Leviticus 23-Numbers 3: Of Such Is The Kingdom Of Heaven

Now we come to one of those intensely interesting sections of the Scripture.  Numbers 1-3 are filled with hard to pronounce names and numbers that really have nothing to do with life today...Right?  Wrong!  There is a great lesson in these numbers for us today about service to the Lord.

Numbers 1:2-3   Take ye the sum of all the congregation of the children of Israel, after their families, by the house of their fathers, with the number of their names, every male by their polls;  3 From twenty years old and upward, all that are able to go forth to war in Israel: thou and Aaron shall number them by their armies.

In this passage we see the instructions given by God for the numbering of the people that are available for war in the tribes of Israel.  There are two things that we must take note of in this passage.  First, only those who were twenty years old and up were counted in this census.  Secondly, they were counted according to their ability to perform the task they had been given of going to war.  Now the Tribe of Levi is excluded from this list of tribes.  They too are numbered but they are given different instructions.

Numbers 3:15   Number the children of Levi after the house of their fathers, by their families: every male from a month old and upward shalt thou number them.

 Now as we take a look at the numbers in chapter 3 we find that a new stipulation is given.  These are going to be numbered from one month old and up.  They also have a different purpose.  Their purpose is to minister about the things of the Tabernacle and to be a holy replacement for the firstborn of everyone in Israel.

So from these numbers and names we learn the valuable lesson that we are never too young to serve the Lord.  I understand that a person cannot be converted until they can understand the Gospel.  I also understand that the Lord said, "Suffer the little children to come unto me, for of such is the kingdom of heaven."  I see two messages for us today in this passage.  First of all we must not shun to declare the Gospel to people even if they are younger than eighteen or twenty and expect them to repent and believe the Gospel.  Secondly, we need to be sure that we are providing opportunities for service for these young people that do get converted.  Like Samuel, they need a place to minister in the house of the Lord.  We should not neglect to evangelize and then disciple people simply because they have not reached the magic age of 18 or 21. We should make it our business as parents/guardians to teach those in our care of the Lord and the salvation that has been provided on Calvary while they are young and not wait until they have been swallowed up by the world of self-worship, sin, and the occult.   I remember a wise man once said, "Remember thy Creator in the days of thy youth".

Daily Devotional:  Matthew 9:1-8; Luke 13:10-17  Sings and Miracles of Authority