Numbers 3:38
“Anyone else who tried to perform these duties was to be put to death.”
“Anyone other than a priest or Levite who went too near the sanctuary was to be put to death.”
Chapter 3 contains God’s direction for calling of the priests and Levites. They are very specific. In this early shaping of a nation God is rigid in his instructions. We are too, when raising children. Immaturity requires boundaries. Boundaries relax with increasing self-control. And so, our gentle, lowly and good God, who John says is love, presents at first as the stern authoritarian Israel needs in its infancy. He is shaping the heart and soul of a nation and leaves nothing to chance. Sounds just like a mother of young children.
Lord, thank you for being my mom and dad. You are both the hedge round about me and the encouragement I need to take another step. I love you.