These are the Generations
Opening Prayer
Lord, I pray that I will leave a legacy that generations might praise You and honor Your holy name.
Read Numbers 3:1-13
[1] This is the account of the family of Aaron and Moses at the time the LORD spoke to Moses at Mount Sinai. [2] The names of the sons of Aaron were Nadab the firstborn and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar. [3] Those were the names of Aaron’s sons, the anointed priests, who were ordained to serve as priests. [4] Nadab and Abihu, however, died before the LORD when they made an offering with unauthorized fire before him in the Desert of Sinai. They had no sons, so Eleazar and Ithamar served as priests during the lifetime of their father Aaron. [5] The LORD said to Moses, [6] “Bring the tribe of Levi and present them to Aaron the priest to assist him. [7] They are to perform duties for him and for the whole community at the tent of meeting by doing the work of the tabernacle. [8] They are to take care of all the furnishings of the tent of meeting, fulfilling the obligations of the Israelites by doing the work of the tabernacle. [9] Give the Levites to Aaron and his sons; they are the Israelites who are to be given wholly to him. [10] Appoint Aaron and his sons to serve as priests; anyone else who approaches the sanctuary is to be put to death.” [11] The LORD also said to Moses, [12] “I have taken the Levites from among the Israelites in place of the first male offspring of every Israelite woman. The Levites are mine, [13] for all the firstborn are mine. When I struck down all the firstborn in Egypt, I set apart for myself every firstborn in Israel, whether human or animal. They are to be mine. I am the LORD.” Scripture taken from the THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, NIV Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Reflect
What legacy do these verses speak of?Think back to the book of Genesis. Every few chapters it has a subheading, “These are the generations of…” The NIV usually translates this as “This is the account of…” Eleven times: from Genesis 2:4, and rolling on through (“the account of Noah…Isaac…Jacob…”). One more time and you’ll have the complete set of 12. In the meantime there’s the book of Exodus, and then Israel camps for quite a while at Mount Sinai, receiving the Ten Commandments. They’re still there, in fact, as we join them in today’s reading. Still waiting. And here it is: “the account of the family of Aaron and Moses” (1). It’s the 12th and last time the Old Testament says this. There’s the tribe of Levi, set aside to take care of the tabernacle. From among the Levites there are the descendants of Aaron, who are to be the priests, called to keep everything in its proper (that is, life-giving) place (cf. Lev. 10:8-11). Oh, one more thing. As it says at the end: “I am the Lord.” This is the final word!
Apply
God had arranged those to care for each part of the tabernacle. Consider the part God has called you to pray.
Closing prayer
Lord of life, thank You that You dwell with us on earth. Thank You for Jesus and for Your great love.
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