Not the Job I Chose

In the past the majority of people were subsistence farmers, meeting the needs of their own families. Families often developed specialties, which their descendants continued. Today, more people train for diverse careers of their own choosing. The Bible recounts the histories of both families and individuals whose careers were influenced by God. The book of Numbers reveals two interesting examples of divinely assigned jobs. (All references from Numbers.)

The first example is that of Aaron and the Levites. God chose the Levites to lead in all aspects of worship for the children of Israel, but not all Levites had the same responsibilities. Aaron was specifically chosen as the high priest, and only his direct descendents were to follow him in that role. Aaron and his sons cared for the sanctuary and the altar (18:5). They performed the sacrifices, received the offerings, and carried out the day-to-day operation of the tabernacle.

After Aaron's first two sons died, Eleazar and Ithamar took their place. Each had his own specific area of responsibility. Eleazar was particularly responsible for the oil for the light, the incense, and the anointing oil (4:16). He had the very sacred and honored duty to make sure these special items were properly maintained and transported. Ithamar's less glamorous job was to oversee the tabernacle itself. Each time the tabernacle moved, Ithamar was responsible to supervise the Gershonites in assembling and disassembling the tent and its fixtures (4:28).

Aaron and his sons could not handle all aspects regarding worship on their own. The rest of the tribe of Levi was assigned to help in many practical areas. Regarding the tabernacle, the Levites were to help with taking care only of the tent itself; they were not permitted to care directly for the furnishings of the sanctuary (18:3-4). The Levites camped around the tabernacle when it was set up, they took it down when it needed to be moved, they carried it to its new location, and they set it up again (1:50-53). Only the Levites could do this job. An outsider couldn't help with the tent, on penalty of death (18:3,7).

Just like Aaron's sons, the different families of the Levites had diverse and specific responsibilities (3:25-37). The family of Gershon cared for the tent and its covering, the screens for the doorways, the hangings of the court, and the cords. The family of Kohath took care of the ark, the table, the lampstand, the altars, and the utensils. However, they could only care for those items after Aaron and his sons had covered them and prepared them for transport. The family of Merari was responsible for the frames of the tabernacle, the boards, bars, pillars, sockets, pegs, and equipment. These jobs were very specific; "you shall assign each man by name the items he is to carry" (4:32).

The other example of divinely assigned jobs was the leaders of the tribes. God chose by name one man from each tribe (1:5-15). These men were established as leaders (ch. 1). They had to direct their tribes to camp in a particular spot (ch. 2). Their camping assignment determined who were the first responders to battle and who were the reinforcements (ch. 10). The assignment also determined in which order they traveled (ch. 10). The men led their tribes in battle and in travel.

These twelve men were important in the consecration of tabernacle. Each on his assigned day had to assemble and present a very particular combination of gifts:  one silver dish and one silver bowl, each filled with fine flour mixed with oil, one gold pan full of incense, one bull, one ram, one male lamb, one male goat, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs (ch. 7). In all, these gifts accounted for a grain offering, burnt offering, sin offering, and peace offering for each tribe.

With all their responsibilities, these twelve were not assigned to apportion the land of Canaan for inheritances (ch. 34). They died before entering the land, and new leaders were chosen for those jobs, just as Joshua was chosen as the new leader for Israel.

The above interesting information reveals important truths about God's choosing of leaders and assigning of tasks. God, not man himself, chose each person for his responsibility. Each had to accept what God had called him to do as well as the full consequences that the role entailed. Magnitude of tasks was often independent of a family's size or individual's importance.

Each person had to do the job he was assigned, because each task fit together as a necessary part of a bigger picture. The overall task was so intricate that each job was important, down to the man assigned to carry a particular board. Careful and detailed execution of the tasks was required in order to achieve the objective. Each man had to do all his jobs, and the weighty impact of failure created great responsibility.

No one could do more than he was assigned or something out of his realm. His responsibility was limited. Furthermore, there was an end for each job. The Levites served from age thirty to age fifty, and no later. Each leader eventually stepped aside, and new people took over.

In context of the church, these principles apply more to service than to actual career. God assigns jobs to Christians within His church. Each one has something to do. No one can deny his responsibility, even if he would rather not have it. Each must do his job or there will be a hole. No one can trade his God-chosen job for one of his own choosing. Each must perform all the labors associated with his role for as long as God asks him to do it. God has every right to determine the specific type of service as well as its length, and only He is wise enough to fit all tasks together for the complete and healthy functioning of the church.