Did God change the role of the firstborn dedicated to Him to another group? What were their various duties? Who is the firstborn for Christians? Let’s look at Numbers 3.
What family tragedy happened with Aaron’s four sons in the wilderness?
Now these are the records of the generations of Aaron and Moses at the time when the Lord spoke with Moses on Mount Sinai. These then are the names of the sons of Aaron: Nadab the firstborn, and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar. These are the names of the sons of Aaron, the anointed priests, whom he ordained to serve as priests. But Nadab and Abihu died in the presence of the Lord when they offered strange fire before the Lord in the wilderness of Sinai; and they had no children. So Eleazar and Ithamar served as priests in the lifetime of their father Aaron. (Numbers 3:1-4 NASB)
Which tribe alone was appointed to perform the work of the tabernacle for the priests?
The Lord said to Moses, “Bring the tribe of Levi and present them to Aaron the priest to assist him. They are to perform duties for him and for the whole community at the tent of meeting by doing the work of the tabernacle. 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. Give the Levites to Aaron and his sons; they are the Israelites who are to be given wholly to him. Appoint Aaron and his sons to serve as priests; anyone else who approaches the sanctuary is to be put to death.” (Numbers 3:5-10 NIV)
Who became a substitute for the firstborn among the children of Israel?
Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: “Now behold, I Myself have taken the Levites from among the children of Israel instead of every firstborn who opens the womb among the children of Israel. Therefore the Levites shall be Mine, because all the firstborn are Mine. On the day that I struck all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, I sanctified to Myself all the firstborn in Israel, both man and beast. They shall be Mine: I am the Lord.” (Numbers 3:11-13 NKJV)
How were the Levite clans listed by their family groups?
The Lord spoke again to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai. He said, “Record the names of the members of the tribe of Levi by their families and clans. List every male who is one month old or older.” So Moses listed them, just as the Lord had commanded. Levi had three sons, whose names were Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. The clans descended from Gershon were named after two of his descendants, Libni and Shimei. The clans descended from Kohath were named after four of his descendants, Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel. The clans descended from Merari were named after two of his descendants, Mahli and Mushi. These were the Levite clans, listed according to their family groups. (Numbers 3:14-20 NLT)
What was the result of the census of the Levite tribe of Gershon?
Of Gershon was the family of the Libnites, and the family of the Shimeites. These are the families of the Gershonites. Those who were counted of them, according to the number of all the males from a month old and upward, even those who were counted of them were seven thousand five hundred. The families of the Gershonites shall encamp behind the tabernacle westward. Eliasaph the son of Lael shall be the prince of the fathers’ house of the Gershonites. The duty of the sons of Gershon in the Tent of Meeting shall be the tabernacle, the tent, its covering, the screen for the door of the Tent of Meeting, the hangings of the court, the screen for the door of the court which is by the tabernacle and around the altar, and its cords for all of its service. (Numbers 3:21-26 WEB)
What was the result of the census of the Levite tribe of Kohath?
To Kohath belonged the clans of the Amramites, Izharites, Hebronites, and Uzzielites. These were the clans of the Kohathites. The number of males over one month old, who would perform duties for the sanctuary, was 8,600. The clans of the Kohathites were to camp on the south side of the dwelling. The chief of the household representing the clans of the Kohathites was Elizaphan, Uzziel’s son. They were responsible for the chest, the table, the lampstand, the altars, the equipment of the sanctuary with which they would minister, and the screen—all these furnishings. The head chief over the chiefs of the Levites was Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest. He was supervisor over those performing the duties of the sanctuary. (Numbers 3:27-32 CEB)
What was the result of the census of the Levite tribe of Merari?
The two Merari clans were the Mahlites and the Mushites, and they had 6,200 men and boys at least one month old. The Merarites, under the leadership of Zuriel son of Abihail, were to camp on the north side of the sacred tent. Their duties included taking care of the tent frames and the pieces that held the tent up: the bars, the posts, the stands, and its other equipment. They were also in charge of the posts that supported the courtyard, as well as their stands, tent pegs, and ropes. The Merari clans were responsible for setting these things up and taking them down. (Numbers 3:33-37 CEV)
On what side of the tabernacle were the priests to camp?
Those who were to camp before the tabernacle on the east, before the tent of meeting toward the sunrise, were Moses and Aaron and his sons, guarding the sanctuary itself, to protect the people of Israel. And any outsider who came near was to be put to death. All those listed among the Levites, whom Moses and Aaron listed at the commandment of the Lord, by clans, all the males from a month old and upward, were 22,000. (Numbers 3:38-39 ESV)
Why were they to count the firstborn males in every tribe?
The Lord told Moses: “Register every firstborn male of the Israelites one month old or more, and list their names. You are to take the Levites for Me—I am Yahweh—in place of every firstborn among the Israelites, and the Levites’ cattle in place of every firstborn among the Israelites’ cattle.” So Moses registered every firstborn among the Israelites, as the Lord commanded him. The total number of the firstborn males one month old or more listed by name was 22,273. (Numbers 3:40-43 HCSB)
How did the census of the firstborn Israelites and that of the Levites differ in number?
Then the Lord told Moses, “Separate the descendants of Levi in place of all the firstborn sons of Israel and the livestock of the descendants of Levi in place of their livestock. The descendants of Levi belong to me, since I am the Lord. You are to pay a ransom for the 273 first-born Israelis who exceed the census number of the descendants of Levi, so collect five shekels for each individual, denominated in shekels of the sanctuary, that is, the shekel that weighs 20 gerahs. Then give the money meant for ransom of their excess to Aaron and his sons.” (Numbers 3:44-48 ISV)
Who was the money given to and what did it redeem?
And Moses took the redemption money of them that were over and above them that were redeemed by the Levites: Of the firstborn of the children of Israel took he the money; a thousand three hundred and threescore and five shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary: And Moses gave the money of them that were redeemed unto Aaron and to his sons, according to the word of the Lord, as the Lord commanded Moses. (Numbers 3:45-51 KJV)
Who is the head of the church, our firstborn from the dead?
And He [Jesus] is the head of the body, the church; Who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything. (Colossians 1:18 LSB)
Are we in the church also given a kind of status as firstborns (which is plural in Greek)? What could that mean for others not yet in the church?
But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn[s] who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the Judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks better than the blood of Abel. (Hebrews 12:22-24 NASB)
Did God change the role of the firstborn dedicated to Him to another group? What were their various duties? Who is the firstborn for Christians? You decide!
