“You are a priest forever.” – Hebrews 7:17, Numbers 18:1-32
The theme of priesthood runs deep throughout the Bible, but it reaches its pinnacle in the person of Jesus Christ, who fulfills the ultimate role as the eternal High Priest. In the Old Testament, the Levites were set apart by God to serve in the Tabernacle, assisting the priests in their sacred duties. Their roles foreshadowed Jesus, who would one day become the eternal High Priest—mediating between God and man forever.
In this post, we’ll explore the connection between Numbers 18 and the priesthood of Jesus Christ, examining how the duties of the Levites served as a powerful precursor to Christ’s redemptive work.
The Role of the Levites in Numbers 18
Numbers 18 gives us a clear picture of the role and responsibilities of the Levites in the ancient Israelite community. As God’s chosen tribe to serve in the Tabernacle, they were tasked with carrying out the priestly duties, ensuring the sanctity of worship, and maintaining the proper rituals that would point the people toward God’s holiness.
In this chapter, God speaks directly to Aaron, the high priest, and outlines the responsibilities of the priests and Levites. He gives the priests authority over the sanctuary and the altar, ensuring that they alone could offer sacrifices. The Levites, however, were assigned to assist the priests and guard the Tabernacle, taking on roles such as maintaining the holy objects, cleaning the altar, and offering support in the daily rituals.
God also sets apart the Levites as His possession, emphasizing that the Levites were not to inherit land like the other tribes. Instead, their inheritance was God Himself—He would provide for them through the tithes and offerings of the people. In this way, the Levites were to represent a consecrated people entirely dedicated to the service of God.
While this may seem like a very specific and unique role, it holds deep spiritual significance when we consider how the Levites’ role in Israel foreshadows the work of Jesus Christ.
Jesus as Our Eternal High Priest
The priesthood of Jesus Christ fulfills, transcends, and redefines the priestly system outlined in Numbers 18. In the Old Testament, the priesthood was temporary, bound to the tribe of Levi, and continually required renewal through sacrifices. But in Jesus, the need for such sacrifices has ended, for He offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice once for all.
1. Jesus: The High Priest Who Intercedes for Us
In the Old Testament, the priests would intercede on behalf of the people, offering sacrifices to atone for their sins. In the New Testament, Jesus serves as our eternal High Priest who continually intercedes for us before God. Hebrews 7:25 tells us that “He is able to save completely those who come to God through Him, because He always lives to intercede for them.”
Unlike the Levites, who were mortal and had to offer sacrifices repeatedly, Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross was a one-time, perfect offering for sin. His priesthood is eternal, and He does not need to offer new sacrifices. His sacrifice on the cross was the ultimate act of intercession for all of humanity, ensuring that those who believe in Him can have direct access to God.
2. Jesus: The Perfect Sacrifice
In Numbers 18, we see that the Levites’ ministry involved offerings to atone for the sins of the people, but these sacrifices were not sufficient to permanently deal with sin. They were repeated year after year. However, Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross was the ultimate and final atonement for sin. As Hebrews 9:12 states, “He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but He entered the Most Holy Place once for all by His own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption.”
The Levites’ role was always to point to the perfect sacrifice that would come. Jesus was the fulfillment of that foreshadowing. His blood was the only blood that could fully atone for the sins of mankind. Jesus’ eternal priesthood means that His work on our behalf is finished—He has done what the Levites and all Old Testament priests could not do: He has made a perfect and lasting atonement for sin.
3. Jesus: The True Inheritance
In Numbers 18, the Levites were not given land as an inheritance because God Himself was their portion (Numbers 18:20). In a similar way, Jesus is the true inheritance for those who trust in Him. As the ultimate High Priest, He offers Himself as our inheritance, and in Him, we find everything we need for life and godliness.
The Levites’ lack of land symbolized the fact that their role was not to possess earthly things but to focus solely on serving God. In Christ, we are given the privilege of being heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ (Romans 8:17). Our inheritance is not a piece of land, but a relationship with the eternal God, secured by the work of Jesus, the High Priest.
4. Jesus: The Mediator of a Better Covenant
In Numbers 18, the Levites were part of the old covenant that required continual sacrifices. This covenant pointed forward to the new covenant that would be established through Jesus. Hebrews 8:6 tells us, “But in fact the ministry Jesus has received is as superior to theirs as the covenant of which He is mediator is superior to the old one.”
Jesus’ role as the mediator of a better covenant means that we no longer need to approach God through the priesthood of Levi, with its sacrifices and rituals. Through Jesus, we have direct access to God, and His perfect sacrifice guarantees our eternal redemption. The old covenant was a shadow, but Jesus is the substance. He fulfills and completes the law and the prophets, and through Him, we experience the fullness of God’s grace.
Jesus, Our Eternal High Priest, and Our Response
As we reflect on the priestly role of the Levites and the fulfillment of that role in Jesus Christ, we are called to respond in several ways:
- Worship: Just as the Levites were set apart for the worship of God, so we are called to offer our lives as living sacrifices (Romans 12:1), worshiping God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength.
- Gratitude: We can never repay Jesus for His sacrifice, but we can live in a constant state of thanksgiving, knowing that He is our eternal High Priest, interceding on our behalf before the Father.
- Access to God: Jesus has made a way for us to come boldly to the throne of grace (Hebrews 4:16). We no longer need to rely on a human priest to mediate for us. Through Christ, we have direct access to God.
- Holiness: Just as the Levites were set apart to serve God, we too are called to live holy lives, consecrated to His service. Through Jesus, we have the power to live out the holiness that He has imparted to us.
Conclusion
In Numbers 18, we see the Levites fulfilling their role as intermediaries between God and His people, pointing to the greater High Priest to come. That High Priest is Jesus Christ, who, through His death, resurrection, and eternal intercession, has made a way for us to have direct access to God. The priesthood of Jesus is eternal, perfect, and sufficient for all who believe in Him. Let us be thankful for His sacrifice, walk in His holiness, and boldly approach the throne of grace with confidence, knowing that Jesus, our eternal High Priest, is interceding for us.
