Leadership Over Spiritual Matters, Matters - Numbers 1-4

 Numbers 3:5-10 (ESV)

Duties of the Levites

And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, “Bring the tribe of Levi near, and set them before Aaron the priest, that they may minister to him. They shall keep guard over him and over the whole congregation before the tent of meeting, as they minister at the tabernacle. They shall guard all the furnishings of the tent of meeting, and keep guard over the people of Israel as they minister at the tabernacle. And you shall give the Levites to Aaron and his sons; they are wholly given to him from among the people of Israel. And you shall appoint Aaron and his sons, and they shall guard their priesthood. But if any outsider comes near, he shall be put to death.”

The tribe of Levi was to be completely focused on the Tabernacle and all that went with the worship aspect of the nations’ s life.   They were to be the people who set the Tabernacle up and those to took it down.  They were the ones who would carry all the furniture as the nation moved from one place to other.   They were to be the ones who guarded the Tabernacle from anyone was not a Levite.    The Levites were to be the ones who watched over the nation.  They were the priest.  Earlier in Leviticus we read that they were even the authority in the camp who watched over diseases within the camp. If someone became ill (that would threaten the entire nation), the Levites were consulted.    Their role was overseer of the entire life of the nation.     

There is an interesting parallel in the book of Hebrews when we think of today’s pastor/elder/bishop role.  Note:

Hebrews 13:17 (ESV)

Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.

Of course today we don’t see pastors/elders/bishops play the role of doctor to the ill or security guard to the property of the church, but we do see that the leadership of today’s church is supposed to watch over the souls of the Body of Christ.   That is their role and their responsibility.  They will be held accountable for that function, just as the Levites were for Israel. 

Spiritual leadership in God’s plan has a serious responsibility.   It should not be taken lightly or entered into lightly.   God has a role for leadership to play in the life of His people.  If given that role one is to live it out with all gravity and sincerity.