In this blog post, we are going to look at the Old Testament as a type and shadow of the ministry of helps. As we glean from the Old Testamant, primarly God’s idea of the tabernacle and the service of the Levites, we can see God’s order for the ministry of helps today.
Let’s start with the Golden Calf incident in Exodus 32:26-29:
“Then Moses stood in the gate of the camp and said, who is on the Lord’s side? Come to me. And all the sons of Levi gathered around him. (notice the invitation was to everyone but only the Levites responded) And he said to them, thus says the Lord God of Israel, put your sword on your side each of you, and go to and fro from gate to gate throughout the camp, and each of you kill his brother and his companion and his neighbor. And the sons of Levi did according to the word of Moses. And that day about three thousand men of the people fell. And Moses said, today you have been ordained for the service of the Lord, each one at the cost of his son and of his brother, so that He might bestow a blessing upon you this day.” [emphasis mine]
What was the blessing that the Lord bestowed upon the Levites?
The Lord chooses the tribe of Levi. We can see this in Numbers 3:5-13:
“And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, bring the tribe of Levi near, and set them before Aaron the priest, that they may minister to him. They shall keep guard over him and over the whole congregation before the tent of meeting, as they minister at the tabernacle. They shall guard all the furnishings of the tent of meeting and keep guard over the people of Israel as they minister at the tabernacle. And you shall give the Levites to Aaron and his sons; they are wholly given to him from among the people of Israel. And you shall appoint Aaron and his sons, and they shall guard the priesthood. But if any outsider comes near, he shall be put to death. And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, behold, I have taken the Levites from among the people of Israel instead of every firstborn who opens the womb among the people of Israel. The Levites shall be mine, for all the firstborn are mine. On the day that I struck down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, I consecrated for my own all the firstborn in Israel, both of man and of beast. They shall be mine: I am the Lord.” [emphasis mine]
The Service of the Levites
What was the service of the Lord that the Levites were called to? In the Old Testament, the tribe of Levi was chosen and set aside to serve God in various capacities and sections of the tabernacle.
Numbers 4:1-15 reads,
“Then the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying: ‘Take a census of the sons of Kohath from among the children of Levi, by their families, by their fathers’ house, from thirty years old and above, even to fifty years old, all who enter the service to do the work in the tabernacle of meeting. “This is the service of the sons of Kohath in the tabernacle of meeting, relating to the most holy things: When the camp prepares to journey, Aaron and his sons shall come, and they shall take down the covering veil and cover the ark of the Testimony with it. Then they shall put on it a covering of badger skins and spread over that a cloth entirely of blue; and they shall insert its poles. “On the table of showbread, they shall spread a blue cloth, and put on it the dishes, the pans, the bowls, and the pitchers for pouring; and the showbread shall be on it. They shall spread over them a scarlet cloth and cover the same with a covering of badger skins; and they shall insert its poles. And they shall take a blue cloth and cover the lampstand of the light, with its lamps, its wick-trimmers, its trays, and all its oil vessels, with which they service it. Then they shall put it with all its utensils in a covering of badger skins and put it on a carrying beam. Over the golden altar they shall spread a blue cloth and cover it with a covering of badger skins; and they shall insert its poles. Then they shall take all the utensils of service with which they minister in the sanctuary, put them in a blue cloth, cover them with a covering of badger skins, and put them on a carrying beam. Also, they shall take away the ashes from the altar, and spread a purple cloth over it. They shall put on it all its implements with which they minister there—the firepans, the forks, the shovels, the basins, and all the utensils of the altar—and they shall spread on it a covering of badger skins and insert its poles. And when Aaron and his sons have finished covering the sanctuary and all the furnishings of the sanctuary, when the camp is set to go, then the sons of Kohath shall come to carry them; but they shall not touch any holy thing, lest they die. ‘These are the things in the tabernacle of meeting which the sons of Kohath are to carry.'”
The Tabernacle
We know that Moses set up the tabernacle on earth according to the heavenly pattern God showed him in Exodus 25-27.
It consisted of:
- The Outer Court
- The Holy Place
- The Holy of Holy
During the Exodus Journey, the Tabernacle had to be moved from place to place. In the course of moving, the Tabernacle had to be dismantled. The various vessels, the badger skins, the posts, robes, etc. had to be packed and carried to the next camping site. The consignment of everything to do with the Tabernacle was the sole responsibility of the Levites. I want you to take note of the fact that all the Levites did not perform the same kind of service in the Tabernacle.
