September 22 And it came to pass on the day that Moses had fully set up the tabernacle, and had anointed it, and sanctified it, and all the instruments thereof, both the altar and all the vessels thereof, and had anointed them, and sanctified them; that the princes of Israel, heads of the house of their fathers, who were the princes of the tribes, and were over them that were numbered, offered: and they brought their offering before the LORD, six covered wagons, and twelve oxen; a wagon for two of the princes, and for each one an ox: and they brought them before the tabernacle. Numbers 7:1–3 In our society, we place a high premium on fairness and equality. With that in mind, look at our text . . . On the day the Tabernacle was dedicated and anointed, the leaders of the tribes of Israel brought twelve oxen and six wagons as an offering to the Lord. The wagons and oxen were divided between the three groups of Levites. The first group, the Gershonites, were given two wagons and four oxen. So far so good. But when the next group, the sons of Merari, was given four wagons and eight oxen, the Gershonites must have said, “Wait a minute. This isn’t fair. We only got four oxen and two wagons.” But if the Gershonites didn’t like this, imagine how the third group, the Kohathites, felt when there was nothing left for them. “Unfair!” they must have cried. And we do the same. “Wait a minute,” we say. “We’re all called to serve God, aren’t we? Why, then, does he have four wagons and eight oxen and I have none? Look at the position he holds, the prosperity she enjoys, the prominence they have. Why don’t I?” And then we fall into the subtle mindset that God is not truly fair, that He plays favorites. And we’re not one of them. Why were the wagons distributed the way they were? Does God indeed have favorites? The answer is found in a significant phrase where it says the wagons were given according to their service (Numbers 7:5). Earlier, we read that the sons of Gershon were in charge of the fabric and coverings of the Tabernacle, to take them up and down and pack them along. But the Merarites had an even heavier load, for they were in charge of the boards, silver sockets, and bars which made up the walls of the Tabernacle. In fact, those who study these things say the weight the sons of Merari carried would have been approximately twice as great as that which the sons of Gershon carried. Consequently, called to bear twice as great a burden, it makes sense the Merarites would have twice as many oxen and twice as many wagons. Of those who appear to be more blessed than we are, we say, “Look at the wagons they have. Look at their oxen.” Yes, they may have more oxen and more wagons. But they also have heavier burdens. They have obligations that you and I don’t understand. God is fair. With those wagons come added responsibilities and burdens, because to whom much is given, much is required (Luke 12:48). The Kohathites were to carry the furniture of the Tabernacle - including the Ark of the Covenant - upon their shoulders, which speaks of intimacy, of close proximity. And now I begin to understand. Maybe I don’t have four wagons or eight oxen. Maybe I don’t even have two wagons and four oxen. Maybe I’m on foot. But maybe that’s because the Lord knows that not having the position or possessions others have will result in a deeper intimacy than if there were oxen and wagons rumbling around. Jesus opted for this when He said, “Foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man hath not where to lay His head” (Matthew 8:20). The priests and Pharisees had an abundance of oxen and wagons. But Jesus chose a different direction. Yet He was so happy and so full of joy that even those with lots of oxen and wagons, so to speak, left everything to follow Him. He was able to focus on that which mattered. And as a result, there was a sparkle in His eyes, a smile on His face, and a winsome quality to His personality which caused multitudes - of which we are a part - to want to be around Him. If God has given you four carts and eight oxen, rejoice. But be on guard lest these blessings distract you from walking with Jesus in simplicity. Carts and oxen aren’t always as good as they look. Carts lose their wheels; oxen make messes; and life becomes complicated. Thus, it is the wise man who says, “Lord, You set the agenda. You give me what You know is best for me.” My tendency would be to say, “I don’t think things are fair. We’re going to have a fundraising campaign to buy carts for the Kohathites.” But would that truly be best for the Kohathites? To those with no wagons and no oxen, God says, “You have Me. And I’m all you need.”
Posted on: Sun, 22 Sep 2013 19:01:52 +0000
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