Sun.’s Devo - The Responsiblity of the Priests.

Read: Numbers 16:41-18:32; Mark 16:1-20; Psalm 55:1-23; Proverbs 11:7 Yesterday we read where God judged the Levite families of Korah, Dothan and Abihu and his 250 followers. This stirred up the whole community to complain against Moses and Aaron and blame them for killing all the people. A plague broke out and killed 14,700 people. *** God’s presence was manifested at the Tabernacle so all went to see what God would say. God wanted to kill all the people except Moses and Aaron but Moses and Aaron interceded for the people. Instead, God told Moses to tell all the tribal leaders to make a staff and carve their name on the staff. God would chose the tribe he wanted to minister to him. *** All the leaders brought their staff and Moses placed them in the Tabernacle in front of the Ark. God would cause the one he chose to sprout with buds. The next morning Moses went to bring out the staffs and Aaron’s had sprouted, budded, blossomed and produced ripe almonds. All the leaders claimed their staffs and the people stopped questioning the authority of the Levites. *** God gave the Levites the responsibility of for any offenses related to the sanctuary. Aaron and his sons would be responsible for any offenses connected to the priesthood. *** The Levites were not to go near the sacred objects in the tabernacle, only the sons of Aaron. The Levites were only allowed to help with maintenance. The Levites could assist the sons of Aaron in their duties but the sons of Aaron were the only ones who could perform the rituals associated with the altar and anything that went on behind the curtain. The sons of Aaron were allotted portions of the offerings given to the Lord but what they were given had to be treated as holy. They could have the best of the olive oil, new wine, and grain. All the first crops of the land that the people brought to the Lord belonged to Aaron and his family. *** Every first born of human or animal that was offered to the Lord was given to Aaron and his family, but their own first born had to be redeemed for five pieces of silver. *** Aaron and his sons and the Levites were not allowed to own property but would receive the tithe from the entire land of Israel. They were to give a tithe of all they received from the people to the Lord as their offering to God. They were always to honor the gifts of the people as special or they would die. *** In Mark, Mary Magdalene and James’ mother and Salome had waited to anoint Jesus’ body until the Sabbath was over. They went first thing the next morning to the tomb with spices. They wondered who would roll the stone away for them, but when they arrived, the stone had already been moved. A young man in a white robe was sitting inside. It was an angel who told them not to be afraid, that Jesus wasn’t there but risen from the dead. They were to go and tell the disciples, including Peter, that Jesus had gone ahead of them to Galilee. They would find him there. *** They ran back to tell the disciples who were all eating together. They didn’t believe until Jesus appeared to them. Jesus told them to go to the ends of the earth and preach the Good News of salvation. Jesus was then taken to heaven in a cloud to heaven. Lord, you have anointed us as your chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people that we would show forth the praises of him who called us out of darkness into his marvelous light. May your light shine through us today. May your churches be filled with your glory and holiness today.