Genesis 29:34, “And she conceived again, and bare a son; and said, Now this time will my husband be joined unto me, because I have born him three sons: therefore was his name called Levi.”
- The name Levi means "joined"
- Fulfillment - Levi would help to join the children of Isreal to the Great Husband
Isaiah 54:5, "For thy Maker is thine husband; the LORD of hosts is his name; and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; The God of the whole earth shall he be called."
- Jesus is the Great Husband
- True Church is the Bride
Genesis 49:5-7, "O my soul, come not thou into their secret; unto their assembly, mine honor, be not thou united. ... Cursed be their anger, for it was fierce; and their wrath, for it was cruel. I will divide them in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel."
Nehemiah 13:2, "…howbeit our God turned the curse into a blessing."
Exodus 32:10, "Now therefore let me alone, that my wrath may wax hot against them, and that I may consume them."
Genesis 32:26-28, "Who is on the LORD'S side? let him come unto me. And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together unto him. And he said unto them, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Put every man his sword by his side, and go in and out from gate to gate throughout the camp, and slay every man his brother, and every man his companion, and every man his neighbour. And the children of Levi did according to the word of Moses: and there fell of the people that day about three thousand men."
- The tribe of Levi stood true to the cause of God. Nothing can stand in between their connection with God.
Numbers 18:20-21, "And the LORD spake unto Aaron, Thou shalt have no inheritance in their land, neither shalt thou have any part among them: I am thy part and thine inheritance among the children of Israel. And, behold, I have given the children of Levi all the tenth in Israel for an inheritance, for their service which they serve, even the service of the tabernacle of the congregation.
- The tribe of Levi received no land as inheritance
- Their inheritance is the tenth in Israel or the "tithe"
- Their primary job is the spiritual welfare of Israel
Nehemiah 13:10-11, "And I perceived that the portions of the Levites had not been given them: for the Levites and the singers, that did the work, were fled every one to his field. Then contended I with the rulers, and said, Why is the house of God forsaken? And I gathered them together, and set them in their place."
- When the Levites received not their portion, they were obligated to seek for secular employment in order to survived and be sustained
1. Moses
2. Aaron
Leviticus 10:1-11, "And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took either of them his censer, and put fire therein, and put incense thereon, and offered strange fire before the LORD, which he commanded them not. And there went out fire from the LORD, and devoured them, and they died before the LORD. Then Moses said unto Aaron, This is it that the LORD spake, saying, I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me, and before all the people I will be glorified. And Aaron held his peace. And Moses called Mishael and Elzaphan, the sons of Uzziel the uncle of Aaron, and said unto them, Come near, carry your brethren from before the sanctuary out of the camp. So they went near, and carried them in their coats out of the camp; as Moses had said. And Moses said unto Aaron, and unto Eleazar and unto Ithamar, his sons, Uncover not your heads, neither rend your clothes; lest ye die, and lest wrath come upon all the people: but let your brethren, the whole house of Israel, bewail the burning which the LORD hath kindled. And ye shall not go out from the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, lest ye die: for the anointing oil of the LORD is upon you. And they did according to the word of Moses. And the LORD spake unto Aaron, saying, Do not drink wine nor strong drink, thou, nor thy sons with thee, when ye go into the tabernacle of the congregation, lest ye die: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations: And that ye may put difference between holy and unholy, and between unclean and clean; And that ye may teach the children of Israel all the statutes which the LORD hath spoken unto them by the hand of Moses."
- When Aaron's sons died, he was not allowed to show a sign of grief in order to teach the people that God is just in punishing evildoers even if they were his own sons
Psalms 106:16, “…Aaron the saint of the LORD.”
Summary:- Positive Character - they stood true to the honor of God and His cause
- Negative Character - they waver at times
- Sin - they joined Simeon in revenge to the Shechemites for what they did to their sister Dinah
- Judgment - they were scattered and divided among Israel
- Fulfillment of the judgment - they were scattered among Israel to be teachers to the nation
- Blessing - they receive the birthright of priesthood
- Why will they be found in heaven? - because they forsook their sin
Romans 6:23, "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."