Early Retirement

(Today I read Numbers chapters 5-8 in the Bible from the New Living Translation, why don't you join me?)

Numbers 8:23-26 NLT

The Lord also instructed Moses, “This is the rule the Levites must follow: They must begin serving in the Tabernacle at the age of twenty-five, and they must retire at the age of fifty. After retirement they may assist their fellow Levites by serving as guards at the Tabernacle, but they may not officiate in the service. This is how you must assign duties to the Levites.”

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I'm getting a bit older. I've been saying that for years. But since I'm nearly 50 myself and since I'm a priest, maybe I should be considering retirement.

1 Peter 2:9 NLT

But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.

But before you get to liking the idea too much let's consider a few other relevant facts.
Moses and Aaron and maybe even Aaron's sons were much older and they were working very hard indeed. In fact at this point Moses is somewhere in the neighbourhood of 85 years old and He had lots of work ahead of him yet and he served in the tabernacle. In fact Moses visits with God in the Holiest place in the Tabernacle and hears his voice.

Numbers 7:89 NLT

Whenever Moses went into the Tabernacle to speak with the Lord , he heard the voice speaking to him from between the two cherubim above the Ark’s cover—the place of atonement—that rests on the Ark of the Covenant. The Lord spoke to him from there.

Further we get no indication that I know of that in any other area of life and ministry we are to retire. Here in Numbers the Levites still have the possibility of guard duty and this job doesn't seen to come with a retirement age.

So why this specific age range for Levites serving in the Tabernacle?

Numbers 8:7 NLT

Do this by sprinkling them with the water of purification, and have them shave their entire body and wash their clothing. Then they will be ceremonially clean.

The whole regime is meant to differentiate between God and the people. The people are sinful, dirty, flawed, blemished, rebellious, and tainted with stench of death. God is pure, holy, perfect, the very source of life and in all ways righteous.

God wanted reliable men. He wanted men in their prime, capable, clear, and without an outward sign of impurity.

And maybe the most important thing is that God wanted to remind his people that he was not to be taken lightly. Not just anyone could fulfill the role.

That is until Jesus, comes and makes all his people in his kingdom a kingdom of priests.

Revelation 1:4-7 NLT

This letter is from John to the seven churches in the province of Asia. Grace and peace to you from the one who is, who always was, and who is still to come; from the sevenfold Spirit before his throne; and from Jesus Christ. He is the faithful witness to these things, the first to rise from the dead, and the ruler of all the kings of the world. All glory to him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by shedding his blood for us. He has made us a Kingdom of priests for God his Father. All glory and power to him forever and ever! Amen. Look! He comes with the clouds of heaven. And everyone will see him— even those who pierced him. And all the nations of the world will mourn for him. Yes! Amen!

So a day is coming when none will be mothballed. There will be no differentiation because we'll all be like Jesus. And old, young, men, women and child alike will be part of the royal priesthood of Jesus.

We are always looking to Jesus and his kingdom. Are you?