1. Worship
Numbers 7 - 8

2. Worship
BACKGROUND
Numbers is an account of the time between the Exodus and the entry into the Promised Land
The Levites have been appointed to serve the Lord and maintain the Tabernacle
Now the Tabernacle is ready and specific instructions are given to the leaders of the tribes and to the Levites regarding worship

3. Worship
OFFERINGS
Chapter 7 is mainly concerned with the offerings made to equip the Tabernacle and to ensure it will be portable for the journey
The tribes all contribute towards providing carts and oxen for the Tabernacle (1 – 9)
These are given to the three Levite clans depending on the load they will bear
Note that the Kohathites do not have a cart. They will carry the most holy objects on their shoulders using poles (see 2 Samuel 6)

4. Worship
OFFERINGS
All the tribes (except the Levites) now bring equal offerings to the Tabernacle (10 – 88)
Each tribe has an equal stake in the support of the sacrificial ministry of the Tabernacle
No tribe has a monopoly and no tribe is overlooked
Grain offering, burnt offering, sin offering, fellowship offering – all of the major Levitical offerings are provided for

5. Worship A PLACE OF MEETING
The Tabernacle was not just a place of offering
It was where God spoke to His people through Moses – the Tent of Meeting
It was a place that signified relationship
God speaks to Moses from above the Mercy Seat
This is also called the atonement cover – see Romans 3:25 “God presented Him as a sacrifice of atonement through faith in His blood, to demonstrate His righteousness”

6. Worship A PLACE OF LIGHT (8:1 -4)
The arrangement of the lamp stand is given prominence (see also Exodus 25 and 37)
The lamp stand was made of hammered gold
God had given the design to Moses
The lamps would light the path for Moses to approach the Holy of Holies (Most Holy Place)
They help Moses to draw close to communion with God

7. A PLACE OF DEDICATION (8:5 - 22)
Worship
A PLACE OF DEDICATION (8:5 - 22)
The Levites need to be purified before they can serve the Lord
As a symbol of being cut off from anything unclean they shave off all of their body hair as part of the ceremony
They have hands laid on them just as an animal sacrifice would – they are living sacrifices to the Lord
We are reminded that the Levites stand as substitutionary sacrifices for the firstborn of all the tribes

8. Worship LESSONS FOR TODAY
All of us have a part to play in worshipping God
Sacrifices remind us that sin is serious and a holy God cannot be approached casually
Worship is our reasonable service to God – we are a kingdom of priests
There will be those who are equipped by God and set apart to help us in our worship
Our worship must be centred on Him alone
Worship is about having a relationship with God where we hear from Him as well as serve Him