Monday, September 26, 2022

Numbers 18:8

Numbers 18:8 says, And the LORD spake unto Aaron, Behold, I also have given thee the charge of mine heave offerings of all the hallowed things of the children of Israel; unto thee have I given them by reason of the anointing, and to thy sons, by an ordinance for ever.  God put Aaron in charge of His heave offerings of all the hallowed things of Israel.  God as always provided for those who are called to full time service in doing His work, and as Christians we should make certain that we do our part in making sure this happens.   Verse nine says adds, This shall be thine of the most holy things, reserved from the fire: every oblation of theirs, every meat offering of theirs, and every sin offering of theirs, and every trespass offering of theirs, which they shall render unto me, shall be most holy for thee and for thy sons.  The most holy sacrifices of the meat and sin offerings were reserved for Aaron and his sons, the ones actually doing the duties of the priest.  Verse ten continues, In the most holy place shalt thou eat it; every male shall eat it: it shall be holy unto thee.  They alone were free to eat them, and they were to do it in the most holy place, since it was holy unto them.  God expects us to use what He blesses us with wisely and in accordance with His will if we are followers of Christ.  Verse eleven states, And this is thine; the heave offering of their gift, with all the wave offerings of the children of Israel: I have given them unto thee, and to thy sons and to thy daughters with thee, by a statute for ever: every one that is clean in thy house shall eat of it.  The heave and wave offerings were also given to Aaron and could be eaten by all his family.  God not only makes provision for His ministers, but for their families also.  Of course, He does work through His people to do this.  Verse twelve adds, All the best of the oil, and all the best of the wine, and of the wheat, the firstfruits of them which they shall offer unto the LORD, them have I given thee.  God also gave Aaron and his sons the best of the oil, first fruits, wine and wheat offered to Him.  The offerings served to show that the people of Israel were faithful to God, but also to provide for His priests.  We need to bring our tithes and offerings to God, and then we must use them to carry out His work.  Verse thirteen continues, And whatsoever is first ripe in the land, which they shall bring unto the LORD, shall be thine; every one that is clean in thine house shall eat of it.  This continued to make provision for all of the families of Aaron and his sons.  Verse fourteen says, Every thing devoted in Israel shall be thine.  All the offerings brought by the people were to be Aaron and his sons to use in accordance with God's word.  They were bpnot getting rich, but were having their needs met in accordance with God's will.  Those called into God's ministry today should not get rich, but they should have their needs amply met by those that they minister to.  Even those churches that may not be able to have a full time minister should do everything they can to help meet his needs so that he can devote as much time as possible to fulfilling his calling.  Verse fifteen adds, Every thing that openeth the matrix in all flesh, which they bring unto the LORD, whether it be of men or beasts, shall be thine: nevertheless the firstborn of man shalt thou surely redeem, and the firstling of unclean beasts shalt thou redeem.  The firstborn of men and beast could be redeemed by the people, and the money used to redeem them would be Aaron and his sons to use.  God not only was providing for their food needs, but was giving them money to purchase other things that they might need.  God did not need what they brought, but He used it to meet the needs of those doing His work full time.  Verse sixteen continues, And those that are to be redeemed from a month old shalt thou redeem, according to thine estimation, for the money of five shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary, which is twenty gerahs.  Again, this was  provision that would allow Aaron and his sons to provide adequately for the needs of their families.  Verse seventeen states, But the firstling of a cow, or the firstling of a sheep, or the firstling of a goat, thou shalt not redeem; they are holy: thou shalt sprinkle their blood upon the altar, and shalt burn their fat for an offering made by fire, for a sweet savour unto the LORD.  Some things could not be redeemed, but were to be offered on the altar to God.  When we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord, we cannot redeem ourselves from serving Him as He calls us to do, but can only be redeemed by Him. Verse eighteen adds, And the flesh of them shall be thine, as the wave breast and as the right shoulder are thine. Verse nineteen continues, All the heave offerings of the holy things, which the children of Israel offer unto the LORD, have I given thee, and thy sons and thy daughters with thee, by a statute for ever: it is a covenant of salt for ever before the LORD unto thee and to thy seed with thee.  God had given all these things to Aaron and his sons and daughters as a covenant forever.  God would provide for them, just as He provides for His people today.

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