The Priestly Tribe of Levite (1Chro.
6:1-81)
Introduction
a. In this chapter, our attention is turned to
the priestly tribe of Levi. Though Joseph and Judah shared between them the
forfeited honours of the birthright of Reuben, yet Levi was first of all the
tribes, i.e. dignified and distinguished with honour more valuable than the
double portion of Joseph, or the royalty of Judah, and that was the priesthood.
- The Levites are given the most attention in
these introductory chapters (1-9) except the royal tribe of Judah. This tribe
is mentioned in the middle of Israel’s genealogical list, just as the tabernacle
and temple in which the Levites served lay at the centre of the spiritual life
of the nation of Israel.
- The Lord set apart for Himself the tribe of
Levi. It was Moses’ tribe, and perhaps for his sake that the tribe was thus
favoured. The punishment for Levi’s sin (Gen 49.7) was that his descendants
would be scattered throughout Israel.
- But God, in His grace and mercy turned this
judgment into a blessing by appointing this tribe to the priesthood, such that
their influence spread throughout Israel. Cp. Rm. 8:28.
- The Levites provide a religious leadership
that acts as a unifying force throughout Israel’s history and the
breadth of its territory.
b. The outline of the long chapter:
- The chapter is made up of three sections,
v1-30, and v31-53, and v54-81.
- Section 1: v1-3 lists the patriarchs of the
tribe; v4-15 lists the line of priests from Aaron Jehozadak, i.e. from the time
of the exodus from Egypt to captivity in Babylon; v16-30 lists some other of
their families.
- Section 2: v31-48 lists the work of the
Levites, and v49-53 the works of the priests.
- Section 3: v54-81 lists the cities
appointed for the Levites. Read Numbers 35 for details.
1. The Preservation of the Levi Tribe
(v1-30)
a. The priests and Levites were more
particular than any other Israelites to preserve their genealogy clear and to
be able to prove it, because all the honours and privileges of their office
depended strictly upon their descent from Aaron. Cp Ez 2:62-63.
- Of the three sons of Levi, the middle one,
Kohath, is taken first; from him were descended Moses and Aaron. This is one
of the rare occasions in Chronicles where Moses is mentioned, in spite of his
very key role in the history of Israel. His brother Aaron, from whom sprang the
line of the high priests, is of greater consequence for the author.
- The line of Aaron is anchored between two
great events of Israel’s history, in the time of the exodus from Egypt (v3) and
the exile to Babylon (v15).
- v16-30 gives equal importance to all the
three of Levi’s sons, Gershon and Merari, as well as Kohath, with the
horizontal line of the cousins of the first generation (16-19),followed by a
vertical line for each family (20-30)
- Of all the tribes of Israel, only those of
David and Aaron are traced all the way from the patriarchs to the exile to
Babylon.
- Just as David gave the tribe of Judah great
significance as the royal tribe, Aaron gave the tribe of Levi significance as
the priestly tribe
b. The roles of prophet, priest, and king had
been kept strictly apart throughout the OT (1Sam 13:8-12; 2Chr 26:16), however,
after the exile, they began to be linked together. The list finished
with Jehozadak (exiled to Babylon, 6:15), whose son Joshua, the high priest, was
to work with governor Zerubbabel to restore true worship in the rebuilt temple
after the exile (Hag 1:1-2; Zech 3:1-9; 6:11).
- Prophet Zechariah linked the kingly and
priestly offices together in the coming Messiah Zech 6:12-13). Moses described
the coming Messiah as the Prophet (Dt. 18:15-19).
- The preservation and the restoration of the
priestly line had great theological significance for the remnant that returned
from exile. It was a token of the promised redemption in the coming Saviour, in
whom all the three offices of prophet, priest and king are united.
- Christ alone is the Prophet, Priest, and
King; the three great institutions of the old covenant converged in the
promised Messiah.
c. There were, however, great blemishes among
the Levitical priests.
- 6:3 mentions Nadab and Abihu who were
struck dead because they “offered strange fire before the Lord, which he had
not commanded them. So fire went out from the Lord and devoured them, and they
died before the Lord” (Lev 10:1-3). Worship of the Lord is to be strictly
regulated by the revealed will of God.
