Carrying the Presence

 Numbers 3-4; Acts 25 

“…the Kohathites are to come to do the carrying. But they must not touch the holy things or they will die…Aaron and his sons are to go into the sanctuary and assign to each man his work and what he is to carry. But the Kohathites must not go in to look at the holy things, even for a moment, or they will die.”

Numbers 4:15, 19, 20

The Kohathites were responsible for carrying the holy things, but they couldn’t look at them and touch them or they would die.

Why?

God’s holiness required blood sacrifices to be given for the forgiveness of sin, before those chosen by him could meet with him. The Kohathites were carrying the presence of the Lord, but they could not become casual, familiar, or careless with God’s presence. That attentiveness required humility, self-control, and submission. They were to interact with the holy things on God’s terms, not their own. Our bodies are the temple of God in the new covenant. We, too, were bought with a price. 

As those who carry the Holy Spirit, the presence of God, how are we to honor God’s presence within us?

The veil to the most Holy Place was torn at the death of Jesus. We have bold access to the most Holy Place, but still on God’s terms, not ours. We must honor God with our bodies.

“Lord Jesus, I offer the temple of my body to you as a living sacrifice; I choose to honor your presence within me, for your glory.”