Its Functions by J. O. CORLISS

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Tacoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Dec 22, 1910

Its Functions

By J. O. CORLISS

History of the Jewish Priesthood — No. 4

Its Functions

J. O. CORLISS

The position and labors of the Levites were so interwoven with those of the priests that it is perhaps well to present the true relation of the two orders. While the priests were descended in family from Levi, and so were properly tribal Levites, yet the official priests and Levites were distinctly segregated in their relation to the sanctuary and its services. The two offices were in no sense similar or interchangeable; and yet in one case, to be called up later, we find a Levite acting the part of a priest, under certain circumstances.

The sons of Aaron were four in number. After the death of Nadab and Abihu (Lev. 10:1, 2), Eleazar and Ithamar were the only legitimate priests, and through their families the priesthood was perpetuated. Num. 3:4-10. Upon the sons of Moses, however, fell the labors of Levitical duties. Verses 14-24. In the removal of the sanctuary from point to point during its wilderness sojourn, only the priests were permitted to enter the holy enclosure, to prepare the parts for removal. No Levite was permitted to touch any one of the sanctuary vessels, until after they were covered, and then only to bear them to their designated destination. Num. 4:5, 15, 20.

From the time the tabernacle was erected at any spot the Levites seem to have been held responsible for its safety, and so were permitted to carry weapons of defense. 2 Kings 11:6; 1 Chron. 23:32. On one occasion, at least, when a king was to be crowned, we find all the Levites, besides many common people, with weapons in hand, guarding the sanctuary service while the coronation of the king was taking place. 2 Chron. 23:7-10.

In fact, the Levites were the priests' appointed servants, to do the manual work of the sanctuary. Num. 8:19. It was theirs to provide the showbread, to make ready the meat-offering, to bake the unleavened cakes, and to cleanse, from day to day, the courts and chambers of the Lord's house, and all the vessels thereof. During the national morning and evening sacrifice by the priests, the Levites were to stand by, and offer the formal words of praise and thanksgiving. At all the set feasts, such as the new moon, and on the Sabbaths, they were to burn the sacrifices, to any number, as ordered by the priests. 1 Chron. 23:28-31.

A curse was early pronounced upon Levi and his brethren, because of their cruelty. Said his father: 'I will divide them in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel.' Gen. 49:7. The beginning of this fulfilment may be reckoned from an apparently insignificant incident. Indeed, to the casual reader, the record of the event would seem almost non-essential, and altogether a chance account. The principal figure in the chronicle is a young Levite who, for some unknown reason, left his home in Bethlehem to find a place for himself. Going northward, he found a resting-place at the house of Micah in Mount Ephraim.

It seems that Micah had, by a strange occurrence, been made ready for the outcome of his meeting with the Levite. Some time before, he had stolen a lot of silver from his mother. Becoming conscience-stricken, he had returned the metal, and his mother had a part of it made into two images, one graven and the other molten, which were then placed in Micah's 'house of gods.' He added to these an ephod, and teraphim, and then made one of his sons priest over his house. Judges 17:1-5. Apparently these images were statues, or standing pillars (Hosea 3:4), and with the teraphim mask, and covering ephod, were used as oracles by which to divine, or interpret dreams. Zech. 10:2. These appurtenances of worship, however, were finally abolished by King Josiah. 2 Kings 23:24.

Upon meeting the young Levite, Micah made him a proposition to live with him and become his priest, on the promise of board and clothes, and ten shekels (about six dollars) each year. The undeveloped state of society of that time is to a certain extent revealed by the alacrity with which the Levite closed in with Micah's offer, and his consent to be irregularly set apart to his work by the hands of one in no way connected with the tribe of Levi. Judges 17:7-12.

The fact that at that time no king reigned in Israel, and every one did nearly as he pleased, accounts for much that marked the period under consideration. The inheritance of the Danite tribe had not been assigned them, and they sent out advance agents to select a part of the country desirable to dwell in. The five selected men left their coast dwelling, west of Judah, for the far north, and when lodging at the home of Micah, in Mount Ephraim, they detected, by his peculiar voice, the young Levite. Learning of his position with Micah, they asked and received his blessing in behalf of their venture.

Having located a tribal home in the north of Palestine, they returned, and induced their brethren to go with them to possess it. They were accompanied in their second journey by six hundred men of war, and upon reaching again the home of Micah, the five men informed the others about the young Levite, and it was determined to take him with them to the north. While the warriors stood with weapons in hand before the gate, the five went in, and carried away in advance the images and their belongings. The Levite was then induced to accompany

the warriors, on the promise that he should be priest to a whole tribe, instead of to a single family.

Arriving at their desired location for a home, the Danites built a city, set up the images, and made the Levite their priest. His name is revealed to us with the record of this later act, which before, had not been mentioned. Judges 18:30. This text gives his name as Jonathan the son of Gershom, and a grandson of Manasseh. It has been discovered, however, that his tribal relation is not correctly reported here. The word Mosheh in the Hebrew text was, by the insertion of a single letter, changed into Manasseh. In 1 Chron. 23:15, 16, we learn that Shebuel, the son of Gershom, was the grandson of Moses. Jerome says that this man was Micah's Levite. The priesthood thus established at Laish in Dan, continued through the posterity of Shebuel, or Jonathan, until the captivity of the country by the Philistines. 1 Sam. 4:2-11; Ps. 78:60, 61.

But the taste of independent worship by the people of Dan was not forgotten. When Jeroboam became king of the ten tribes, a golden calf was set up in Dan for the people to worship, and priests were set apart from the lowest of the people. Jehovah was lost sight of, and the great sin of Samaria came to be recognized by the oath of the people: 'Thy god, O Dan, liveth.' Amos 8:14.

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