Num 3:10 Appoint Aaron and his sons to serve as priests; anyone else who approaches the sanctuary is to be put to death.”
38 Moses and Aaron and his sons were to camp to the east of the tabernacle, toward the sunrise, in front of the tent of meeting. They were responsible for the care of the sanctuary on behalf of the Israelites. Anyone else who approached the sanctuary was to be put to death.
Num 4:15 “After Aaron and his sons have finished covering the holy furnishings and all the holy articles, and when the camp is ready to move, only then are the Kohathites to come and do the carrying. But they must not touch the holy things or they will die. The Kohathites are to carry those things that are in the tent of meeting.”
I read through the chapters of Numbers and as I read the passages, the thing that popped out at me was God’s inaccessibility. God was to be feared and revered. It is almost unfathomable to me to see Him that way alone. Earlier this morning I poured my heart out to Him, the Living God, creator of the universe, the One who understands me in a way no other person ever can. In Numbers we see that only certain people had access to the place they worshipped God and if anyone deviated from their assignment, they would die. Only certain people could touch the oil, the basin, the Ark of the Covenant. Certain people carried portions of the tent when God had them move. There were rules about so many things. The Israelites could only meet with God at a certain time, at a certain place, under certain circumstances.
But then came Jesus. Here is God showing us who He is in the Person of Jesus! Jesus came to set us free from all those rules and to make God accessible to us.
Heb 12:18 You have not come to a mountain that can be touched and that is burning with fire; to darkness, gloom and storm; 19 to a trumpet blast or to such a voice speaking words that those who heard it begged that no further word be spoken to them, 20 because they could not bear what was commanded: “If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned to death.”[c] 21 The sight was so terrifying that Moses said, “I am trembling with fear.”[d]
22 But you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, 23 to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God, the Judge of all, to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, 24 to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.
We have been given a new covenant, through Jesus and His death on the cross. In His name we can come to the same God that lead the Israelites through the desert, where they had access to God through appointed priests—no direct contact. Our Priest sits at the right hand of His Father interceding on our behalf. We have 24/7 access, anywhere!
Heavenly Father, thank You for providing a way for us to have access to You. You showed us the life we could have had, full of rules and regulations. Instead, we live in a world where You offer us relationship with You through your Son, Jesus. I choose Jesus! The thought that one day I will march with all the saints to Zion overwhelms me and brings me to tears of joy. May I never take for granted how full my life is because You are in it.
Sixty-six books in a year 