WEDNESDAY, JUNE 18
Scripture: Numbers 8:18-19

Numbers 8:19 says, “And I have given the Levites as a gift to Aaron and his sons from among the children of Israel, to do the work for the children of Israel in the tabernacle of meeting, and to make atonement for the children of Israel, that there be no plague among the children of Israel when the children of Israel come near the sanctuary.” Numbers 8:19 gives us our springboard from the Old Testament transition into the New. When God gave the tithe to the Levites as a covenant of salt forever, He made the Levites a gift to Aaron and his sons, who were the high priests. When a transition occurs from the Old Covenant to the New, in the New Covenant, every believer steps into the Aaronic Priesthood because they are invited into the Holy of Holies at will. The Levites of the Old Testament, as a gift to the Aarons of God, give us a picture for the transition that carries on the ‘forever’ part of the covenant of salt, because in the New Testament, Jesus gave gifts to men. And it is interesting that verse 19 says that one of the assignments of the Levites was that there be no plague among the children of Israel when the children of Israel come near the sanctuary. The Levites were charged with teaching the Israelites how to relate to God and how to establish relationship with Him. That assignment was to teach God’s etiquette and how to relate with Him so that they could participate in covenant blessing without any covenant penalty. Do we have that today? Are our pulpits filled with men and women who teach the people of God how to operate in the fullness of God’s covenant blessing without any covenant penalty? Most of us would agree that church lacks in this area. This is not advanced theology – it is pure, biblical relational etiquette. It is possible to please God relationally and it is possible to anger Him! If only the church would release teaching that grew believers up, instead of simply entertained then, then we would have a much different nation.