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Meditative Reflection
A Time to Serve

“This applies to the Levites: Men twenty-five years old or more shall come to take part in the work at the Tent of Meeting, but at the age of fifty, they must retire from their regular service and work no longer.” (Num. 8:24-25 )

It is truly puzzling why, within the span of 5 chapters (4:3 & 8:23), two different entrance age limits for serving are set for the Levites. While scholars have varying opinions as the probably reasons, I have to admire the scribes of old who stuck to copying the exact words of their manuscripts and did not seek to change it on their own so as to “harmonize” the Holy Scriptures.

Early rabbis opine that the two age limits had no contradiction in that it implies five years of apprenticeship, that is the young Levites were allowed to begin to serve at age twenty-five (8:23), but would only gain full status by age thirty (4:3).

Some discern that the first limit is imposed as a long-term rule applicable beyond the Tabernacle era. Thus, when the Tabernacle era gave way to the temple era, the need for moving did not exist, and thus it did not need too many young Levites to serve, and so the thirty years old rule kicked in, while during the Tabernacle era, they needed more young ones to help move the tent, hence the temporary reduction of the entrance age to twenty five.

Timothy Ashley gives an additional insightful opinion: “Perhaps, the Nadab and Abihu incident recorded in Leviticus 10:1-20 caused the Levitical minimum serving age to be raised. Though the age of Nadab and Abihu at their deaths is not known, this incident had to have occurred after the tabernacle was set up and before the departure from Sinai, or within a fifty-day period. This terrible event might well have caused the age limit to be raised more fully to insure against an immature individual assuming the (at least potentially) dangerous role of the Levite” (NICOT, Numbers, 176).

However, I think it is far less important for us to speculate about the reason for the variations of the entrance age limit than to understand the setting of the retirement age limit. Even in such a sacred ministry, nobody is indispensable. The older ones should train up their successors and learn to let go. However, letting go does not mean that we can no longer serve, just that we should let go of our leadership role so that just as the retired Levites, we “may assist their brothers in performing their duties at the Tent of Meeting, but they themselves must not do the work.” (8:26). I have to say this is pretty good advice to heed!

Meditative Reflection
Familiarity Breeds Contempt

“At the Lord’s command the Israelites set out, and at His command they encamped. As long as the cloud stayed over the tabernacle, they remained in camp.” (Num. 9:18)

I always read with envy how the Israelites experienced the daily miracle of seeing the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night hovering over the Tent of Meeting, as a direct indication from the Lord of both His presence and His guidance. At the same time, I read with bewilderment how these Israelites dared to complain, rebel and turn away from God in the presence of this daily miracle!

However, since this “miracle” of a pillar of cloud by day, and a pillar of fire by night was something that they saw every day for 38 years in the wilderness, given time, most, if not all, of them would tend to take it for granted. Some skeptics might even begin to discount it as a “natural” phenomenon.

Isn’t that the case with the rainbow! The early descendants of Noah might look at the rainbow and be vividly reminded of the sins of their former generation, the horrible judgment of God and the gracious promise of God through the appearance of the rainbow after a storm. However, as this became a “natural" phenomenon, I am sure it had lost its “miraculous” power as a reminder in the succeeding generations, not to mention ours, especially with our enlightened, scientific minds.

It is also the case with the many miracles we have come to take for granted every day; the breath we still have as we wake up every morning; the return of the morning after a night of darkness; our ability to see, to hear, to speak, to eat and to excrete; and the presence of God in our lives evidenced by His protection, His peace and His answers to our prayers. Our problem always lies in the truth of this adage, “Familiarity breeds contempt”!

Meditative Reflection
Inadequacy of Human Leadership

“Whenever the ark set out, Moses said, ‘Rise up, Lord! May your enemies be scattered; may your foes flee before you.’ Whenever it came to rest, he said, ‘Return, Lord, to the countless thousands of Israel.’” (Num. 10:35-36)

As much as the people had gradually come to accept Moses’ leadership and the Lord had revealed His miraculous power through Moses time and again, deep in Moses’ heart, he knew that he was totally inadequate in leading Gods’ people into the Promised Land. He knew that only God and God alone could give them victory. This was clearly revealed in his prayers, likely prayed aloud before the entire assembly of the people every time they set out and every time they came to rest, even in the presence of the ark and the pillar of cloud.

Calvin has additional insights concerning the prayers of Moses:

“Since their journey was by no means a peaceful one, but the attack of enemies was constantly to be dreaded, it was needful to beseech God that He would go forth as if prepared for battle. Thus, too, did Moses support their courage, lest any more immediate cause for terror should render them sluggish and inert. It is, then, as if he had prayed thus: O Lord, not only shew us the way, but open it to us also by the power of Thy hand in the destruction of the enemies. He calls them not the enemies of the people but of God, in order that the Israelites might be assured that they fought under His auspices; for thus might both a more certain victory be expected, since the righteous God, who avenges iniquity, was defending His own cause; and also, it was no slight matter of consolation and rejoicing, when the people heard, that whosoever should arise to harass them unjustly were also the enemies of God, since He will protect His people as the apple of His eye. Therefore has the Prophet borrowed this passage, in order to arm the Church with confidence, and to maintain it in cheerfulness under the violent assaults of its enemies. (Ps.107:1) Further, the analogy and similitude between the visible sign, and the thing signified, must be observed; for Moses was not so foolish as to address the Ark in these words; he only asked God to prove effectually that the Ark was a lively image of His power and glory.

