Bible Study Seattle

“Then the Lord spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the tent of meeting, on the first of the second month, in the second year after they had come out of the land of Egypt, saying, “Take a census of all the congregation of the sons of Israel, by their families, by their fathers’ households, according to the number of names, every male, head by head from twenty years old and upward, whoever is able to go out to war in Israel, you and Aaron shall number them by their armies.”  Numbers 1:1-3

“The Levites, however, were not numbered among them by their fathers’ tribe.  For the Lord had spoken to Moses, saying, “Only the tribe of Levi you shall not number, nor shall you take their census among the sons of Israel.  But you shall appoint the Levites over the tabernacle of the testimony, and over all its furnishings and over all that belongs to it. They shall carry the tabernacle and all its furnishings, and they shall take care of it; they shall also camp around the tabernacle.  So when the tabernacle is to set out, the Levites shall take it down; and when the tabernacle encamps, the Levites shall set it up. But the layman who comes near shall be put to death.”  Numbers 1:47-51

“Then the Lord spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, saying, “Number the sons of Levi by their fathers’ households, by their families; every male from a month old and upward you shall number.”  Numbers 3:14-15

“Then the Lord spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying, “Take a census of the descendants of Kohath from among the sons of Levi, by their families, by their fathers’ households, from thirty years and upward, even to fifty years old, all who enter the service to do the work in the tent of meeting.”  Numbers 4:1-3

“Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Take a census of the sons of Gershon also, by their fathers’ households, by their families; from thirty years and upward to fifty years old, you shall number them; all who enter to perform the service to do the work in the tent of meeting.”  Numbers 4:21-23

“As for the sons of Merari, you shall number them by their families, by their fathers’ households; from thirty years and upward even to fifty years old, you shall number them, everyone who enters the service to do the work of the tent of meeting.”  Numbers 4:29-30

Isn’t it interesting that the Israelites were numbered from those twenty years and older, whereas the Levites were numbered from those one month old and older, and those thirty to fifty years?  This possibly shows that those twenty years are ordinary people, while those thirty years are of a more elevated rank.  Indeed, those of the ruling church in that Day will be of higher rank than those on earth.  Additionally, Levites a month old compared to those thirty years old possibly speak to immature Christians verses mature ones(?)