20140723 Wednesday, July 23 2014
1 Chronicles 23: What Did John The Baptist's Father Do At The Temple?

by Wayne Blank
See also 1 Year Holy Bible Reading Plan

"For David said, The LORD God of Israel hath given rest unto His people, that they may dwell in Jerusalem for ever: And also unto the Levites; they shall no more carry the Tabernacle, nor any vessels of it for the service thereof"

The LORD (Who was and is Jesus Christ - see Genesis 1: In The Beginning Was The Word and The Kingdom Of The LORD God) created the Levite priesthood for purely Christian prophetic purposes (see When Were The Levites Set Apart?, The Prophecy Of The Blood Upon The Anointed One and The Prophecies Of Christianity).

Levi had three sons - Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. From those branches of Levi's family, the Levites were organized into three levels of service at the original Tabernacle in the time of Moses (see Israel In History and Prophecy: The Tabernacle). Moses himself was a Levite, not a Jew (see Are Levites 'Jews'?).

The first level was composed of Aaron and his offspring, who were descended from Levi's son Kohath. They formed the priesthood.

The second level was made up of all of the other descendants of Kohath who were not descendants of Aaron. They were in charge of the most sacred parts of the Tabernacle (Numbers 3:27-32, 4:4-15, 7:9).

The third level consisted of all of the descendants of Gershon and Merari, who were given lesser duties (Numbers 3:21-26,33-37).

When The Ark was brought to Jerusalem (see The Ark's Arrival In Zion), King David set out to build the Temple. The Levite responsibilities there were based upon their original assignments in the time of Moses. Among the later Levites who would serve in that Temple was the father of John the Baptist. John was a Levite - Christian "baptism" originated as a Levitical observance by the Levites in their service to the LORD (see The Levites Of Christ).

"23:1 So when David was old and full of days, he made Solomon his son king over Israel.

23:2 And he gathered together all the princes of Israel, with the priests and the Levites. 23:3 Now the Levites were numbered from the age of thirty years and upward: and their number by their polls, man by man, was thirty and eight thousand. 23:4 Of which, twenty and four thousand were to set forward the work of the house of the LORD; and six thousand were officers and judges: 23:5 Moreover four thousand were porters; and four thousand praised the LORD with the instruments which I made, said David, to praise therewith.

23:6 And David divided them into courses among the sons of Levi, namely, Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.

23:7 Of the Gershonites were, Laadan, and Shimei. 23:8 The sons of Laadan; the chief was Jehiel, and Zetham, and Joel, three. 23:9 The sons of Shimei; Shelomith, and Haziel, and Haran, three. These were the chief of the fathers of Laadan. 23:10 And the sons of Shimei were, Jahath, Zina, and Jeush, and Beriah. These four were the sons of Shimei. 23:11 And Jahath was the chief, and Zizah the second: but Jeush and Beriah had not many sons; therefore they were in one reckoning, according to their father's house.

23:12 The sons of Kohath; Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel, four. 23:13 The sons of Amram; Aaron and Moses: and Aaron was separated, that he should sanctify the most holy things, he and his sons for ever, to burn incense before the LORD, to minister unto him, and to bless in his name for ever. 23:14 Now concerning Moses the man of God, his sons were named of the tribe of Levi. 23:15 The sons of Moses were, Gershom, and Eliezer. 23:16 Of the sons of Gershom, Shebuel was the chief. 23:17 And the sons of Eliezer were, Rehabiah the chief. And Eliezer had none other sons; but the sons of Rehabiah were very many. 23:18 Of the sons of Izhar; Shelomith the chief. 23:19 Of the sons of Hebron; Jeriah the first, Amariah the second, Jahaziel the third, and Jekameam the fourth. 23:20 Of the sons of Uzziel; Michah the first, and Jesiah the second.

23:21 The sons of Merari; Mahli, and Mushi. The sons of Mahli; Eleazar, and Kish. 23:22 And Eleazar died, and had no sons, but daughters: and their brethren the sons of Kish took them. 23:23 The sons of Mushi; Mahli, and Eder, and Jeremoth, three." (1 Chronicles 23:1-23 KJV)

The only major difference in the Levite responsibilities in the Temple from that in the time of the portable Tabernacle was that the specific Levites who were alone authorized to carry The Ark were retired from service because The Ark was home. It was yet another reason why The Ark never left Jerusalem after that time (see the Fact Finder question below).

"23:24 These were the sons of Levi after the house of their fathers; even the chief of the fathers, as they were counted by number of names by their polls, that did the work for the service of the house of the LORD, from the age of twenty years and upward. 23:25 For David said, The LORD God of Israel hath given rest unto his people, that they may dwell in Jerusalem for ever: 23:26 And also unto the Levites; they shall no more carry the tabernacle, nor any vessels of it for the service thereof.

23:27 For by the last words of David the Levites were numbered from twenty years old and above: 23:28 Because their office was to wait on the sons of Aaron for the service of the house of the LORD, in the courts, and in the chambers, and in the purifying of all holy things, and the work of the service of the house of God; 23:29 Both for the shewbread, and for the fine flour for meat offering, and for the unleavened cakes, and for that which is baked in the pan, and for that which is fried, and for all manner of measure and size; 23:30 And to stand every morning to thank and praise the LORD, and likewise at even; 23:31 And to offer all burnt sacrifices unto the LORD in the sabbaths, in the new moons, and on the set feasts, by number, according to the order commanded unto them, continually before the LORD: 23:32 And that they should keep the charge of the tabernacle of the congregation, and the charge of the holy place, and the charge of the sons of Aaron their brethren, in the service of the house of the LORD." (1 Chronicles 23:24-32 KJV)

Fact Finder: Why wasn't The Ark ever lost to the Babylonians in 586 BC or to the Romans in 70 AD?
See The Temple Vessel Prophecies Today