It has been famously said, “Who would stoop to be a king when you can be a servant of God?”
Numbers 8:5-26 sweeps us back more than three thousand years to stand in the desert with the children of Israel. Today the Levites—the servants of God’s servants, the priests—are going to be prepared to work in the tabernacle. Everything must be done exactly as God commands. While the details are different, the lessons are the same for us today. The Lord Jesus is God’s chief Servant. It’s hard to think about the King of kings being a servant, but there’s no doubt this is true. The Father calls Him “My Servant” three times in the prophecy of Isaiah (42:1; 49:6; 52:13), and the first of these statements is repeated concerning the Lord Jesus in Matthew 12:18, in case we have any doubt who God means. But like the Levites, we are to be servants of God’s Servant. Jesus said, “If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor” (Jn 12:26). What a privilege! Let’s notice the three references in this section that describe this service. In verse 11, it’s called “the work [or service, KJV] of the Lord.” This elevates even the most trivial task—we’re doing it for Him! In verse 15, it’s called the “service” of “the tabernacle of meeting” (also in vv 22 and 24). Here we are reminded that, while we serve the Lord, that service is often like the work of the Levites: putting things up, then taking things down; moving here and moving there; doing the things that no one notices if they’re done right, and everyone seems to notice if they aren’t! In verse 19, we read of “the work [or service, KJV] for the children of Israel.” Yes, in serving God we serve His people, and even if they don’t always appreciate it, we know He does. Yes, we’re serving the only Servant-King!