By thus praying he also exhorts the people to be patient, lest the weariness which arose from the delay should beget indignation. Otherwise it would have been annoying that the time of their journeying should be protracted, so that they would arrive the later at their rest. And we see, indeed, how their minds were exasperated, as if a slower progress was a kind of disappointment. In order, therefore, to correct this impatience, Moses reminds them that their halts were advantageous to them, so that God, dwelling at home like the father of a family, might manifest His care of them; for the allusion is to men who take advantage of a time of repose and release from other business, to occupy themselves more unrestrainedly in paying attention to their own family.” (Calvin’s Commentaries, Vol. III, 13-14)

Meditative Reflection
Forsaking the Heavenly

“But now we have lost our appetite; we never see anything but this manna!” (Num. 11:6)

It is so easy for us to chastise the Israelites for forsaking the heavenly manna and wanting to return to the slavery of Egypt just for the sake of the fish, the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions and garlic! (Num. 11:6) In reality, are we really that different?

As born-again Christians, we have certainly tasted of the heavenly manna, Jesus Christ Himself who dwells within our heart and continues to feed us with His heavenly word, and yet, how often we yearn to taste of the sins that used to enslave us. Let’s heed the advice of Augustine:

“Do we not see how the Israelites got to their own hurt what their guilty lusting craved? For while it was raining manna on them from heaven, they desired to have flesh to eat. They disdained what they had, and shamelessly sought what they had not: as if it were not better for them to have asked not to have their unbecoming desires gratified with the food that was wanting, but to have their own dislike removed, and be made themselves to receive aright the food that was provided. For when evil becomes our delight, and what is good the reverse, we ought to be entreating God rather to win us back to the love of the good, than to grant us the evil. Not that it is wrong to eat the flesh, for the apostle, speaking of this very thing, says, ‘Every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused which is received with thanksgiving;’ but because, as he also says, ‘It is evil for that man who eateth with offense;’ and if so, with offense to man, how much more so if to God? To whom it was not light offense, on the part of the Israelites to reject what wisdom was supplying, and ask for that which lust was craving; although they would not actually make the request, but murmured because it was wanting. But to let us know that the wrong lies not with any creature of God, but with obstinate disobedience and inordinate desire, it was not in swine’s flesh the first man found death, but in an apple; and it was not for a fowl, but for a dish of pottage that Esau lost his birthright.” (NPF, 7, 331-332)

Meditative Reflection
The Humility of Moses

“But Moses replied, ‘Are you jealous for my sake? I wish that all the Lord’s people were prophets and that the Lord would put his Spirit on them!’” (Num. 11:29)

I was totally surprised by the humility of Moses that he demonstrated at this major rebellion of the people at Kiborth Hattaavah, the place they likely encamped after only a three-day journey.

The people just observed their first Passover outside of Egypt on the 14^th day of the first month, and now on the 20^th day they embarked on their first journey toward the Promised Land in a very orderly fashion that must have been quite a spectacle! Not only were they led by the ark in front of them, the miraculous pillar of cloud was guiding the journey. And yet, the hardship of the journey in the arid and hot wilderness was too much for them. Perhaps, they did not really focus on their hardship, after all they were not just on a journey, they were on a mission to inherit God’s promise, not just of land but of becoming a holy nation, a kingdom of priests and a treasured people of God (Exod. 19: 5-6).

But they were stirred up by the “rabble”, the mixed multitude that likely were not of Jewish descent (Exod. 12:38) who were simply happy to be free from the yoke of Egypt but had no sense of mission or fear of the Lord. Still, the people could not have any excuse for their complaint which expressed their regret for having left Egypt (Num. 11:20). These were ungrateful and rebellious people without a sense of pride and dignity, wanting to remain as slaves, rather than a glorious people of God, simply because of a temporary sacrifice of ease and comfort!

The immediate ranting of Moses before the Lord might appear to be rash and disrespectful (Num. 11:10-15). The asking to die was certainly very immature of Moses. But God was equally frustrated by the people, and so He understood how Moses felt, although I am sure, God was hoping that Moses would identify or even empathize with His feeling — this is what God desires from His servants. But at this stage, Moses still had much to learn as a leader and a friend of God. Instead, God saw the need to lighten Moses’ burden — the leading of these rebellious people was indeed too much for one person to bear, and so He decided to allow 70 leaders to share his burden, and rested His Spirit also on them.

