"Aaron is to present the Levites before the LORD as a wave offering from the Israelites so that they may be ready to do the work of the LORD ... They are the Israelites who are to be given wholly to me. I have taken them as my own in place of the firstborn, the first male offspring from every Israelite woman" (Numbers 8:11 & 16 NIV).
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Originally, each firstborn male of any Israelite woman was supposed to have been 'gifted' to the LORD for service to Him. The LORD has now dedicated the Levites to this service and gifted them to Aaron and sons for the work involving the tent of meeting. He offered them as a wave offering.
When a wave offering was waved before the LORD it signified either a possible combo or individual reason. Reasons such as a vow could have been taken (eg. a Nazirite vow), in relation to a favor or just a voluntary act of worship (see Leviticus 7:16-17).
This waving before the LORD also designated that this particular offering belonged to Him. Once offered then it was given to the priests. It could not be taken back by the giver. It was holy unto the LORD (see Leviticus 23:17-20).
Having been alloted to the priests, these consecrated wave offerings could either be for personal use or for the establishement and maintenance of the sanctuary*.
What impressed me in this case was that God Himself was offering the wave offering here. To conduct the wave offering, the offerer would hold the offering in his hands while the priest's hands would be underneath the offerers'. Together, they would wave that offering towards the altar and then backwards from the altar. This was like giving it to the LORD and then taking it back to give to the priests, as if a gift from the LORD*.
So, God the offerer, waved the Levites before the altar in tandem with Aaron as if this offering were actually from the Israelites. In turn, God received the offering and then as a gift, gave the Levites to Aaron and sons to aid them in the establishment and maintainance of the Tabernacle's functioning; thus taking part in the work of this tent of meeting.
If you read all of chapter 8 of Numbers you'll note that there was actually a combination of sacrifices and offerings involved in this dedication of the Levites before the LORD for this Tabernacle work.
There were the grain, sin and burnt offerings besides the wave offering. The grain offering was fine flour while a young bull was used for the burnt offering. The grain offering acknowledged God's provision and for the purpose of worshipping Him. For the sin offering a young bull was also offered. There may seem to be overlap here but the sin offering was compulsory whereas the burnt offering was voluntary - a free will offering - from the heart.
When consecrating the Levites for the Tabernacle work, the sin offering had to be made. Any transgressions that had unintentionally been committed could then be atoned for (see Numbers 8:12).
The burnt offering burned all night. God so loves a willing giver, He likes to savor the fragrant aroma.
So covering all these bases, the Levites became purified and then waved before the LORD. They were "wholly given" to the LORD (v 16).
"The Levites purified themselves and washed their clothes. Then Aaron presented them as a wave offering before the LORD and made atonement for them to purify them" (Numbers 8:21).
Then these consecrated Levites set to work at the Tent of Meeting. Aaron and sons surpervised their work.
Can you see where these thoughts are leading? God was the offerer in this case. He was also the offerer in the case of Jesus Christ's dying on the cross to make atonement once and for all for the sins of the "whosoever" who would believe in Him (see John 3:16).
Jesus was the sin offering, made sin for us. He was the burnt offering and a freewill offering, from His heart to yours. He was the grain offering - God's provision for the redemption of mankind's souls*. So in the end, we would worship Him - which is one of our big purposes in life.
God and Jesus our High Priest waved this offering before God and then gave Him as a gift to mankind.
A burnt offering could be a lamb. The entire animal would be offered. It would burn all night. For Jesus, He is our Lamb of God and the hours He spent on the cross signify the 'all night'. This offering was a sweet fragrance, accepted by God (see Isaiah 53:10-11).
"After the suffering of His soul, He will see the light of life and be satisfied."
God was satisfied. Now it is up to mankind to accept this gift personally and individually.
Aaron and sons accepted God's gift of the Levites from the Israelites. Will we accept God's gift - that good and perfect gift - Jesus Christ, as Lord and Savior of our lives? Then to worship Him, and to then to give of our best to the Master?
The wave offering was made from the very first and finest of whatever crops of grain the Israelites harvested. There were such offerings at the Passover and Pentecost (see Leviticus 23:17-20). Nowadays we are not restricted as to the timing of our wave offerings (so to speak) but indeed, let's give of our best and finest. Remember what God has given to you.
Reciprocate.
Father God, as we believers in Jesus Christ, those of us who have accepted Your wave offering gift, come together on any given Lord's Day, remembering all you have done for us, may we be truly thankful. As we partake of the broken bread and drink of the cup of wine, symbolizing Jesus' death and atonement for our souls, may we then give You all the glory, honor and praise by being living sacrifices for You (see Romans 12:1).
In turn, may our whole lives be wholly given to You and Your service just as the Levites were. Help us to give You our best and finest of all You require, and of any freewill burnt offerings we may make for You. Give us willing hearts.
In Jesus' name we ask. Amen.
~ERC March 2024)
Based on Numbers 8:5-26 (NIV).
Sing, Give Your Best to the Master, along with Reflection.
*Some references from various internet articles.
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