Foreword

Numbers Chapter 4 meticulously records the duties of Aaron, his sons, and the Levites. We must recognise the solemnity in dealing with spiritual matters, for God repeatedly instructs us to diligently observe and adhere to His word.

Eleazar son of Aaron the priest is to have charge of the oil for the light, the incense, the regular grain offering and the anointing oil. He is to be responsible for the entire tabernacle and everything in it, including the sanctuary and all its furnishings.” The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “See that the Kohathite tribal clans are not cut off from the Levites. So that they may live and not die when they come near the most holy things, do this for them: Aaron and his sons shall go into the sanctuary and assign to each man his work and what he is to carry. But they must not go in to look at the holy things, even for a moment, or they will die.” (Numbers 4:16-20)

In the preceding verses, God also emphasises the consequences of failing to diligently observe His word:

“When the camp is to move, Aaron and his sons are to go in and take down the shielding curtain and put it over the ark of the covenant law. Then they are to cover the curtain with a covering of durable leather, spread a blue cloth over that and put its poles in place. When Aaron and his sons have finished covering the holy furnishings and all the holy articles, and when the camp is ready to move, only then are the Kohathites to come and do the carrying. But they must not touch the holy things or they will die. The Kohathites are to carry those things that are in the tent of meeting.” (Numbers 4:15)

Spiritual Matters Demand Caution

From the Scripture, we see that handling spiritual matters in the sanctuary was a near-death experience for Aaron and his sons. This underscores the grave danger of failing to diligently observe God's word. We can classify Christians into two distinct groups: those who diligently observe and carefully examine God's word, and those who do not. These two types of Christians will experience vastly different outcomes.

Deuteronomy records:

If you fully obey the Lord your God and carefully follow all his commands I give you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations on earth... However, if you do not obey the Lord your God and do not carefully follow all his commands and decrees I am giving you today, all these curses will come on you and overtake you. (Deuteronomy 28:1-15)

These verses reveal a serious matter: Christians must diligently observe God's word! The consequences of neglecting this are severe. Spiritual matters concern life and death, highlighting their gravity. We previously saw Aaron's sons offering unauthorised fire before God, resulting in their death by the Lord's fire. Why such a severe consequence? Because our God is a consuming fire, a mighty God, and we must be careful when serving before Him.

This explains the contrasting destinies of Christians: one elevated above all nations, the other brought low. We must remember that Christians are priests of the living God, and this title carries immense importance. Disregarding this divinely granted status is perilous. Many Christians are careless in spiritual matters, a foolish approach.

Take a census of the Kohathite clan of the Levites by their families and clans. Count all the men from thirty to fifty years of age who come to serve in the work in the tent of meeting. “This is the service of the Kohathites in the tent of meeting: They are to take care of the most holy things. When the camp moves, Aaron and his sons are to go in and take down the shielding curtain and put it over the ark of the covenant law. Then they are to cover the curtain with a covering of durable leather, spread a blue cloth over that and put its poles in place. “They are to spread a blue cloth on the table of showbread and place on it the plates, dishes and bowls, and the jars for drink offerings; the bread that is always to be there is to remain on it. They are to spread a scarlet cloth over them, cover that with a covering of durable leather and put its poles in place. (Numbers 4:2-8)

Reading these verses, we notice the detailed record of every specification given by God. Some, when studying these verses, might analyse the symbolism of the durable leather, the scarlet cloth, and the blue cloth, or why the lamps, bread, and oil containers had to be covered. But my interpretation is simple: God is showing us these things to see if we will diligently observe them!

Choose Diligent Obedience, Whether Understood or Not

We must diligently observe and adhere to the Lord's word, holding Him in reverence, doing as He commands. In Scripture, Moses acts in accordance with God's instructions. These were the men counted by clans from the Kohathites who served in the tent of meeting. Moses and Aaron counted them according to the Lord’s command through Moses... These were the Gershonites who were counted by their clans. They served in the tent of meeting. Moses and Aaron counted them according to the Lord’s command... These were the Merarites who were counted by their clans. Moses and Aaron counted them according to the Lord’s command... Moses counted them according to the Lord’s command, assigning each man his work and what to carry. Thus they were counted, as the Lord had commanded Moses. (Numbers 4:37, 41, 45, 49)

We don't see Moses interpreting or analysing these things. He simply does as God instructs. It wasn’t because Moses understood the significance of these actions (if he did, he would have told us). Moses not only refrained from explaining but meticulously recorded God's words in Scripture, including details like durable leather, and cloths of red, blue, and purple.

