“46 Moses, Aaron, and the leaders of Israel registered all the Levites by their clans and their ancestral houses, 47 from 30 years old to 50 years old, everyone who was qualified to do the work of serving at the tent of meeting and transporting it. 48 Their registered men numbered 8,580. 49 At the Lords command they were registered under the direction of Moses, each one according to his work and transportation duty, and his assignment was as the Lord commanded Moses.”
Numbers 4:46-49
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Numbers 4 sees the Levite clan divided up into their jobs an responsibilities with the set up and care of the Tabernacle. During this point in the history of Israel, the people needed to be ready to move and go wherever God directed them, and that meant the camp physically packed up and moved, including the Tabernacle. All the holy items dedicated for the worship of God were packed up, very carefully, and carried in the procession of the people to whatever new place God had designated for them. This was no small task, moving several million people around, but more so than family tents and possessions, the careful and respectful movement of the Tabernacle of God was of first priority.

The Levitical clans were counted, divided up and given specific tasks to do in the movement and security of the Tabernacle and its holy elements. Special coverings were made for the transportation of the Ark of the Covenant, and all the furniture of the Holy Place and Most Holy Place. Kept from eyes that could not look upon them and live, these elements of the Israelite worship of YHWH were precious things, sacred and not to be treated lightly.

As Christians today, we could learn a little bit about reverence for God from these passages. This is the same God we serve today. The same Almighty Father and Creator of the universe that we reverence and respect in our worship today. When we come before Him each week corporately, do we esteem Him in this way? When we speak with Him daily, do we give Him the honor He is due? Do we have a holy fear, awe and respect for God, or do we treat Him like some common thing, familiar as the furniture in our own homes?

I fear sometimes that our relationship with God has become too casual, too convenient. Yes, we are to be close with Him, yes we are to be open and intimate with Him, but closeness, openness and intimacy does not equate to an ‘allowable’ disrespect, or declining respect. If we are to take our ministry as believers seriously, we need to hold God in the utmost respect in our hearts and lives. We must relearn what ‘Holy’ means reengage with Him honestly and treat this privilege with the honor it is due.

Paul puts it this way in 2 Corinthians 4:1-6:

“1 Therefore, since we have this ministry because we were shown mercy, we do not give up. 2 Instead, we have renounced shameful secret things, not walking in deceit or distorting Gods message, but commending ourselves to every persons conscience in Gods sight by an open display of the truth. 3 But if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. 4 In their case, the god of this age has blinded the minds of the unbelievers so they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. 5 For we are not proclaiming ourselves but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your slaves because of Jesus. 6 For God who said, Let light shine out of darkness, has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of Gods glory in the face of Jesus Christ.”

The world, in its sinfulness, sees no need to revere God, and this is no suprise, because they are in sin. But as we GoLove others in His Name, we must make it abundantly clear that this is no common god we serve, but El Shaddai, YHWH Elohim. We do not even speak His Name lightly, let alone serve Him lightly. If we are going to communicate the goodness of God to the nations, we ought also communicate reverence for Him as well. He is worthy of praise, but He is also worthy of our esteem, respect and sincerity. We do not worship Him passively, but intently, purposefully and honestly. We revere and respect Him, and the respect that we show Him in our daily ministry before Him will translate through our actions and into the understanding of those around us. The ministry of the believer is important, but it means nothing if we do not respect the One we minister before.