The Tabernacle with all its gold and skilfully woven and embroidered beauty has been set up according to God’s specific requirements. The leaders of the tribes of Israel have brought their gifts for the dedication of the altar over the span of twelve days–silver platters and basins full of grain, gold urns of incense, bulls and rams and yearling lambs, oxen and goats for burnt offerings and sin offerings and peace offerings.  And now it is time for the dedication of the Levites. They are a special offering to the Lord from the people in lieu of sacrificing their firstborn sons.  They will belong to the Lord, living offerings, set apart from the rest of the nation to serve him in the Tabernacle.

As I read these detailed procedures, at first I thought how foreign to us as ‘New Testament believers’ all this is, and then how familiar–the Sacrifice has been made, purifying us for service.  The work we are assigned may be mundane, a daily rhythm of ordinary comings and goings, but we are the Lord’s own possession, His servants!  As you do your work today, whatever it entails, keep in view the One you serve ( :

“After this, they may go in and out of the Tabernacle to do their work, because you have purified them and presented them as a special offering….They will serve in the Tabernacle on behalf of the Israelites and make atonement for them so no plague will strike them when they approach the sanctuary.

…our Saviour Jesus Christ; who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works–

He died once to defeat sin, and now he lives for the glory of God.  So you should consider yourselves dead to sin and able to live for the glory of God through Christ Jesus.

And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God.  Let them be a living and a holy sacrifice–the kind he will accept.  When you think of what he has done for you, is this too much to ask?  Don’t copy the behaviour and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think.  Then you will know what God wants you to do, and you will know how good and pleasing and perfect His will really is–You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body.

Whatever you do, do it from the heart, as something done for the Lord and not for people.

Num.8:15,19 NLT; Titus 2:13-14 KJV; Rom.6:10,11 NLT; Rom. 12: 1,2NLT; I Cor. 6:19-20 NLT; Col.3:23 CSB