THEOSISVissarion (Nechaev)
Before the construction of the Tabernacle, the foremost of the firstborn were involved in the sacrifices, as can be inferred from Exodus 24:5. However, when the Tabernacle was completed, which occurred in the early part of the second year of the Israelites' journey in the wilderness while they were still at Sinai, God instructed Moses to set apart the sons of the tribe of Levi for service in the Tabernacle instead of the firstborn. God specified that once they were consecrated, they would enter the Tabernacle to serve, saying, “These are given unto Me,” indicating they are a gift from the people of Israel.
Read more (469 words)
This offering of the Levites to the Lord was to take place according to His directive through the laying on of hands by the elders of the entire congregation of Israel during their dedication for Tabernacle service, similar to how the Israelites placed their hands on the sacrificial animals presented to the priests (Numbers 8:10).
The Lord continued, “And I will take them, and sanctify them unto Me in the place of the firstborn of the children of Israel; on this day I will smite every firstborn in the land of Egypt” (Numbers 8:16-17). This declaration indicates that on the very day He commanded the consecration of the Hebrew firstborn—namely, the day of their exodus from Egypt—He had predestined the Levites to take their place. This exchange was necessary since the number of firstborn from all the tribes of Israel would have significantly exceeded the count required for the service of the Tabernacle, leading to unsustainable burdens on the community.
The phrase “God Most High Holy (holy honoured) Israel” does not appear in the biblical text. The passages in question are intended to be read during the Feast of the Purification, as the events commemorated are a result of the divine commands outlined in them. The law demanded the consecration of the firstborn to the Lord and required a ransom for them. To fulfill this law, the Lord Jesus—who is the firstborn Word of God the Father and, through His earthly birth from the Virgin, also the firstborn in the Flesh—obediently submitted himself to these regulations. He was presented in the earthly temple as a sacrifice, foreshadowing His ultimate sacrifice on Calvary. He, who came to redeem humanity with His invaluable blood, was redeemed with a humble monetary offering, thereby initiating the process of fulfilling the debt owed to God's justice on behalf of all.
According to the law, each mother was required to bring a sacrifice to the temple after completing her purification period, which typically included a lamb and a dove, or in cases of poverty, just two young pigeons or turtledoves. The Virgin Mary adhered to this law, presenting a sacrifice permitted for the impoverished. However, one might wonder why she complied with the purification ritual when her Son's birth was pure and without the burdens typically associated with childbirth. This was to avoid any accusations of lawbreaking, as the mystery surrounding the immaculate conception and birth was known only to her and Joseph at that time.
With the Levites replacing the firstborn, could this not serve as a foreshadowing of the ending of the Old Testament's Levitical priesthood with the advent of the Lord Jesus, the eternal High Priest? His singular sacrifice on the cross stands in stark contrast to the numerous offerings of the Old Testament, providing eternal purification and sanctification for all humanity.