"The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, 'You must not let the families of Kohath be wiped out and lost to the tribe of Levi.'" Num 4:17
When numbered, the list of Kohathites by family, men between the ages of thirty and fifty, were two thousand, seven hundred and fifty.
So why was God so concerned that this family might be lost forever?
The Kohathites had been put in charge of moving the sacred equipment connected with the Tent of Meeting. The Ark of the Testimony, the table of the Bread of Presence, the lampstand, etc. However, these articles were first covered by Aaron's sons, and then poles were used to move them. The Kohathites were not to touch them, on pain of death. Further,
"If they are to live and not die when they approach the most holy things, this is what you must do; let Aaron and his sons come and set each man to his appointed task and to his load, but the Kohathites themselves must not enter to cast even a passing glance at the sanctuary, on pain of death." Num 4:19-20
No wonder God was concerned! Not even a curious, passing glance could be made toward the holy things! How many of us would be able to resist... just a peek?
Curiosity isn't a sin. God gave us inquiring minds. Some more so than others. Let's not miss the deadly seriousness being taught here.
God is holy. So holy that we cannot even stand in the presence of, or touch those things that dwell in the same "house" where He dwells without being designated to do so. (Like Aaron's sons had been.)
God's holiness is not something to be curious about in the sense that we think we can fully understand or attain it. Rather, God is to be feared, with reverence and awe. He is to be worshipped and obeyed.
Yet, even these things, to be done correctly, must be done out of a deep sense of love for our Creator. Not to escape punishment or obtain a blessing.
I think we have all but lost this type of love for God. We have no concept of the power that lies just in His name. We think we can touch the stove and not get burned.
We think we can hide in our homes and closets, behind the high walls of our universities and our White House.
God will not be mocked. (Gal 6:7)
He sees and knows... everything. There is nowhere we can go to escape His presence. (Psalm 139) This truth is either comforting or terrifying.
You say that God is Love. And this is true.
It is because of the greatness of His love for us that He is determined that no sin, nothing blemished or unworthy, shall remain in us.
To the Israelites, He gave rules to follow and sacrifices to perform.
This side of the cross, we have a Savior to follow and commands to obey.
God knew that the Israelites would fail. And so will we. But we have something the Israelites didn't have. When we acknowledge Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour, we are given a Helper.
The Holy Spirit.
He comes to dwell within us. Somehow, supernaturally, in a way, I don't understand. But you will know He is there, within you. Because you will be changed.
"Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." 2 Cor 5:17
The Holy Spirit teaches us and guides us as we grow in our relationship with the Lord.
If you've lost your fear and reverence for the holy things, if you've deceived yourself into believing that God does not see, ask the Holy Spirit to help you.
He can reignite your spirit to the holy things of God. Then you can know, as Curdie* did, what it is like to be purged and purified in the sweet-smelling fire of the Rose.
Blessings,
*Reference: George MacDonald, The Princess and Curdie
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