Daily Scripture Assignment: Num 1-2; Acts 24

Page AcklerScripture - Each tribe of Israel will camp in a designated area with its own family banner. But the Levites will camp around the Tabernacle of the Covenant to protect the community of Israel from the Lord’s anger. The Levites are responsible to stand guard around the Tabernacle. - Num 1:52-53 (NLT)

Observation - The Lord assigns the layout of the Israelites camp so that each tribe has it's own place. He commands them setup camp according to their tribe in the same place each time. He also assigns the tribe of Levi, to camp around the Tabernacle and to take responsibility for ensuring no one comes to close to the Lord's dwelling place. God sets the Levites apart from the other tribes with the responsibility of ministering to the people and in this case, sets their camp as a "buffer" between the other Israelite camps and the Tabernacle. While the connotation of "standing guard" initially gives me the feeling that the Levites were protecting the Tabernacle from the general public, the first part of verse 54 states that they were actually there to protect the general public from God's wrath against their sinful nature.

Application - As true now as it was then, God will not tolerate anything less than righteousness in his presence and has declared that the punishment for such is death. Thankfully Jesus now acts as the Levites once did, as an intermediary between the glory of God and mankind. Sometimes parts of the Old Testament can seem like pure historical reference but it's cool to see the parallels between seemingly irrelevant Old Testament occurrences and the Gospel.

Prayer - Lord your master plan for my salvation is so interwoven into history that even your direction regarding simple campsite maps are hints that foreshadow the coming of the Son. I love the intricacies of your Word and how there's always something new for me to see. Thank you.