Start
Time:
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08:17
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End
Time:
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08:54
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Date:
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July
30, 2014
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TITLE: Levi
Scripture: 1 Chronicles
6:1 – 80
God’s Message / God’s Commands / God’s
Promises:
→ The sons of Levi:
Gershon, Kohath and Merari. The sons of Kohath: Amram,
Izhar, Hebron and Uzziel. The children of Amram: Aaron, Moses and
Miriam. The sons of Aaron: Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar.
Eleazar was the father of Phinehas, Phinehas the
father of Abishua, Abishua the father of Bukki, Bukki the father
of Uzzi, Uzzi the father of Zerahiah, Zerahiah the father of
Meraioth, Meraioth the father of Amariah, Amariah the father of
Ahitub, Ahitub the father of Zadok, Zadok the father of Ahimaaz,
Ahimaaz the father of Azariah, Azariah the father of Johanan, Johanan the father of Azariah (it was he who served as priest in the temple Solomon
built in Jerusalem), Azariah the father of Amariah, Amariah the
father of Ahitub, Ahitub the father of Zadok, Zadok the father of
Shallum, Shallum the father of Hilkiah, Hilkiah the father of
Azariah, Azariah the father of Seraiah, and Seraiah the father of
Jozadak.[b] Jozadak was deported
when the Lord sent Judah and Jerusalem into exile by the hand of
Nebuchadnezzar.
These are the names of the sons of Gershon: Libni and
Shimei. The sons of Kohath: Amram, Izhar, Hebron and Uzziel.
The sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi. These are the clans of the
Levites listed according to their fathers: Of Gershon: Libni his son, Jahath his son, Zimmah
his son, Joah his son, Iddo his son, Zerah his son and
Jeatherai his son. The descendants of Kohath: Amminadab his son,
Korah his son, Assir his son, Elkanah his son, Ebiasaph
his son, Assir his son, Tahath his son, Uriel his son, Uzziah his son and Shaul his son.
The descendants of Elkanah: Amasai, Ahimoth, Elkanah his son,[d] Zophai his son, Nahath his son, Eliab his son, Jeroham his son, Elkanah his son and Samuel his son.[e] The sons
of Samuel: Joel[f] the firstborn and Abijah the second son. The
descendants of Merari: Mahli, Libni his son, Shimei his son,
Uzzah his son, Shimea his son, Haggiah his son and Asaiah his son.
The Temple
Musicians
These are the men David put in charge of the music in the house of the Lord after the ark came to rest there. They ministered with
music before the tabernacle, the tent of meeting, until Solomon built the
temple of the Lord in Jerusalem. They performed their duties
according to the regulations laid down for them. Here are the men who
served, together with their sons: From the Kohathites: Heman, the musician, the son of Joel, the son of Samuel, the son of Elkanah, the son of Jeroham, the son of Eliel, the son of
Toah, the son of Zuph, the son of Elkanah, the son of
Mahath, the son of Amasai, the son of Elkanah, the son of Joel, the
son of Azariah, the son of Zephaniah, the son of Tahath, the son of
Assir, the son of Ebiasaph, the son of Korah, the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, the son of
Israel; and Heman’s associate Asaph, who served at his right hand: Asaph son of
Berekiah, the son of Shimea, the son of Michael, the son of Baaseiah,[g] the son
of Malkijah, the son of Ethni, the son of Zerah, the son of
Adaiah, the son of Ethan, the son of Zimmah, the son of Shimei, the son of Jahath, the son
of Gershon, the son of Levi; and from their associates, the Merarites, at his left hand: Ethan son of Kishi, the son of
Abdi, the son of Malluk, the son of Hashabiah, the
son of Amaziah, the son of Hilkiah, the son of Amzi, the son of Bani,
the son of Shemer, the son of Mahli, the son of Mushi, the son of
Merari, the son of Levi.
Their fellow Levites were assigned to all the other duties of
the tabernacle, the house of God. But Aaron and his
descendants were the ones who presented offerings on the altar of burnt offering and on the altar of
incense in connection with all
that was done in the Most Holy Place, making atonement for Israel, in
accordance with all that Moses the servant of God had commanded. These were the descendants of Aaron: Eleazar his
son, Phinehas his son, Abishua his son, Bukki his son, Uzzi his son, Zerahiah his son, Meraioth
his son, mariah his son, Ahitub his son, Zadok his son
and Ahimaaz his son.