I am not sure this was what Moses expected, but it was certainly not what his assistant, young Joshua expected (Num. 11:28) as he got jealous that these leaders could share the Spirit of God with Moses. But Moses clearly demonstrated that he never coveted power and privilege as he told Joshua, “Are you jealous for my sake? I wish that all the Lord’s people were prophets and that the Lord would put his Spirit on them!” (Num. 11:29)

At the reading of these words, I understand why, in spite of Moses’ seemingly disrespectful words to the Lord, the Lord never got angry, because He knew the heart of Moses as testified later in Numbers 12:3 that “Moses was a very humble man, more humble than anyone else on the face of the earth.”

Meditative Reflection
The Pride of Ministry

“Has the Lord spoken only through Moses?” they asked. “Hasn’t he also spoken through us?” (Num. 12:2)

“This relation is especially worthy of observation for many reasons. If Aaron and Miriam had always quietly and cordially supported the honor of their brother, and had not been carried away by perverse and ungodly jealousy, their harmony, however holy it was, would have been perverted by the injustice of many, and alleged against them as a deceitful and insidious conspiracy. It came to pass, then, in the wonderful providence of God, that his own brother and sister set on foot a contention with respect to the supremacy, and endeavored to degrade Moses from the position in which God had placed him: for thus all suspicion of family favor was removed, and it was clearly shewn that Moses, being opposed by his own belongings, was sustained by the power of God alone. At the same time it may be perceived how natural is ambition to the minds of almost all men, and also how blind and furious is the lust of dominion. Aaron and Miriam contend with their own brother for the supremacy; and yet they had received the most abundant proofs, that he, whom they desire to overthrow, had been elevated by the hand of God, and was thus maintained in his position. For Moses had arrogated nothing to himself; and, therefore, it was not allowable that man should attempt to undermine the dignity of that high office, which God had conferred upon him. Besides, God had ennobled their own house and name in the person of Moses, and out of favor to him they had also been endued with peculiar gifts of their own. For by what right had Miriam obtained the gift of prophecy, except for the fuller ratification of her brother's power? But the arrogance and ingratitude of Aaron was still more disgraceful. He had been by his brother associated with himself: Moses had allowed the high-priesthood to be transferred to him and his descendants, and thus had placed his own in subjection to them. What, thou, was there for Aaron to begrudge his brother; when so exalted a dignity was vested in his own sons, whilst all the race of Moses was degraded? Still he was so blinded as to deem the honor of his brother a reproach to himself; at any rate, he could not endure to be second to him in dignity, although he was his superior in right of the priesthood. By this example, then, we are taught how anxiously we should beware of so baneful a plague (as ambition).

The wicked brother in the tragic Poet says: ‘For, if injustice must at all be done, ‘Tis best to do it for dominion;’ that, under this pretext, he might through treachery and murder proceed against his own blood with impunity. Now, although we all hold this sentiment in detestation, still it plainly shews that, when the lust for rule takes possession of men’s hearts, not only do they abandon the love of justice, but that humanity becomes altogether extinct in them, since brothers thus contend with each other, and rage, as it were, against their own bowels. Indeed it is astonishing that, when this vice has been so often and so severely condemned in the opinion of all ages, the human race has not been ever freed from it; nay, that the Church of God has always been infested by this disease, than which none is worse: for ambition has been, and still is, the mother of all errors, of all disturbances and sects. Since Aaron and his sister were infected by it, how easily may it overspread the multitude!” (Calvin’s Commentaries, VIII, 42)

Meditative Reflection
Genuine Faith

“But the people who live there are powerful…We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it.” (Num. 13:28, 30)

We might wonder why the Lord commanded Moses to send spies, twelve spies to be exact, to explore the land that He had already promised to give them. Shouldn’t they just march in by faith and take the land?

What the Lord did here was not only sensible and practical, it is consistent with the kind of faith He desires in His children.

(1) It is sensible: it was true that the sending of twelve spies might appear to be too large a contingent which could be quite conspicuous and would attract attention easily. However, what God desires from His people is unity. He desires that it would not only be because Moses commanded them to, but that they would on their own volition, participate in the battle as a united people, hence 12 spies representing all twelve tribes;

(2) It is practical: This was not a one-time battle, but a prolonged battle. As a result, it required the exercise of wisdom to plan battle strategies, knowing where the strongholds might be and where their weakest points were. The dependence on God for victory does not mean we need to empty our brain — our wisdom does come from God. The carrying back of local produce or fruit was also aimed to affirm that God’s choice was good indeed;

(3) It is genuine faith: God never asks us of “blind faith”. Genuine faith comes from a full recognition of the upsides and downsides of our situation which lead to a conscious commitment to trust in God for the result. This is the kind of faith that Jesus asks of His disciples as well before committing to follow Him — to count the cost of discipleship first. (Lk. 14: 25-35)

It is important to note that Caleb never disputed the negative report of the other spies; he recognized that the foes were formidable, only that our God is much greater and thus, “we can certainly do it” (Num. 13:30). This is genuine faith!