According to Numbers 4, the sons of Kohath had a difficult task. As the jobs for transporting the tabernacle were divvied out for the Levites, their task was to transport the utensils, altars, ark of the covenant, basins, candlestick and everything else that was used in the tabernacle.
These items had to be covered carefully before they were transported. One might think that this was because of the harsh desert elements. Somehow these tools and furnishings needed to be protected from the sand and the jostling during transportation.
That may have been part of the reason for the careful instructions that God gave the Kohathites.
But there's more to it.
"Let not the tribe of the clans of the Kohathites be destroyed from among the Levites, but deal thus with them, that they may live and not die when they come near to the most holy things: Aaron and his sons shall go in and appoint them each to his task and to his burden, but they shall not go in to look on the holy things even for a moment, lest they die" (Numbers 4:17-20).
Not only did the utensils and furnishings need to be protected, but the Kohathites and the rest of the nation needed to be protected.
A glance at the holy things meant death.
Sounds like a scene in "Raiders of the Lost Ark."
The Kohathites were to cover the holy things to protect themselves from death. These items were a reflection, or image-bearer, of the holiness of God. To look upon the holiness of God meant death.
Do we think of that when we sing about the holiness of God?
"Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty" can become so trivial when we don't realize the power of His holiness.
And to think that we will someday stand in His holiness. We'll be glorified and able to take in this holiness.
But what will it be like?
And it's all because Jesus took our sins upon Himself!
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