Numbers 8; Light and Living Sacrifices

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2025 11/02 Numbers 8; Light and Living Sacrifices; Audio available at: http://www.ephraimbible.org/Sermons/20251102_numbers-8.mp3

God Has Spoken

In Exodus 25 God said:

Exodus 25:22 There I will meet with you, and from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim that are on the ark of the testimony, I will speak with you about all that I will give you in commandment for the people of Israel.

After the dedication of the tabernacle, at the end of Numbers 7 we see this fulfilled;

Numbers 7:89 And when Moses went into the tent of meeting to speak with the LORD, he heard the voice speaking to him from above the mercy seat that was on the ark of the testimony, from between the two cherubim; and it spoke to him.

Notice, Moses went in to speak with YHWH, and he probably had plenty to say, but we are told that ‘he heard the voice speaking to him.’ When you spend time with God, be careful not to do all the talking. Take time to listen.

Praise God, we have a speaking God; a God who has spoken through his apostles and prophets, who breathed out his very words, and it is written, so that we are able at any time to read and recall his authoritative voice (2Pet.1:12-15). He has has in these last days spoken to us in his Son (Heb.1:1-3).

Lampstand and Levites

In Numbers 8 we have two main subjects; verses 1-4 address the lampstand in the tabernacle, and how it is to be focused. The rest of the chapter deals with the Levites, their physical (5-7) and spiritual (8-13) cleansing, their being set apart and offered to the Lord as substitutes for the firstborn (14-19) and the age of their service (23-26).

Detailed instructions for the construction of the 75lb solid gold lampstand were given in Exodus 25:31-40. It was to resemble a tree of light, fashioned with stem, branches, buds, blossoms and flowers. Here in Numbers 8 we are given a detail on how the light was to be focused in the tabernacle.

Numbers 8:1 Now the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Speak to Aaron and say to him, When you set up the lamps, the seven lamps shall give light in front of the lampstand.” 3 And Aaron did so: he set up its lamps in front of the lampstand, as the LORD commanded Moses. 4 And this was the workmanship of the lampstand, hammered work of gold. From its base to its flowers, it was hammered work; according to the pattern that the LORD had shown Moses, so he made the lampstand.

We know from the arrangement of the tabernacle furniture given in Exodus 26:35 that the lampstand was placed on the south side of the holy place, to the left as a priest would enter through the first curtain; the table of incense straight ahead to the west, just outside the curtain which blocked the Holiest place, and the table for the bread of the presence to the right, on the north side. The tabernacle was constructed of multiple layers of heavy fabrics and skins, so the seven lamps would illumine the dark tent, and the light focused to give light in front of the lampstand would shine from the south side to the north side, toward the table of the bread of the presence, a gold plated table piled high with 12 large loaves of fresh bread, a reminder that in the presence of YHWH there is abundance. 12 loaves, a reminder in God’s presence of the 12 tribes of Israel.

Lights and Levites; what do these have to do with each other? Are these just random historical bits haphazardly tossed together? Or is there something more? Here’s what one commentary had to say:

“One may wonder, Is there a possible connection intended in the materials of this chapter between the proper positioning of the lamps within the tabernacle and the Levites outside in the camp? May one suggest that as the lamps were to be properly focused on the bread of the Presence, so the Levites were to have their proper stance within the community as well? Lamps that were not properly focused gave poorly diffused light; God’s intent was illumination. Levites that were not properly stanced within the community would give a diffused picture; God’s intention was that the nation understand who the Levites were and what they presented of the nature of God.” [ExpBC; RB Allen]“

This too connects us back to the blessing pronounced on God’s people in Numbers 6:22-27, where God blesses us by shining the light of his face on his people. In the holy place, there was always light shining on the 12 loaves made from the offerings of God’s people, and the Levites were to be between God and the people guarding the holy presence of God, and protecting the people from God’s wrath, so that God’s face would shine on them with favor.

Physical Cleansing

Numbers 8:5 And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 6 “Take the Levites from among the people of Israel and cleanse them. 7 Thus you shall do to them to cleanse them: sprinkle the water of purification upon them, and let them go with a razor over all their body, and wash their clothes and cleanse themselves.

The Levites were cleansed physically. Clean body, clean clothes, hair shaved.

Spiritual Cleansing; Atonement

Numbers 8:8 Then let them take a bull from the herd and its grain offering of fine flour mixed with oil, and you shall take another bull from the herd for a sin offering. 9 And you shall bring the Levites before the tent of meeting and assemble the whole congregation of the people of Israel. 10 When you bring the Levites before the LORD, the people of Israel shall lay their hands on the Levites, 11 and Aaron shall offer the Levites before the LORD as a wave offering from the people of Israel, that they may do the service of the LORD. 12 Then the Levites shall lay their hands on the heads of the bulls, and you shall offer the one for a sin offering and the other for a burnt offering to the LORD to make atonement for the Levites. 13 And you shall set the Levites before Aaron and his sons, and shall offer them as a wave offering to the LORD.
Atonement and Propitiation (Mercy Seat)

The Levites were cleansed physically and they needed also to be cleansed spiritually. The word translated ‘atonement’ is the Hebrew word [כָּפַר] kaphar (kaw-far’); a verb that means to cover; the noun [כַּפֹּרֶת] kapporeth (kap-po’-reth), derived from this verb is the word that describes the cover for the ark of the covenant or mercy seat. When we look at the construction of the ark, which was a gold-plated box containing the tablets of the covenant, the mercy seat or atonement cover was literally a cover or lid for this ark or box. It was on this lid that the high priest once a year brought sacrificial blood to cover the sins of himself and the people and splattered it on this cover. The Lord promised to speak from the space above this atonement cover, from between the angelic guardian cherubim that adorned this atonement cover. So when the Lord looked down on the covenant agreement, which we are unable to keep, he would see his broken law covered with a gold lid splattered with sacrificial blood. The consequence our rebellion deserves is death, and the blood said that a death had occurred that covered the sins of the people. This is what atonement means; that our sins are covered.

The Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Old Testament, links the vocabulary of the Hebrew Old Testament with the Greek that the New Testament was written in. In the LXX the Hebrew word for ‘atonement cover’ is translated by [ἱλαστήριον] ‘hilasterion,’ a Greek word that pointed to a god being appeased by sacrifice and made propitious or favorable to the offerer. This word is used in Hebrews 9:5 of the atonement cover or mercy seat. In Romans 3:35 it is translated ‘propitiation’

Romans 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins.

The righteous Father put his only Son Jesus forward as an atonement cover, a mercy seat, by his blood. Hebrews makes the point that while the blood of bulls and goats could never take away sin, and that the sacrifices had to be made for both unclean priest and people, and had to be offered again and again, the blood of Jesus, our perfect and sinless High Priest, offered once for all fully satisfied for all time all the righteous requirements of the Holy God, and makes God propitious or favorable toward us. Jesus is the atonement cover; Jesus is the mercy seat, so that when the Father looks down on his violated commands, he sees it covered not with a cover of gold splattered with blood, but with his own perfect spotless Son, the Lamb of God who takes away sin.

Laying Hands to Transfer Guilt and Identify With

Back in Number 8, if we look at verse 12, the Levites pressed their hands onto the head of the bulls, symbolically imparting their guilt to the animals (cf. Lev.16:21-22), who are then offered in sacrifice to make atonement for them. So in verse 10, where the whole congregation of the people lay their hands on the Levites, they are identifying with the Levites and symbolically transferring their guilt to the Levites. The Levites take the place of the people before the Lord like the animals take the place of the Levites in sacrifice to the Lord.

But the Levites are a living sacrifice. They were not killed as a substitute; the bulls died in their place. They lived a life of service to the Lord in place of the whole congregation.

Wave Offering; Living Sacrifices

Verse 11 tells us “Aaron shall offer the Levites before the LORD as a wave offering from the people of Israel, that they may do the service of the LORD.” The wave offering is a symbolic way to offer something to the Lord. A portion of the grain or meat offering was waved or lifted up to present it as a gift to the Lord, who in turn gave it back as a portion for the priests to eat (Lev.10:12-15). This is the only place we see people offered as an offering to the Lord. The Levites are offered to YHWH from all the people. They are given to the priests, to Aaron and his sons to do the service of the Lord.

Numbers 8:14 “Thus you shall separate the Levites from among the people of Israel, and the Levites shall be mine. 15 And after that the Levites shall go in to serve at the tent of meeting, when you have cleansed them and offered them as a wave offering. 16 For they are wholly given to me from among the people of Israel. Instead of all who open the womb, the firstborn of all the people of Israel, I have taken them for myself. 17 For all the firstborn among the people of Israel are mine, both of man and of beast. On the day that I struck down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt I consecrated them for myself, 18 and I have taken the Levites instead of all the firstborn among the people of Israel. 19 And I have given the Levites as a gift to Aaron and his sons from among the people of Israel, to do the service for the people of Israel at the tent of meeting and to make atonement for the people of Israel, that there may be no plague among the people of Israel when the people of Israel come near the sanctuary.”

Numbers 3 told us that ‘you shall give the Levites to Aaron and his sons; they are wholly given to him from among the people of Israel. …instead of every firstborn’ (3:9,12). Here in Numbers 8 we see how the Levites were given; purified and offered as a wave offering before YHWH. Verses 20-22 tell us that they obeyed; they did everything the Lord commanded them to do. They were living sacrifices set apart to offer acceptable service to the Lord.

The New Testament book of Romans, after unfolding the good news of God’s righteousness given as a gift to sinners who trust in the propitiation and righteousness of Jesus Christ, in chapter 12 says:

Romans 12:1 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. 3 For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.

Therefore, because you have been cleansed by the blood of Jesus, purified, counted as righteous through faith in Christ, because you have received mercy; therefore present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God.

You, Christian believer, are to be a living sacrifice. You, follower of the Light of the world (Jn.8:12), are to be ‘blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast to the word of life’ (Phil.2:14-16). You, church,

Matthew 5:14 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

Older Men Mentor the Younger

Numbers 8 concludes with a word about the ages for service of the Levites. The heavy lifting in the service of the tabernacle is to be done by those 25 years up to 50 years old. 50 and older can continue to minister alongside their brothers, but not in the heavy labor. It is interesting that Numbers 4 took a census of those from 30 years up to 50 years who could do the word of the tabernacle. Likely those first five years were being mentored under the older men, receiving instruction, oversight, wisdom and encouragement.

1 Peter 5:1 So I exhort the elders among you… 2 shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight… 3 not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock. 4 And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory. 5 Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

Church, followers of Jesus, let your light shine to the glory of God. Present your bodies as living sacrifices made acceptable through Jesus. Make disciples and mentor others in their walk with Jesus.

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Pastor Rodney Zedicher ~ Ephraim Church of the Bible ~ www.ephraimbible.org

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