This is part of a video series covering the entire Bible in 4 years, one chapter at a time. Start at the beginning with Genesis 1 (Youtube link: https://youtu.be/wC2qD4RGOdo) and work through the playlist. Or go to https://www.peace.org.au/bible.html for more information.
In this video listen to Numbers 4 read by David Alley, followed by comments and prayer.
In Numbers 4 we have a census of the working Levites from the ages of 30-50. Priestly workers were unable to start their service to God until they were 30, and this is something we see with Jesus who came to serve as our great High priest. He didn’t minister until he was 30.
But these people also gave the prime of their lives to God’s service. Some people think that they should give the prime of their lives to their careers and only serve God later in life when they have more time. But this passage shows that we serve god in all we do, and that we should give him time, love and energy in our prime.
This chapter contains the instructions for packing the moving the tabernacle. The Kohathites were to pack it up, and were responsible for moving the furnishings. The other two mini tribes, the Merarites and the Gershomites were to move everything else such as the walls, veil, roofing, fencing and more.
Everything is packed up properly and covered in cloth and leather, no doubt this is how things are made to last in the desert.
But we note that some items are packed with blue cloth, some with scarlet and one with purple. Why these colors? These are the same colors repeatedly used in the descriptions of the building of the tabernacle in Exodus.
Blue is the colour of heaven, of holiness, of healing
Red is blood, of atonement, reminiscent of our sin and also of flesh and man
Purple is royalty (a mixing of man and of heaven…. Atonement of Christ)
The symbolism right through the Bible is huge and one can hardly pick up on most of it. For example we see that the altar is the only item covered in purple. Hebrews tells us that Christ is our altar. And in Mark 15:17, Christ is covered in a purple robe when going to the cross just as it is here. So we see both the altar, and Christ who is our altar clothed in purple.
May 2, 2021 | Message by David Alley