1 Chronicles 23:24

1 Chronicles 23:24 says, These were the sons of Levi after the house of their fathers; even the chief of the fathers, as they were counted by number of names by their polls, that did the work for the service of the house of the Lord, from the age of twenty years and upward.  The tribe of Levi had been identified and they did the work of service in the house of God.  We need to be named among the followers of Christ to be saved and we need to do His work in the world.  Verse twenty-five adds, For David said, The Lord God of Israel hath given rest unto his people, that they may dwell in Jerusalem for ever:  David stated that God had given the people of Israel rest so that they could live in Jerusalem forever.  Still, Jerusalem was not and is not the permanent home of God's people, but heaven is.  Our forever spiritual home will never be this earth, but it is a heavenly home.  Verse twenty-six continues, And also unto the Levites; they shall no more carry the tabernacle, nor any vessels of it for the service thereof.  David said that the Levites were no longer going to carry the tabernacle of the Lord, because a temple, a permanent dwelling place, was going to be built for Him.  We as followers of Christ on the other hand are called on to carry the word of God everywhere and not to try and confine it to a particular place or building.  Verse twenty-seven states, For by the last words of David the Levites were numbered from twenty years old and above:  The Levites over thirty had been numbered, but David changed that to those over twenty.  We must assume that God had led him to do this.  We don't need to set a minimum age at which people can start to serve God but must rely on His calling of them.  Verse twenty-eight adds, Because their office was to wait on the sons of Aaron for the service of the house of the Lord, in the courts, and in the chambers, and in the purifying of all holy things, and the work of the service of the house of God;  This implies that the age was lowered because the amount of work to be done was to increase.  I do know that the number of people needing to hear the gospel today has increased, so the number of those sharing it needs to increase as well.  Verse twenty-nine continues, Both for the shewbread, and for the fine flour for meat offering, and for the unleavened cakes, and for that which is baked in the pan, and for that which is fried, and for all manner of measure and size;  This is a list of part of the duties that the Levites were to do, and it was to be done to support the Aaronic priests.  There are many things that need doing in the church today that the members need to do so that the preacher can be free to prepare to deliver God's word to the congregation.  Verse thirty says, And to stand every morning to thank and praise the Lord, and likewise at even:  This verse and the next two just continue to list some of their duties.  Verse thirty-one adds, And to offer all burnt sacrifices unto the Lord in the sabbaths, in the new moons, and on the set feasts, by number, according to the order commanded unto them, continually before the Lord:  Verse thirty-two continues, And that they should keep the charge of the tabernacle of the congregation, and the charge of the holy place, and the charge of the sons of Aaron their brethren, in the service of the house of the Lord.  As stated earlier, they were to be responsible for the everyday duties in the Temple.  They were to be ready to serve the sons of Aaron, but this did not make them inferior, but only called to a different service.  As Christians, we are not inferior to preachers today, but are called to support them in doing God's work and not to be subservient to them, nor are they to believe themselves to be superior to us.  We all need to follow God's calling in life, no matter how great or small it may seem to the world, and we are to do so under the leadership of the Holy Spirit and for God's glory.