Numbers 8:23-26
And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “This applies to the Levites: from twenty-five years old and upward they shall come to do duty in the service of the tent of meeting. And from the age of fifty years they shall withdraw from the duty of the service and serve no more. They minister to their brothers in the tent of meeting by keeping guard, but they shall do no service. Thus shall you do to the Levites in assigning their duties.”
Truth: God recognizes seasons of our life
The title in my Bible for this section states, "Retirement of the Levites." Those who laid out this version of the Holy Scriptures read the above passage and connected it with "retirement." And, as we read the text it certainly does state that at the age of 50 the Levites were no longer to be used to do the work of the Tabernacle. The concept of retirement seems to be something, however, that is more born out of the industrial revolution, then something taught in Scripture. There is no doubt that the passage does say, at a specific age (50), there is going to be a change in the duty assignments of the Levitical Priests. At the age of 50 it states they are no longer to be included in the "assigning their duties." However, the "older" Levitical priest was to still "minister to their brothers" by "keeping guard." Their ministering didn't stop, but it did change its focus. I was recently given a copy of a book entitled, "Refire Don't Retire" (Ken Blanchard and Morton Schaevitz). The mindset of most people in our society is to earn enough money were we can sunset our lives into relaxed and easy living. The American dream is a focus on possessions and retirement. The concept taught to us is: Work hard enough that you can buy enough and that you can stop working to enjoy all the stuff you bought. Even some great Christian financial teachers have an emphasis on our retirement. Perhaps they use the above passage to do such teaching. However, if we read the text completely, the "refire" concept seems to better fit the text. What Moses is telling the 50 levite is that they will no longer have to do one type of work in the tabernacle, but they will be asked to do something else. Their 25 years of service does not end, but they are to "minister" to the younger priests and the younger priest are to allow that ministry to take place. They are to "guard" the tabernacle. These older men are to be the ones that make sure the tabernacle is treated and respected and cared for in the right manner. Later we will read a number of stories of how the Levitical priest failed in their duty to the nation and the care of the Tabernacle. It would be a concern if these "50-year old" priest were doing their job of "keeping guard." What the text does say is that God is very much in-tune with and recognizing the seasons of our lives. In other passages the young man who gets marries is allowed to take a year off of service for his new bride and him. God recognizes the seasons of our life and makes adjustment. However, as stated in this text, the concept of the modern day retirement does not seem to fit the passage. The New Testament shows us that serving in the body of Christ is continual life activity. John was in his 90s and still writing letters to the Churches (Revelation). God recognizes our seasons of life, but He does not fit the pattern of our society. We need to focus on God's plan for the later years of our life, and not the worlds system.
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