The Danger of Breaking Faith (Num. 5)

As we have seen, the wilderness camp is arranged with the tabernacle at the center, the clans of the Levites surrounding, guarding and protecting the holy place, and the 12 tribes of Israel around the Levites.

The Levites were taken in the place of the firstborn. The priests do not replace Israel – they represent Israel. The actions and intentions of the priest do not replace Israel’s actions and intentions. Rather, the priest represents Israel.

Israel was called to be a priestly nation – and the priesthood was to be a model of this. In the same way that the priests represented Israel, Israel was to represent the nations

Just as the tabernacle was there to protect the holy place – so also the Levitical circle was to protect the tabernacle – and the camp of Israel was to protect the Levites …

Now in chapters 5-6 we zero in on some of the particular details of Israel’s role....