NOTES:
Ø
God has set
the tribe of Levi apart and from this tribe came everyone needed for the
temple. From the priest, to the
musicians, to the other duties needed in the tabernacle. God has set this one tribe to be the ultimate
responsible of His temple. Priest – God’s
word; Musicians – Praise & Worship; other duties – service! Clearly, God has given us everything we need
to take care of our spiritual lives. We
are the temple of God and He has given us the priest for His Word, the
Musicians for Praise and Worship to Him, and other temple keepers to serve us
and teach us how to serve as well. Note
that these groups of Levites are to be developed in us, as we are the temple so
we need to be temple keepers. Meaning,
we need to become a priest (in a way) to connect with God and understand His
word; we need to become musicians to offer Praise and Worship to our King; we
need to have other duties to know how to serve others. Literally, the Levites provide us information
on what we need to take care of our spirit – God’s words, worship to God, and
service to others! Amazing!
These were the locations
of their settlements allotted
as their territory (they were assigned to the descendants of Aaron who were
from the Kohathite clan, because the first lot was for them): They were given Hebron in Judah with its surrounding
pasturelands. But the fields and villages around the city were given to Caleb
son of Jephunneh. So the descendants of Aaron were given Hebron (a city of refuge),
and Libnah,[h]Jattir, Eshtemoa, Hilen, Debir, Ashan, Juttah[i] and Beth Shemesh, together with their pasturelands. And from the tribe of Benjamin they were given Gibeon,[j] Geba, Alemeth and Anathoth, together with their pasturelands. The total
number of towns distributed among the Kohathite clans came to thirteen. The
rest of Kohath’s descendants were allotted ten towns from the clans of half the
tribe of Manasseh. The descendants of Gershon, clan by clan, were
allotted thirteen towns from the tribes of Issachar, Asher and Naphtali, and
from the part of the tribe of Manasseh that is in Bashan. The
descendants of Merari, clan by clan, were allotted twelve towns from the tribes
of Reuben, Gad and Zebulun. So the Israelites gave
the Levites these towns and
their pasturelands. From the tribes of Judah, Simeon and Benjamin they allotted the
previously named towns. Some of the Kohathite clans were given as their
territory towns from the tribe of Ephraim. In the hill country of Ephraim they were given Shechem (a city of
refuge), and Gezer,[k] Jokmeam, Beth Horon, Aijalon and Gath
Rimmon, together with their pasturelands. And from half
the tribe of Manasseh the Israelites gave Aner and Bileam, together with their
pasturelands, to the rest of the Kohathite clans. The Gershonites received the following: From the clan of the
half-tribe of Manasseh they received Golan in Bashan and also Ashtaroth, together with their pasturelands;
from the tribe of Issachar they received Kedesh, Daberath, Ramoth and Anem, together with their pasturelands; from the
tribe of Asher they received Mashal, Abdon, Hukok and Rehob, together with their pasturelands; and from the
tribe of Naphtali they received Kedesh in Galilee, Hammon and Kiriathaim, together with their pasturelands. The Merarites
(the rest of the Levites) received the following: From the tribe of
Zebulun they received Jokneam, Kartah,[l] Rimmono and Tabor, together with their pasturelands;
from the tribe of Reuben across the Jordan east of Jericho they received
Bezer in the wilderness, Jahzah, Kedemoth and
Mephaath, together with their pasturelands; and from the tribe of Gad
they received Ramoth in Gilead, Mahanaim, Heshbon and Jazer, together
with their pasturelands.
NOTES:
Ø
God has given the Levites pasture wherever they are. In fact they were all scattered throughout
the whole tribes of Israel so they can teach God’s words, worship, and
service. We as God’s people, should have
the necessary elements or responsibilities like the Levites. We are to become God’s priest, God’s Musician
and God’s service to others. We are to
share the word, teach others to praise and worship God and ultimately, teach
them to serve others. Even in the tribe
of Levi, we can see that God’s 2 greatest commandments are implemented. So we are to take hold of the truth and apply
it in our lives.
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, thank You because You know better and Your
word speak more than what it obviously indicates. Truly, secrets are kept in Your word that are
only revealed to Your sons and daughters.
Thank You God for revealing another truth in my life. The tribe of Levi was a wonderful lesson on
how to take care of Your temple, which is basically are bodies. We need to have priest in the temple to
pronounce Your word. So as Humans, this
body, requires Your Word to live. We also
need musicians to render Praise and Worship to You. So my body is designed to kneel and worship
and give Praise to You alone. We also
need other duties in the tabernacle, which sums up to service. So this body functions to serve others. It is designed to give, share and help other
bodies too. Lord, help me to understand this
truth and make it a testimony in my life so I may always give my thanksgiving to
You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen!
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