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"Hear I pray you, ye sons of Levi: seemeth it but a small thing unto you, that the God
of Israel hath separated you from the congregation . . . . . and seek ye the priesthood
also?" (Numb. 16: 8-10).
"No stranger which is not of the seed of Aaron (shall) come near to offer incense
before the Lord: that he be not as Korah and as his company" (Numb. 16: 40).
It will be observed that although the whole tribe of Levi had been separated by God
from the rest of Israel, the further distinctive office of priest was so far removed from
them that it was a matter of death to step over the appointed boundary.
But there is drawn yet one more line of demarcation in order that mortal man shall be
sufficiently impressed with the awful holiness of the God he was called upon to serve.
Aaron, as high priest, was separated from his sons, the priests.
"There was a tabernacle made; the first, wherein was the candlestick, and the table,
and the shewbread: which is called the sanctuary. And after the second veil, the
tabernacle which is called the Holiest of all . . . . . the priests went always into the first
tabernacle, accomplishing the service of God. But into the second went the high priest
alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors
of the people" (Heb. 9: 1-7).
As we face these scriptures, the extraordinary emphasis upon the character of man's
approach to God begins to be felt, yet, thus far, but one feature has been taken into
account, the separation of a nation, a tribe, a family, and, lastly, an individual for the
office of the high priesthood.
But we have not yet given any place to the repeated offerings, washings, and
ceremonial preparation that accompanied the process of approach. This we must now do,
or our survey would be but half finished, and its full effect lost upon us.
We return, therefore, to the outermost edge, the separation of the entire nation. How
was it done? There are at least two phases, the one being the elective purpose of God,
exercising His sovereign choice, the other the redemptive purpose of God, taking
cognizance of the sinful character of all nations, not excluding the chosen nation, Israel,
and, therefore, impressing them, in particular, at the outset with the fact that God's choice
of them was, notwithstanding, associated with an intolerance of sin among them in any
shape or form. We will not quote the promise made to Abraham, as recorded in Gen. 12:
and elsewhere, but, instead, take up the witness of the Scriptures at the time when the
people are about to emerge as the elect and separated people of God.
Israel, as a nation, were separated by the shedding of blood.
"This month shall be unto you the beginning of months . . . . .take . . . . . a lamb . . . . .
the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening"
(Exod. 12: 1-6).
"What one nation in the earth is like Thy people, even like Israel, whom God went to
redeem for a people to Himself" (II Sam. 7: 23).