These closing chapters of Numbers find Israel at a pivotal place. Aaron’s priesthood has been transferred to his son, and Aaron has died. Moses is told to commission Joshua as his replacement. Major transitions are happening in the life of God’s people. Now we encounter Moses carrying out his last responsibilities – not the least of which we see here in 28:1. It begs a very big question.

Why all these laws, especially the daily service, reiterated and spelled out over and over? I mean, they already have all this – right? It has already been written out and explained more than once. What is going on here?

Justin Martyr in his dialog with Trypho makes the point that the reason why all of these things were pressed upon the Jews, was because of their sinfulness. He explained it this way: If God did not appoint such things, they would not naturally maintain to serve and worship him as he desired. In sinfulness, we always devolve down. Apart from such patterns built into our lives, the right honor and service to God is left to whims, fancies, tastes and then eventually – utter neglect. This is how God kept his name and presence alive in the world.

And so with us. We are not to adopt holy habits of reading and praying and public worship because God is pleased by mere activities. He doesn’t demand ritualistic service. We cultivate holy habits to counteract the downward gravitational pull of the remnants of indwelling sin. We have to weed the garden of our souls with regularity, or it will not be long before we neglect holy things altogether. We do not want to pursue legalism, but we MUST be watchful over the self-deception that we will maintain fidelity to him without such measures. It is not to earn his favor. It is to keep our hearts alive before him. It is Paul’s admonition 2 Tim. 1:6 to “fan into flame the gift of God which is within” us. Like the need to trim the lamps in the Tabernacle twice a day – so the light in us will grow dim quite quickly if we do not pay attention to it.

What is interesting here, is that the whole nation (“the people of Israel”) is charged with making sure the daily sacrificial duties which are to be carried out by the Levites – is done. It is everyone’s responsibility to make sure the Leadership does not abandon their main responsibilities. This then, even when by their own demands the Leadership is asked to pay attention to some other “needs” the Congregation might deem desirable. As congregants, we are to be vigilant that our ministers give themselves to prayer and the ministry of the Word. See: Acts 6:4.

We need the grace of Jesus’ death morning and night, weekly, monthly, and at special seasons throughout the year.

If we do not do this, we grow content in our sin, not recognizing the constant need for continual cleansing – for a perpetual dependence upon Christ and His atoning work. It is not as though we’ve been cleansed and go our way. We stay here, and live in the reality of it every minute. Such is our sinfulness, that even from morning till night, it escapes our view – and needs to be stimulated over and over and over with the utmost care.

What a warning that we cannot have “morning devotions” and then just our way. The memory will fade. The vividness will quickly wane.

Oh Father, forgive us! We do our holy “duty” and think little more of it after that. We are so prone to this horrid decline, and so lacking in careful, regular, incessant attention to it. And then we wonder why we sin at the rate we do in other things. Simply, because we are not paying attention to our actual need before you. You have provided a perpetual fountain of grace, and we take our sip and go our way and think we’re fine.