Saturday June 14, 2014
Numbers 3:1-13
Today’s reading from the Hebrew Scriptures reminds us of the importance people have always placed on lineage. Many of us have searched our family history in various ways, attempting to come up with a detailed family tree. Some have been able to go back many years, and, indeed, centuries.
The reading from Numbers places the lineage in a particular context: the author is detailing the choice of the tribe of Levi as a caste of priests. Aaron, the brother of Moses, has been placed in charge of the tent of meeting – the Tabernacle – which the people of Israel constructed and used for worship during their time in the wilderness, and before the Temple at Jerusalem was built. The Levites take the place of the firstborn of the Israelites whom, scripture reports, God claimed. This entitlement of God could be dealt with by making a sacrifice shortly after the birth of the firstborn (male) child, thereby redeeming the child and the family. Samuel, as a boy, was given by his mother to serve Eli the priest in the temple. Jesus’ parents redeemed him by making an animal sacrifice in the Temple. This passage from Numbers informs us that the Levites would be seen by God to be the “first-born”, thus fulfilling the requirement.
The good news in this reading may well be in the words of God spoken to Moses, words of assurance that the lordship of God is based on a loving relationship with all of God’s creation.
- Rev'd Paul Kett
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