It seems an impossible task that the Levites had. Carry the furniture, but don’t touch?
We read in Numbers 4 regarding the holy furniture of the tabernacle, “the sons of Kohath shall come to carry them; but they shall not touch any holy thing, lest they die” (v 15). Wait, they were supposed to carry them, but not touch them? That’s right. With acacia wood bars running through rings on the furniture’s corners, and by the priests draping the furniture first with protective covers, the Levites were indeed able to carry them without actually touching them. Ingenious, wasn’t it! But oh friends, I can’t wait to tell you this! Our blessed Jesus is the true ark, His saving work is on God’s real altar, and His body is the opened veil (Heb 10:20), yet He welcomes people to touch Him. Listen: “When the men of that place recognized Him, they sent out into all that surrounding region, brought to Him all who were sick, and begged Him that they might only touch the hem of His garment. And as many as touched it were made perfectly well” (Mt 14:35-36). “He healed many, so that as many as had afflictions pressed about Him to touch Him” (Mk 3:10). “And the whole multitude sought to touch Him, for power went out from Him and healed them all” (Lk 6:19). And still He draws near to any needy soul looking for His saving power. Have you reached out to touch Him? Paul, the apostle to the nations, would proclaim, “He has made from one blood every nation…to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings, so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us” (Acts 17:26-27). Faith moved these people to reach out to Him, and simple trust in His finished work is how you can make contact with Him today.