The Tabernacle as a Type and Shadow of the Ministry of Helps
Could this be why Paul wrote what he wrote in 1 Corinthians 12:27-30?
“Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually. And God has appointed these in the church: (I want you to notice that God appointed these in the church. Since the church is still here then these offices are still in operation today) first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles? Do all have gifts of healings? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret?” [emphasis mine]
Since Paul interpreted the types and shadows of the Old Testament, he was able to see how God would operate in the church.
Some of these offices ministered to the needs of our “outer court” which is our flesh realm or “natural body.”
Others ministered to the needs of our “Inner Court” or the soul realm which is mind, will and emotions.
And still others ministered to the needs of our “Inner Most Court” or Holy of Holies our “Spirit Man.”
So, when we all do our part in the church people will be ministered to spirit, soul and body.
The Holy of Holies
Now let’s look at what Aaron and his sons were in charge of:
Dismantling the Holy of Holies
Packing all the vessels and instruments used in the Holy of Holies was the responsibility of Aaron and his sons.
No other Levites were allowed to even touch anything used in this chamber or they would die.
Recall Uzzah, in 2 Samuel 6:6-7 when King David wanted to return the Ark to Jerusalem from the house of Abinadad. They put the Ark on a new cart instead of having the Levites carry it on their shoulders with poles.
Numbers 7:1-9 reads,
“Now it came to pass, when Moses had finished setting up the tabernacle, that he anointed it and consecrated it and all its furnishings, and the altar and all its utensils; so, he anointed them and consecrated them. Then the leaders of Israel, the heads of their fathers’ houses, who were the leaders of the tribes and over those who were numbered, made an offering. And they brought their offering before the LORD, six covered carts and twelve oxen, a cart for every two of the leaders, and for each one an ox; and they presented them before the tabernacle. Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, ‘Accept these from them, that they may be used in doing the work of the tabernacle of meeting; and you shall give them to the Levites, to every man according to his service.’ So, Moses took the carts and the oxen, and gave them to the Levites. Two carts and four oxen he gave to the sons of Gershon, according to their service; and four carts and eight oxen he gave to the sons of Merari, according to their service, under the authority of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest. But to the sons of Kohath, he gave none, because theirs was the service of the holy things, which they carried on their shoulders.”
Here’s what we can glean from this passage in Numbers:
A. The Kohathites were in charge of bearing the Ark of the Covenant and the vessels packed by Aaron and his sons. Note that they were to bear these items on their shoulder’s (see verse 9).
B. The Gershonites and Merarites could carry their items on wagons and oxen.
C. The Gershonites were in charge of: services in the tabernacle of the congregation. Also, the bearing of the curtains, the badger skins and instruments. They were to be under the supervision of Ithamar, Aaron’s son. See Numbers 4:28: “This is the service of the families of the sons of Gershon in the tabernacle of meeting. And their duties shall be under the authority of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest.”
D. The Merarites were to provide services in the Tabernacle of the congregation. And they were in charge of the boards, bars, pillars, sockets, pins, cords, instruments etc. They were also under the supervision of Ithamar. See Numbers 4:31-33: “And this is what they must carry as all their service for the tabernacle of meeting: the boards of the tabernacle, its bars, its pillars, its sockets, and the pillars around the court with their sockets, pegs, and cords, with all their furnishings and all their service; and you shall assign to each man by name the items he must carry. This is the service of the families of the sons of Merari, as all their service for the tabernacle of meeting, under the authority of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest.”
E. Clearly, the Levites did not choose to do what pleased them. They were under God’s ordained leadership. They did not all serve in the same office or do the same job.
“And I, behold, I have taken your brethren the Levites from among the children of Israel: to you they are given as a gift for the LORD, to do the service of the tabernacle of the congregation. Therefore, thou and thy sons with thee shall keep your priest’s office for everything of the altar, and within the vail; and ye shall serve: I have given your priest’s office unto you as a service of gift: and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death. And the LORD spake unto Aaron, Behold, I also have given thee the charge of mine heave offerings of all the hallowed things of the children of Israel; unto thee have I given them by reason of the anointing, and to thy sons, by an ordinance forever.” – Numbers 18:6-8 [emphasis mine]
Ministry of Helps: God’s Idea – Conclusion
A. The Levites were chosen by God, consecrated and set apart for service.
B. They were gifted, therefore divinely equipped for service.
C. They were anointed, therefore empowered for their service.
D. When God calls you, He also equips you and anoints you to fulfill the call that He has placed on you.