It would have been problematic if Moses had not followed God's instructions. Moses did not ask why things were done in a certain way. He simply did what God told him to do! Moses wrote in Scripture that the secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the revealed things belong to us and our children. This is a humble response! If we were to question everything and record these questions in Scripture, it would become so voluminous that it would be unreadable.

Be a Person Who Follows the Rules

I have extensively studied IT management and development. A young Christian man, full of enthusiasm, joined my department under my manager after graduation. After some time, my manager approached me with a hint of embarrassment, saying, Boss, I'm not sure if I should bring this up. I encouraged him to speak freely. The manager said, The young man you recommended is proving difficult to manage! He's not following our standard operating procedures and IT management protocols. We require 12345, but he only does 135. I was surprised and asked him to call the young man in.

When the young man arrived, I said, Your supervisor tells me you're only doing 135, omitting 24. Is that correct? The young man confirmed. I asked, Why are you doing that? He responded, Why should I follow the procedures? I nearly fell off my chair. I said, Your responsibility is to follow the procedures, that is your job! You're a recent graduate, and you may not understand the rationale behind these standards. If you could, I would explain them to you, but it took me many years to develop these operational rules, and I doubt you would grasp them.

Why should I do that? His question left a deep impression on me, akin to someone questioning God, Why should I do this? Such ignorance! When God communicates to us through Scripture, our role is to diligently obey! Why is Scripture so detailed? If durable leather isn't available, can we use dog skin? If not dog skin, can we substitute pig skin? If any skin would suffice, there would be chaos!

I later realised that disregard for rules is a harmful habit! For example, some people pass their driving theory test (科目一), only to forget everything when taking the practical driving tests (科目二, 科目三). Unlike them, I always remember the theory, because it's the traffic code! When driving, I pay close attention to traffic signs, leaving nothing out. Some people don't bother to look or follow the rules, asking, Why should I follow the traffic rules? If everyone disregarded the rules, chaos would ensue! Ignoring red lights not only incurs penalties but also leads to accidents. If you ignore one today, another tomorrow, another the day after, you might get away with it a few times, but eventually, you will be hit and killed, and the consequences will be dire. Why stop at a red light? It is the rule!

When serving God, we must remember: We are human! If you forget this and imagine yourself as the rule-making God, try creating a rule and see what happens. If the instruction is to use durable leather, don't substitute dog or pig skin. The consequences could be immediate divine retribution. People often try to discern good and evil before God, like Aaron's sons offering unauthorised fire and being struck dead. What is unauthorised fire? It is doing things according to one's own will, offering fire based on one's own preferences. Fire offered according to God's will is holy fire. Brothers and sisters, after reading these verses, we must diligently obey. I myself have sinned at times, but thank God for His mercy and grace in not striking me dead. Therefore, I constantly remind myself to diligently obey! Even then, I sometimes fail. Without diligent obedience, chaos would prevail.

In the eighties and nineties, my family was among the first to own a cassette recorder. Despite our poverty, my parents supported my English studies. The company that manufactured small cassette recorders once announced plans to build a camera factory to surpass Japan. At that time, Japanese manufacturing was synonymous with quality. Even today, brands like Toshiba and Panasonic are globally recognised. However, when that company designed and assembled its cameras, they discovered critical quality issues.

Why? Because people in China at that time did not adhere to the rules. On the assembly line, some tightened screws in one way, others in another, ignoring the specified procedures. As a result, the defect rate of cameras coming off the production line was extremely high. Even those that barely passed inspection had a high rate of returns. The owner of the company lamented, I thought the Chinese could surpass the Japanese, but it is proving too difficult.

