February 6, Numbers 3:14-3:51, God's Chosen!

God has a detailed plan for each of us! We are numbered! 

^"7 But [even] the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not be struck with fear or seized with alarm; you are of greater worth than many [flocks] of sparrows." (Luke 12:7)

^"14 And the Lord said to Moses in the Wilderness of Sinai,

¹⁵ Number the sons of Levi by their fathers’ houses and by families. Every male from a month old and upward you shall number.

¹⁶ So Moses numbered them as he was commanded by the word of the Lord."

"There was much work belonging to the priests' office, and there were now only Aaron and his two sons to do it; God appoints the Levites to attend them. Those whom God finds work for, he will find help for. The Levites were taken instead of the first-born. When He that made us, saves us, as the first-born of Israel were saved, we are laid under further obligations to serve him faithfully. God's right to us by redemption, confirms the right he has to us by creation." (Numbers 3:14-39 Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary)

⁴⁴ And the Lord said to Moses,

⁴⁵ Take the Levites [for Me] instead of all the firstborn Israelites, and the Levites’ cattle instead of their cattle; and the Levites shall be Mine. I am the Lord.

⁴⁶ And for those 273 who are to be redeemed of the firstborn of the Israelites who outnumber the Levites,

⁴⁷ You shall take five shekels apiece, reckoning by the sanctuary shekel of twenty gerahs; you shall collect them,

⁴⁸ And you shall give the ransom silver from the excess number [over the Levites] to be redeemed to Aaron and his sons.

⁴⁹ So Moses took the redemption money from those who were left over from the number who were redeemed by the Levites.

"The Levites were in three classes, according to the sons of Levi; Gershon, Kohath, and Merari; and these were subdivided into families. The posterity of Moses were not at all honoured or privileged, but stood upon the level with other Levites; thus it was plain, that Moses did not seek the advancement of his own family, or to secure any honours to it. The tribe of Levi was by much the least of all the tribes. God's chosen are but a little flock in comparison with the world. 

The number of the first-born, and that of the Levites, came near to each other. Known unto God are all his works beforehand; there is an exact proportion between them, and so it will appear, when they are compared together. The small number of first-born, over and above the number of the Levites, were to be redeemed, and the redemption-money given to Aaron. The church is called the church of the first-born, which is redeemed, not as they were, with silver and gold; but, being devoted by sin to the justice of God, is ransomed with the precious blood of the Son of God. All men are the Lord's by creation, and all true Christians are His by redemption. Each should know his own post and duty; nor can any service required by such a Master be rightly accounted mean or hard." (Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary)

When God gives us a gift, we should GLADLY sacrifice our time and talent! I am always shocked to learn of talented singers or musicians who sit on the pew and never get up and minister from the platform. Sure, it can be annoying to come very early on Sunday morning in addition to attending other practices, but it is our DUTY to serve God with our talents. Sometimes musicians or singers have to step down for a bit because of life situations (an illness, having a baby, etc.), but using our God given talents should always be our priority. It's the LEAST we can do after what God has done for us!!!

"Dear God please forgive me for being selfish with the gifts and talents You've given me. I want to give, give, give because I can never give enough. You gave EVERYTHING. It's all for You, anyway! As I bless others, I'm really blessing You! I love You so much. I want to pour out love to others the way You did. I want to love like You love. I want to sing for Your glory and realize it's ALL for You!!! To You belong ALL GLORY. In Jesus' precious name, AMEN."