Numbers 18:1-2
1 The LORD said to Aaron, “You, your sons and your father’s family are to bear the responsibility for offenses against the sanctuary, and you and your sons alone are to bear the responsibility for offenses against the priesthood. 2 Bring your fellow Levites from your ancestral tribe to join you and assist you when you and your sons minister before the Tent of the Testimony.
Numbers 18:5-7
5 “You are to be responsible for the care of the sanctuary and the altar, so that wrath will not fall on the Israelites again. 6 I myself have selected your fellow Levites from among the Israelites as a gift to you, dedicated to the LORD to do the work at the Tent of Meeting. 7 But only you and your sons may serve as priests in connection with everything at the altar and inside the curtain. I am giving you the service of the priesthood as a gift. Anyone else who comes near the sanctuary must be put to death.”
Numbers 18:19-20
19 Whatever is set aside from the holy offerings the Israelites present to the LORD I give to you and your sons and daughters as your regular share. It is an everlasting covenant of salt before the LORD for both you and your offspring.” 20 The LORD said to Aaron, “You will have no inheritance in their land, nor will you have any share among them; I am your share and your inheritance among the Israelites.
Related Text:
Leviticus 1-7
Leviticus 21-22
Numbers 3
Hebrews 7-9
1 Peter 2:4-10
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One of the duties of the high priest was to present the sacrifices to God. Today, Christians, followers of Jesus, are like priests in one area; we are all called to present our own sacrifices to God! Yea, that’s right, we are still supposed to offer sacrifices up to God. However, we don’t have to go into a tent behind a large curtain to offer them, and the sacrifices aren’t dead animals or the first fruits of our harvest.
Christians are called to give their lives as LIVING SACRIFICES to God. Check out Romans 12:1, “So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life-your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life-and place it before God as an offering.” (MSG)
This complete lifestyle sacrifice requires you to present to God all that you are. EVERYTHING. A living sacrifice reveals that God is the top priority in every part of your life. It’s not the easiest sacrifice to make, but it’s what God asks. It’s what Jesus asks of His followers when He calls them. Just remember, when you’re a living sacrifice, you have the ability (since you are alive) to crawl off of the altar. Because we are all sinners, there will be times when we don’t give our actions, or our abilities, or our lives up to God. That means you’ll have keep offering yourself, your life, to God. Don’t stop. Make the decision daily to follow God and live for Jesus who died for you!