Today, after forty years of reform and opening up, the Chinese have become wiser. Competing in the market requires a thorough understanding of following the rules. Many products are now manufactured in Chinese factories, and Made in China is poised to become a global brand. I have increasing confidence in Chinese manufacturing. In the 1980s and 1990s, Japanese manufacturing was a world leader. But what was Made in Japan like in the 1950s? It was cheap and shoddy, the worst in the world. Yet, over the decades, it transformed into a world-class brand because its workers were well-trained and adhered to the rules.

If Christians do not adhere to spiritual rules, doing a little less here and a little more there, the church built in this way will lack God's glory. Observe carefully how Moses built the tabernacle and how David instructed Solomon to build the temple. They did everything according to God's revelations. Moses, in particular, was an exceedingly humble man.

Can you imagine Moses describing himself as exceedingly humble in Scripture? Who does that? We tend to think that those who claim to be humble are not. However, the Apostle Paul also described himself as exceedingly humble, and our Lord Jesus said He was gentle and humble in heart (Matthew 11:29). I want to know how they were humble and why. Does describing oneself as exceedingly humble indicate humility or pride?

I later understood this in Scripture. Why they claimed to be humble, and were indeed humble, was because they diligently implemented God's word. Their understanding of humility meant doing exactly as God commanded. Although they may not have fully grasped everything, they chose to obey God's word. The regulations concerning durable leather, red cloths, fifty pegs, ropes, coloured threads, bread, lamps, oil, their placement and handling, and who carried them were all detailed. These things could be done according to instructions or not. For example, if the red cloth was dirty, could you wash and use a blanket from your home to cover the holy items? These matters concerning the handling of the most holy objects in the tabernacle were matters of life and death, not to be taken lightly.

When I first became a Christian, I eagerly read the Bible. Did I understand everything? No, but I obeyed. By doing, doing, and doing, I gradually gained understanding. Without obedience, you will fail. Like programming, if you don't follow the rules, the code won't run. If it doesn't run, all your effort is wasted. Programmers are rule-followers, because without following the rules, their programs won't function. It's the same with everything. As God commands, so you shall do. Follow the established rules and regulations, and don't deviate. The consequences of deviation are severe.

Today, I offer this advice: Read the Bible, and after reading God's word, diligently obey. Obey with understanding, and obey even without understanding. Moses was truly remarkable. Moses, Jesus, and Paul did as God commanded. Some may ask, Why does God only tell them and not me? I say, It's better that God doesn't tell you. If He does, and you don't obey, you'll incur a curse. Moses, Jesus, and Paul acted according to God's commands, and then they saw God's glory fill the tabernacle. Obedience is our duty. Consider the gravity of disobeying God's word.

Brothers and sisters, if God doesn't speak to you often or provide revelations, I can assure you it's because when He did, you didn't obey. You are not a person who obeys. If you are not a person who listens and obeys, why would God tell you anything? To bring a curse upon you?

Failure to diligently obey brings a curse. Have we strayed from the main point of this chapter? Pay attention: the Levites had to perform their duties according to the instructions of Aaron and his sons, who were their superiors. The Levites had to carry out whatever Aaron and his sons commanded, and they had to do it under their supervision. Everything concerning their work, carrying, and guarding was done under the authority of Aaron's sons, the priests.

Obedience means not only following God's word but also submitting to proper authority. If Aaron's sons were absent, and the Levites decided to enter and do things on their own, how efficient it would be! But that would be problematic. Scripture says, But they must not go in to look at the holy things, even for a moment, or they will die.”

Rules are rules. Besides rules for doing things, there are rules for being a person. The rules for being a person involve recognizing those in authority above you, those under your management, and your peers. We must learn to establish these relationships. Who is our superior? Who is our subordinate? Who is our peer? We must establish correct relationships according to these roles.

In some families, the son acts like the father, and the father acts like the son, creating a role reversal. Some factory owners act like servants, and the workers act like bosses, leading to complete chaos. Any issue involving roles and operational procedures highlights two things: the need for good interpersonal skills and the ability to perform tasks correctly. There are rules for both being a person and doing a job.