- Eli and his two wicked sons, Hophni and
Phinehas are not mentioned (1Sam 2:29, 4:18).
- Uriah, who consented to the wicked command
of King Ahaz to build a pagan altar in the temple, is also omitted (2Kg
16:10-16).
- The book of Ezekiel gives us a glimpse of
the great wickedness of the priests ministering in the Temple. See 8:16;
22:26f;
## These priestly leaders were disgraced for
their shameless conduct and are remembered no more.
# In Christ Jesus we have the perfect High
Priest. Read the Epistle to the Hebrews; it’s a wonderful book, demonstrating
the incomparable superiority of Christ’s priesthood over the Levitical
priesthood.
2. The Works of the Levites and Priests
(v31-53)
a. When the Levites were first ordained in
the wilderness, much of the work then appointed to them consisted of carrying and taking
care of the tabernacle and its utensils, while they were travelling through the wilderness.
- This section deals with the functions of
Levites in the nation’s life. The focus is on the reigns of David and Solomon
(v31,32), and on the function of the Levites as it was then established for the
worship of first the tabernacle, and later the temple.
- In David’s time their number was increased. The greater part of them was dispersed throughout the nation, to
teach the people the knowledge of the Lord. However those that attended to
the house of God were still so numerous that David, by special commission and
direction from God, remodelled their divisions of labour.
b. The singing work (v31f): When the
service of the ark was superseded by its rest (after the temple was in service), they had this singing work cut for them. These singers kept up that service in
the tabernacle till the temple was built, and then they “served in their office
according to their order.” There were several groups rendering the same work,
and they took turns.
- We are given the account of three great
masters who were employed in the service of the sacred songs, with their
respective families. They were Heman the Kohathite, Asaph the Gershonite, and
Ethan the Merarite. Some of the psalms bear their names, cp Ps 73-85, 88, 89,
etc. They train singers, led the people in worship
c The serving work (v33f): There was an
abundance of service to be done in the tabernacle of the house of God (v48). Water and fuel must be provided for;
there are sacrifices to kill, flay and boil or burn; to maintain the
cleanliness of the tabernacle, etc.; to all such services as they were
appointed.
- Those who were not fit to be singers are
not laid aside as good for nothing but are gainfully employed in the service of
the Lord! Cp. 1Pet 4:10.
d. The sacrificing work (49f): This was to
be done by the appointed priest alone (v49). They were only to sprinkle the
blood and burn the incense, and as for the work of the most holy place, that
was to be done by the high priest alone. Each had his work, and they both
needed one another, and both helped one another in it. Concerning the work of the
priests, we are told these things:
- They were to make atonement for Israel, to
mediate between the people and God; not to magnify or enrich themselves, but to
serve the people. They were ordained for the sake of their brethren.
- Though they presided in God’s house, yet
they must do as they were bidden, according to all that God has commanded them.
Even the greatest king is subject to that law. They who transgress it incur
God’s displeasure, e.g. Saul, etc.
## This priestly ministry pointed to the
atonement in the promised Saviour, by which sinners may draw near to God. Cp
Heb 10:11-25.
3. The Cities Appointed for the Levites
(v54-81)
a. The scattering of the Levites was
originally a judgment (Gen 49:5-7). God turned it into a blessing for them and
the nation of Israel.
- Under the monarchy, they exercised a
unifying influence among the tribes that were often suspicious of royal authority.
(2Sam 20;1-2; 1Kg 12:12:16-17). Their chief task was to preserve and instruct
the revealed truth and the true worship appointed by God.
- The Levites did not receive an inheritance
of land. They were supported by tithes from other tribes. Each tribe had to
set aside cities for the Levites. This way, the Levites were evenly spread out
throughout the nation.
- Numbers 35 gives the details
## Those called to engage in spiritual work
ought to be supported adequately and cheerfully. (1Cor 9:13-14).
b. The cities of refuge: read Numbers 35:6,67. Some of the cities of the Levites functioned as cities of refuge.
Questions
1. Why is the priestly ministry in the OT so
stringently protected against any intrusion? What is the message?
2. God turned a judgment upon the Levites into a blessing for the nation of Israel. What lessons do we learn?
3. What accounts for the many different styles of worship seen in churches today? How do you determine which of these is acceptable?
