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The Levites were not priests directly but were the serving ones of the priesthood (vv. 9, 12, 17):
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In the priesthood, the ministry of the priests, there were many business affairs that required the service of the Levites (vv. 25-37).
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The service of the Levites was to take care of the Tent of Meeting—the Tabernacle of the Testimony—which is a type of Christ and the church (18:1-4, 6):
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In taking care of the tabernacle and its contents, the Levites did not serve God directly; rather, they served the priesthood and the priests, who served God directly (3:9, 12, 17).
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The priests were to keep the charge of the sanctuary and the altar, and the Levites served under the priests in caring for the sanctuary and the altar (18:5-6).
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The Tabernacle of the Testimony with all its furnishings and the altar, to which the priests ministered, are types of Christ in all His rich aspects, whom the New Testament believers minister to others (3:25-26, 31, 36-37; Eph. 3:8; 2 Cor. 3:3; 1 Tim. 4:6):
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The altar, signifying the cross (Heb. 13:10), refers to Christ's redemption, and the tabernacle refers to Christ as the embodiment of God (Col. 2:9), through whom God dwells among men (John 1:14) and through whom men can enter into God to enjoy all that He is (14:2, 6, 20).
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The ministry of the priests and the Levites always supplies people with the riches of Christ (Eph. 3:8):
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To minister is to serve, and to serve is to supply people by ministering to them (2 Cor. 4:1; 3:3, 6, 8; 1 Pet. 4:10-11).
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The New Testament believers serve others the cross of Christ for redemption (1 Cor. 1:23; 2:2) and the riches of Christ for the life supply (Eph. 3:8; Col. 1:27-28).
Morning Nourishment
2 Cor. 3:6 Who has also made us sufficient as ministers of a new covenant, ministers not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.Eph. 3:8 To me, less than the least of all saints, was this grace given to announce to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ as the gospel.
The Levites were not priests directly but were the serving ones of the priesthood. This means that they served the priesthood. In the priesthood, or in the ministry of the priests, there were many business affairs that required the service of the Levites. The Levites, therefore, were a tribe separated to these business affairs. As such a separated tribe, the Levites were not given a portion of the good land. However, God ordained that cities with their suburbs should be given to them. (Life-study of Numbers, p. 329)
Today's Reading
The service of the Levites was to take care of the Tent of Meeting, the Tabernacle of the Testimony, which is a type of Christ and the church (Num. 18:1a, 2a, 3-4, 6). In taking care of the tabernacle and its contents, the Levites did not serve God directly; rather, they served the priesthood and the priests, who served God directly.The Levites were a gift to Aaron and his sons, a gift that had been given to God (v. 6b). God wanted all the firstborn of the children of Israel to do the service. Eventually, God used the Levites to replace them. The children of Israel gave their firstborn to God as a gift, and these were replaced by the Levites. God then gave the Levites, who had been given to Him, as a gift to the priests.
The Levites were to join Aaron and his sons and minister to them. For the Levites to minister to the priests meant that they served the priests.
In English the word priesthood is sometimes used to denote a body of priests, that is, a number of priests who have been grouped together. This word is also used to denote the service of the priests, and this is mainly the meaning here in Numbers 18.
The priests were to keep the charge of the sanctuary, the tabernacle, and of the altar (v. 5). The whole tabernacle was the sanctuary. In the Bible the word sanctuary is used in a very ambiguous way; it may refer to the Holy Place, to the Holy of Holies, or to both. The sanctuary typifies Christ and also the church. The altar, which was outside the sanctuary, signifies the cross of Christ. Therefore, the sanctuary and the altar typify Christ with the church and His cross.
The Levites served under the priests in caring for the sanctuary and the altar. For instance, when the children of Israel were commanded to move, the Levites packed and carried the tabernacle and all its furnishings. When the people arrived at a particular place, the Levites set up the tabernacle and everything related to it.
"I give you the priesthood as a service of gift" (v. 7b). The priesthood, as the highest service rendered by God's people to God, was a great gift given by God to Aaron and his sons. This was the reason Korah was ambitious to seek it (16:10).
The Tabernacle of the Testimony with all its furnishings and the altar, to which the priests minister, are types of Christ in all His rich aspects, whom the New Testament believers minister. The tabernacle is the tent, and the altar, located in the outer court, is where the sacrifices were offered to God. The altar refers to Christ's redemption, and the tabernacle refers to Christ as the embodiment of God, through whom God dwells among men and through whom men can enter into God to enjoy all that He is.
To minister is to serve, and to serve is to supply people by ministering to them, just as a waiter supplies people with food. The ministry of the priests and the Levites always supplies people with the riches of Christ. The cross of Christ is for redemption, and the riches of Christ are for supply. Today we, the New Testament believers, serve others with the cross of Christ for redemption and the riches of Christ for the life supply. (Life-study of Numbers, pp. 189-190, 25-26)
Further Reading: Life-study of Numbers, msg. 4; Truth Lessons—Level Three, vol. 2, lsns. 21-22