Therefore, brothers and sisters, study this chapter carefully. I won't elaborate on the surrounding pillars, pegs, sockets, and what each piece of equipment represents. If you are a Levite or a son of Aaron, then diligently obey God's commands. In the path of diligent obedience, God's power will be manifested through our hands.

The wholehearted service of the Levites, Aaron, and his sons brings victory to the entire army of Israel. If we offend God, we cannot fight spiritual battles effectively. In a later chapter of Numbers, Balaam, a greedy prophet, devised a plan for Balak, king of Moab, to entice the Israelites to sin. They could not defeat Israel in battle because God was with them.

Balaam understood the weakness of the Israelites: their propensity to sin and offend God. The Israelites sinned by committing adultery with Midianite women, and God struck down many of them. Sinning and offending God is the devil's most potent strategy. When the devil tempts us to sin, we cannot obtain God's promises. That is why the Israelites of that generation died in the wilderness.

Obeying and Following God's Word is a Core Value

Brothers and sisters, understand that obeying and following God's word is a core value for us. Hearing God's word and acting on it is a crucial principle. We read in the Gospels that Jesus wants us to emulate Him. When I hear God's word and aspire to imitate Him, I become more and more like Jesus. I also imitate Paul, who prayed in tongues more than all of them. At the time, I didn't understand, but I did it, and later I understood. Now, the brothers and sisters in our church all pray extensively in tongues, and we now deal with the devil and his enemies with swift and decisive action.

It turns out that praying in tongues can release God's power. That's why, before Jesus ascended to heaven, He told His disciples not to leave Jerusalem but to wait for the Holy Spirit, whom the Father had promised, to come upon them, and they would receive power! (Acts 1:4, 8) Because without the power of the Holy Spirit, you can't do anything. Only by putting God's word into practice will you know what it's all about. Therefore, those who hear God's word and act on it are wise, building their house on the rock, so that when the wind blows and the rain falls, it will not collapse. (Matthew 7:24-25)

We see in Numbers chapter 4 the three clans of the Levites and their descendants, and their responsibilities are clearly recorded here. Why write it so clearly? It is to ensure they obey and follow, numbering their males according to their clans and families. Therefore, we Christians must have a church perspective. To which family or clan do you belong? Commit to a church and settle down there, faithfully fulfilling the duties assigned to you. Be faithful in small things, and God will appoint you to manage great things.

Christians should be grounded and do their work diligently in their positions, whether in the secular or divine realms. Successful people are reliable in both big and small matters, and this is their quality: character, integrity. Successful people do not achieve overnight success, but step by step, grounded in reality.

In God's kingdom, God always wants you to be faithful, and He wants to entrust you with greater and more significant responsibilities. In the world as well, how are talents developed? It is through wholeheartedly and diligently doing things. But this is not to ask you to work yourself to death, but only by obeying and following God's word will you be above and not below, the head and not the tail!

Conclusion

Being a Christian requires diligence, and obeying and following God's word is actually pursuing likeness to Jesus. Therefore, brothers and sisters, strive to reach the point of perfection, to become fully mature in the stature of Christ, and you will surely see God's glory.

Knowing God is endless. If you are a person of practical faith, you will constantly exercise your faith, climbing from one level to the next. This is the practice of faith. If you stay at one level and do not seek progress, you do not need faith. When you stay at one level, you are an old wineskin, and it is difficult for God to use you. Although we can fight spiritual battles today, we are still far from perfect.

Therefore, brothers and sisters, do not give up, practice faith, strive to pursue, and reach the point of perfection! In the last days, we must ascend the mountain of the Lord, enter the temple of the God of Jacob, climb spiritual peaks, and God will raise up many who surpass those who have led Christian revivals throughout history. I sincerely desire that every brother and sister will rise to a high spiritual level and continue to know God. As Rick Joyner said in The Final Quest, even after entering God's sanctuary and climbing to the top of the mountain, the knowledge of God's truth is still only a drop in the ocean, because knowing God is endless.

May God bless you all!

Hear, O Israel, and be careful to obey, so that it may go well with you and that you may increase greatly in the land flowing with milk and honey, just as the Lord, the God of your ancestors, promised you. (Deuteronomy 6:3)