of God means to serve the Word of God by obeying completely. The Levites were chosen to serve and work as the tribe of the firstborns because they dedicated themselves completely to the Word of God. Today, we also have to dedicate ourselves completely to the Word of God to become the firstborns.
The Lord's Covenant Church Malaysia 