“8) And Moses said unto Korah, Hear, I pray you, ye sons of Levi: 9) Seemeth it but a small thing unto you, that the God of Israel hath separated you from the congregation of Israel, to bring you near to himself to do the service of the tabernacle of the LORD, and to stand before the congregation to minister unto them? 10) And he hath brought thee near to him, and all thy brethren the sons of Levi with thee: and seek ye the priesthood also?” (Numbers 16:8-10)
God had given the sons of Levi a special work to do in the service of the tabernacle. He had separated them from their brethren and brought them near to Him to do the work He had ordained for them to do. Is the work God gave them a small thing? Because it was not the priesthood, was it a small thing to stand before the Lord and serve in His tabernacle?
Now we have no tabernacle made with hands, but we have a tabernacle of clay, an earthen vessel. “5) For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake. 6) For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 7) But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.” (II Corinthians 4:5-7)
We do not need a tabernacle made with hands in order to serve the Lord. We all have a treasure in our body of clay, in our earthly vessel, our earthly tabernacle. The treasure is the light of the knowledge of the glory of God which shines in our hearts and brings light in places of darkness when we preach the gospel of Christ. We are all servants of Christ Jesus, chosen in Him through faith unto salvation. “Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.” (Romans 6:18) “According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love.” (Ephesians 1:4)
“19) Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, 20) By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; 21) And having an high priest over the house of God; 22) Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.” (Hebrews 10:19-22) God has called all of us to draw near to him. He has given each of us a special work to do. “But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.” (I Corinthians 12:11)
Is the work that God has given us a small thing? No! Lord, help me not to despise the work you have given me to do and to look upon the work of another as something greater. Help me to faithfully fulfill that service which you have laid upon me, and to fulfill it with joy.
~T. J. L. Y.